Master of Science in Community Nutrition & Development
The Master of Science in Community Nutrition & Development is a master's programme offered at Kenyan universities. This postgraduate degree prepares professionals for advanced practice and research careers in health sciences.
- Duration
- 1-2 years
- Public, up to
- Ksh 180,000
- Private, up to
- Ksh 150,000
- Job market
- Moderate
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Practicalities
- Study mode
- Full-time, Part-time
- Attachment
- 0 months
- Average class
- 15 students
- Award
- Masters
What you study
10 subjects- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Health Systems Management
- Public Health Research Methods
- Health Policy and Planning
- Clinical Research Methods
- Health Economics
- Disease Control
- Nutrition Assessment
- Healthcare Ethics
Modules
10 in the programmeCommunity Nutrition and Development Integration
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Nutrition and development integration, nutrition in development theory, multi-sectoral nutrition, Kenya Vision 2030, SDGs, KDHS, double burden of malnutrition, poverty-nutrition nexus, and applying nutrition-development integration
Food Security and Livelihoods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Food security, food availability, access, utilisation, stability, livelihoods, livelihood frameworks, coping strategies, FCS, HDDS, HFIAS, Kenya's food insecurity, ASALs, and applying food security and livelihoods
Participatory Community Development Methods
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Participatory methods, PRA, PLA, resource mapping, seasonal calendars, wealth ranking, community-driven development, CDD, facilitation skills, community engagement, and applying participatory development methods
Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Nutrition-sensitive agriculture, kitchen gardens, food systems, value chains, crop diversification, livestock, biofortification, OFSP, iron beans, school feeding, Home Grown School Feeding, and applying nutrition-sensitive agriculture
Social Protection, Gender and Nutrition
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Social protection, cash transfers, NSNP, OVC, gender, women's empowerment, VSLAs, table banking, gender mainstreaming, women's groups, and applying social protection and gender for nutrition
Resilience and Nutrition in ASALs
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Resilience, ASALs, drought, NDMA, livelihood diversification, beekeeping, poultry, small ruminants, climate-smart agriculture, early warning, emergency nutrition, and applying resilience and nutrition in ASALs
School Health, Nutrition and Early Childhood Development
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
School health, school feeding, school nutrition, early childhood development, ECD nutrition, cognitive development, nutrition and education, WASH in schools, and applying school health and nutrition
Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Coordination and Governance
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Multi-sectoral nutrition, County Nutrition Coordination Committees, nutrition governance, policy advocacy, Kenya Food and Nutrition Security Policy, SUN movement, civil society, and applying multi-sectoral coordination
MEAL and Research Methods
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning, MEAL, logical framework, indicators, data collection, impact evaluation, research methods, biostatistics, scientific writing, and preparing for the thesis
Thesis
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Original research on a community nutrition and development topic such as impact of kitchen gardens on household nutrition in Kenya's rural communities, role of women's VSLAs in improving child nutrition in Kenya, effectiveness of food-for-assets programmes on nutrition in Kenya's ASALs, or integration of nutrition into county development plans in Kenya
Specialisations
Social Protection and Gender
Focus on social protection, cash transfers, NSNP, women's empowerment, VSLAs, gender mainstreaming, and developing social protection and gender-responsive nutrition programmes
Food Security and Livelihoods
Focus on food security assessment, livelihood frameworks, coping strategies, value chains, kitchen gardens, crop diversification, and developing food security and livelihood programmes
Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Governance
Focus on multi-sectoral nutrition coordination, County Nutrition Coordination Committees, nutrition policy, SUN movement, advocacy, and developing nutrition governance frameworks
Resilience and ASAL Development
Specialisation in resilience, ASAL livelihoods, drought management, NDMA, livelihood diversification, climate-smart agriculture, and developing resilience programmes for Kenya's ASALs
Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
Specialisation in nutrition-sensitive agriculture, food systems, biofortification, school feeding, Home Grown School Feeding, value chains for nutrition, and developing nutrition-sensitive agriculture programmes
A day as a student
A typical day involves attending public health lectures, analysing epidemiological data, participating in field visits, reviewing medical literature, presenting at journal clubs, and meeting with supervisors to discuss research projects.
The trade offs
In its favour
- Integrates nutrition with development for maximum impact — combining nutrition expertise with community development approaches addresses root causes of malnutrition including poverty, food insecurity, and gender inequality
- High demand across multiple sectors — county governments, NGOs, UN agencies, FAO, WFP, and development organisations create strong demand for integrated nutrition and development expertise
Against it
- Complex multi-sectoral coordination required — integrating nutrition with agriculture, education, social protection, and WASH requires navigating complex institutional landscapes and coordination challenges
- Fieldwork in remote and resource-limited areas — community development fieldwork takes place in rural communities, ASALs, and informal settlements, which can be physically and emotionally demanding
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 349 health sciences coursesAnnual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.
The fine print
Eldoret Y1=162.6k (uoeld.ac.ke); KeMU 150k/yr; GLUK 120k/yr. MMUST~180k.
WHO, KEMRI, and AMREF offer research grants. HELB provides postgraduate loans. CDC, NIH, and Fogarty International support health research in Kenya.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
Loan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited postgraduate programmes
WHO Research Grant
Grant
Public health researchers in WHO priority areas
KEMRI Research Grant
Grant
Health researchers affiliated with KEMRI
Scholarships
5 recordedDAAD Development Studies Scholarship
FullKsh 4,000,000Kenyan
Kenyan; Academic excellence; Development studies programme
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
FullKsh 8,000,000Kenyan
Kenyan; Academic excellence; Financial need; Leadership
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizens pursuing postgraduate studies.
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship
FullKsh 6,000,000Kenyan
Kenyan; Academic excellence; Leadership; Community service
FAO Food Security Fellowship
FellowshipKsh 2,000,000
African; Food security research; Academic merit; Research proposal
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
- KCSE mean grade
- Second Upper Division (2.1) or equivalent
- Alternative entry
- Bachelor's in related field with experience in nutrition, community development, or food security. KNDI registration can support application.
Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Food Science, Agriculture, Community Development, Rural Sociology, Public Health, or related field from a recognised university
2.1 or higher
Nutrition or development background with community engagement interest
demonstrated in bachelor's
Experience in community development, nutrition programmes, NGO work, or county government
preferred
English proficiency (international applicants)
IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90+
How you are assessed
4 componentsCommunity Projects and Field Practicals
Project30% of the mark
Participatory appraisal project, integrated programme design, food security assessment, livelihood intervention design, and seminar presentation
Industry Attachment and Seminars
Cat15% of the mark
County government/NGO attachment assessment, community field reports, research seminar presentations, and programme evaluation exercise
Thesis
Research30% of the mark
Original research on a community nutrition and development topic examined by oral defence
End of Semester Examinations
Exam25% of the mark
Formal written examinations covering nutrition-development integration, food security, participatory methods, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, social protection, resilience, school health, multi-sectoral coordination, and MEAL
Accreditation
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Health programmes are also regulated by KMPDC, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Nursing Council of Kenya, or Clinical Officers Council as applicable.
Accredited by
Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute
ProfessionalRequired
Mandatory professional registration for nutrition practice in Kenya.
Commission for University Education
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for university programmes in Kenya.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
5 rolesCommunity Development Officer
Medium demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 380,000
Implements community development programmes, facilitates participatory processes, supports livelihoods, and works at county governments, NGOs, or development organisations in Kenya
Programme Manager
Medium demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages nutrition and development programmes, oversees budgets and staff, coordinates donors, supports FAO/WFP/NGO programmes, and works at UN agencies, NGOs, or consulting firms in Kenya
University Lecturer
Low demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches community nutrition and development, conducts research, supervises students, and works at universities in Kenya
Nutrition Development Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Designs integrated nutrition and development programmes, supports county governments, coordinates multi-sectoral nutrition, and works at NGOs, UN agencies, or county governments in Kenya
Livelihood Specialist
Medium demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Designs livelihood interventions, supports value chains, promotes kitchen gardens and diversified farming, and works at NGOs, FAO, or development organisations in Kenya
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as public health officers, clinical specialists, health programme managers, medical researchers, and health policy advisors in Kenya's health sector.
Where these fields lead
8 careersRelated courses
Fees and entry marks for Master of Science in Community Nutrition & Development are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.