Social Sciences

Master of Science in E-Governance

The Master of Science in E-Governance is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in electronic governance, digital transformation of public services, and ICT-enabled public administration. The programme combines governance theory with practical e-government and digital transformation application.

Core areas include e-governance systems, digital government, public sector ICT, e-service delivery, government information systems, data governance, cybersecurity in governance, digital transformation, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both governance and ICT theory and practical digital government application through coursework and research.

The programme draws on related offerings at Kenyatta University through its School of Humanities and Social Sciences and JKUAT through its School of Open and eLearning. Both are public universities offering governance and ICT-related programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in e-governance systems, digital government, public sector ICT, e-service delivery, government information systems, data governance, cybersecurity in governance, and digital transformation. The programme includes coursework, examinations, practical projects, and a supervised research thesis.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 178,500/year (KES 357,000 total) for leadership and governance programmes. KU charges KES 216,000/year for arts-based masters programmes. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in public administration, governance, IT, computer science, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as e-governance officers, digital transformation specialists, public sector ICT managers, government information officers, policy analysts, and lecturers in e-governance across government agencies, county governments, ICT authorities, consulting firms, and universities.

Skills Required

E-Governance Systems Design and Implementation
Digital Government and E-Service Delivery
Public Sector ICT Management and Strategy
Government Information Systems and Data Governance
Digital Transformation in Public Administration
Cybersecurity in Government and Public Sector
E-Participation and Citizen Engagement
Open Data and Government Transparency
Research Methods in E-Governance
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

E-Governance Systems Design and Implementation
Digital Government and E-Service Delivery
Public Sector ICT Management and Strategy
Government Information Systems and Data Governance
Digital Transformation in Public Administration
Cybersecurity in Government and Public Sector
E-Participation and Citizen Engagement
Open Data and Government Transparency
Research Methods in E-Governance
Thesis Research

Certifications

ICTA E-Government Certification
UN E-Government Professional Certification

Specializations

Digital Government

Focuses on digital government, covering e-service delivery, digital platforms, government portals, online services, and managing digital government.

Public Sector ICT

Examines public sector ICT, covering government information systems, IFMIS, GHRIS, e-procurement, and managing public sector ICT.

Data Governance

Covers data governance, covering data management, open data, data protection, privacy, and managing government data.

E-Participation

Focuses on e-participation, covering citizen engagement, digital participation, e-consultation, e-voting, and managing e-participation.

Digital Transformation

Examines digital transformation, covering digital strategy, change management, innovation, process reengineering, and managing digital transformation.

Cybersecurity in Governance

Covers cybersecurity in governance, covering threat management, data protection, security policies, compliance, and managing government cybersecurity.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 216,000
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: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

E-Governance Systems Design and Implementation
Digital Government and E-Service Delivery
Public Sector ICT Management and Strategy
Government Information Systems and Data Governance
Digital Transformation in Public Administration
Cybersecurity in Government and Public Sector
E-Participation and Citizen Engagement
Open Data and Government Transparency
Research Methods in E-Governance
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

E-Governance Systems Design and Implementation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines e-government architecture, service delivery, portals, interoperability, standards, and managing e-governance systems.
Digital Government and E-Service Delivery
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers e-service delivery, digital platforms, government portals, online services, citizen services, and managing digital government.
Research Methods in E-Governance
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, ethical issues, and conducting e-governance research, preparing students for their thesis.
Public Sector ICT Management and Strategy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines government information systems, IFMIS, GHRIS, e-procurement, IPPD, and managing public sector ICT.
Government Information Systems and Data Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers data management, open data, data protection, privacy, DPA, quality, and managing government data.
Digital Transformation in Public Administration
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines digital strategy, change management, innovation, process reengineering, and managing digital transformation.
Cybersecurity in Government and Public Sector
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers threat management, data protection, security policies, compliance, incident response, and managing government cybersecurity.
E-Participation and Citizen Engagement
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines citizen engagement, digital participation, e-consultation, e-voting, collaborative governance, and managing e-participation.
Open Data and Government Transparency
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers open government data, transparency, accountability, data portals, data publishing, and managing open data.
E-Government Policy and Regulatory Framework
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines e-government policy, regulations, legal framework, cyber law, data protection law, and managing e-government policy.
Mobile Government and Emerging Technologies
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers mobile government, AI in governance, blockchain, IoT, big data, and managing emerging technologies in government.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an e-governance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and e-governance knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Digital Government
Focuses on digital government, covering e-service delivery, digital platforms, government portals, online services, and managing digital government.
Public Sector ICT
Examines public sector ICT, covering government information systems, IFMIS, GHRIS, e-procurement, and managing public sector ICT.
Data Governance
Covers data governance, covering data management, open data, data protection, privacy, and managing government data.
E-Participation
Focuses on e-participation, covering citizen engagement, digital participation, e-consultation, e-voting, and managing e-participation.
Digital Transformation
Examines digital transformation, covering digital strategy, change management, innovation, process reengineering, and managing digital transformation.
Cybersecurity in Governance
Covers cybersecurity in governance, covering threat management, data protection, security policies, compliance, and managing government cybersecurity.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in E-Governance programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, practical workshops, project work, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover e-governance systems, digital government, public sector ICT, and digital transformation. E-governance systems sessions examine e-government architecture, service delivery, portals, interoperability, and managing e-governance. Digital government sessions cover e-service delivery, digital platforms, government portals, online services, citizen services, and managing digital government. Public sector ICT sessions cover government information systems, IFMIS, GHRIS, e-procurement, IPPD, and managing public sector ICT. Data governance sessions cover data management, open data, data protection, privacy, DPA, and managing government data. Digital transformation sessions cover digital strategy, change management, innovation, process reengineering, and managing digital transformation. Cybersecurity sessions cover threat management, data protection, security policies, compliance, and managing government cybersecurity. E-participation sessions cover citizen engagement, digital participation, e-consultation, e-voting, and managing e-participation. Open data sessions cover open government data, transparency, accountability, data portals, and managing open data. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with e-government platforms, data analytics, GIS, and digital tools. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with system design, process mapping, digital strategy, and e-service development. Project work provides hands-on experience with real e-governance challenges, government systems, and digital transformation initiatives. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in e-governance. Guest lectures from experienced e-governance practitioners, ICT authority officials, and government technology leaders provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an e-governance topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for e-governance professionals with Kenya's digital transformation, e-citizen platforms, county government ICT, and digital service delivery.
Programme draws on established governance and ICT programmes at KU and JKUAT, both well-respected public universities.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 178,500/year for governance programmes.
Programme addresses pressing national challenges including digital service delivery, government efficiency, and citizen engagement.

Against it

No standalone MSc in E-Governance programme confirmed at any Kenyan university; e-governance is studied within broader governance programmes.
KU fees at KES 216,000/year may be challenging for some students.
No private university confirmed offering this programme, limiting options.
Rapidly evolving technology landscape requires continuous self-learning beyond the curriculum.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public179k to 216k

179k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology216k at Kenyatta University

Annual 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

KU Leadership/Governance 216K/yr. JKUAT ~178.5K/yr. Private: unverified. Src: ku.ac.ke, jkuat.ac.ke

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KU may offer postgraduate bursaries for eligible students. ICTA and government technology initiatives may provide training support. Some consulting firms and technology companies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KU Postgraduate Bursary
ICTA Training Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KU Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
Kenyatta University offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
ICTA Training Support
GrantKsh 150,000Kenyan
ICT Authority and partner organisations may provide training support for e-governance professionals.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in public administration, governance, IT, computer science, or related fields. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, project reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering e-governance systems, digital government, public sector ICT, and digital transformation.
Practical Project Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through e-governance projects, system design, digital strategy, and demonstrating e-governance skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an e-governance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and e-governance knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme draws on accredited governance and ICT-related programmes at Kenyatta University and JKUAT (both public). E-governance is studied as a specialisation within broader governance programmes accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in governance and public administration. Graduates are eligible for ICTA e-government certification and UN e-government professional certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme draws on accredited governance and ICT-related programmes at Kenyatta University and JKUAT (both public). E-governance is studied as a specialisation within broader governance programmes accredited by CUE. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in governance and public administration. Graduates are eligible for ICTA e-government certification and UN e-government professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

E-Governance Officer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages e-governance programmes, overseeing e-government systems, digital services, and managing e-governance.
Digital Transformation Specialist
High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Leads digital transformation, overseeing strategy, change management, innovation, and managing digital transformation.
Public Sector ICT Manager
High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages public sector ICT, overseeing systems, infrastructure, staff, projects, and managing public sector ICT.
Government Information Officer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages government information, overseeing data, systems, transparency, and managing government information.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Analyses e-governance policy, overseeing policy research, analysis, advocacy, and managing e-governance policy.
E-Governance Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches e-governance at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Python
SoftwarePrimary
Python for data analysis, covering government data, e-service analytics, text analysis, and managing research data.
Power BI
Software
Power BI for data visualisation, covering government dashboards, service metrics, performance, and managing government data.
SharePoint
Software
SharePoint for government information management, covering document management, collaboration, workflows, and managing government information.
Tableau
Software
Tableau for data visualisation, covering government dashboards, open data, analytics, and managing government data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

E-governance is just about government websites.
E-governance covers comprehensive systems, digital services, data governance, cybersecurity, e-participation, and digital transformation beyond just websites.
This programme is only for IT professionals.
E-governance skills are valuable for public administrators, policy makers, governance officers, managers, and researchers beyond just IT professionals.
E-governance has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With Kenya's digital transformation, e-citizen platforms, county government ICT, and digital service delivery, demand for e-governance professionals is growing in Kenya.
Digital transformation is just about buying technology.
Digital transformation covers comprehensive strategy, change management, process reengineering, innovation, and organisational culture.
Data governance is just about data storage.
Data governance covers comprehensive data management, open data, data protection, privacy, quality, and lifecycle management.
E-participation is just about online surveys.
E-participation covers comprehensive citizen engagement, digital participation, e-consultation, e-voting, and collaborative governance.