Business

Master of Science in Entrepreneurship

The Master of Science in Entrepreneurship is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in entrepreneurship, venture creation, and enterprise development. The programme combines entrepreneurship theory with practical venture creation, business planning, and research application.

Core areas include entrepreneurship theory, venture creation, business planning, entrepreneurial finance, small business management, innovation, family business, entrepreneurial marketing, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both entrepreneurship theory and practical venture and business planning work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by JKUAT as MSc in Entrepreneurship through the School of Business at Karen Campus, Westlands Campus, and various CBD centres, and Kenyatta University as MSc in Entrepreneurship Development through the School of Business, Economics and Tourism Management. Both are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time, part-time, and weekend modes of study.

Students develop competencies in entrepreneurship, venture creation, business planning, entrepreneurial finance, and small business management. The programme includes coursework, examinations, business plan projects, and a supervised research thesis.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 126,000/year (KES 252,000 total) for MSc in Entrepreneurship. Kenyatta University charges similar fees for MSc in Entrepreneurship Development. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours in entrepreneurship, business, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as entrepreneurs, small business managers, business consultants, enterprise development officers, family business managers, and lecturers in entrepreneurship across startups, SMEs, consulting firms, government agencies, financial institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
Venture Creation and Business Planning
Entrepreneurial Finance and Funding
Small Business Management and Growth
Innovation and Creativity in Business
Family Business Management and Succession
Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales
Business Plan Development and Pitching
Research Methods in Entrepreneurship
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
Venture Creation and Business Planning
Entrepreneurial Finance and Funding
Small Business Management and Growth
Innovation and Creativity in Business
Family Business Management and Succession
Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales
Business Plan Development and Pitching
Research Methods in Entrepreneurship
Thesis Research

Certifications

KeNIA Innovation Certification
ICSB Entrepreneurship Certification

Specializations

Venture Creation and Startups

Focuses on venture creation and startups, covering ideation, validation, business modelling, launch, and managing venture creation.

Small Business Management

Examines small business management, covering operations, finance, HR, growth, and managing small businesses.

Family Business

Covers family business, covering governance, succession, conflict, wealth, and managing family businesses.

Entrepreneurial Finance

Focuses on entrepreneurial finance, covering funding, venture capital, angel, microfinance, and managing entrepreneurial finance.

Entrepreneurial Marketing

Examines entrepreneurial marketing, covering strategy, digital, growth hacking, and managing entrepreneurial marketing.

Social Entrepreneurship

Covers social entrepreneurship, covering social ventures, impact, sustainability, and managing social entrepreneurship.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 353,500
Private, up to: Ksh 700,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Weekend
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
Venture Creation and Business Planning
Entrepreneurial Finance and Funding
Small Business Management and Growth
Innovation and Creativity in Business
Family Business Management and Succession
Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales
Business Plan Development and Pitching
Research Methods in Entrepreneurship
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines entrepreneurship theory, opportunity, venture creation, growth, and managing entrepreneurship.
Venture Creation and Business Planning
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ideation, validation, business modelling, launch, scaling, and managing venture creation.
Entrepreneurial Finance and Funding
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines funding, venture capital, angel, microfinance, bootstrapping, and managing entrepreneurial finance.
Research Methods in Entrepreneurship
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, entrepreneurship research methods, and conducting entrepreneurship research, preparing students for their thesis.
Small Business Management and Growth
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers operations, finance, HR, growth, strategy, and managing small businesses.
Innovation and Creativity in Business
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines creativity, design thinking, product development, and managing innovation in business.
Family Business Management and Succession
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers governance, succession, conflict, wealth, and managing family businesses.
Entrepreneurial Marketing and Sales
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines strategy, digital, growth hacking, customer acquisition, and managing entrepreneurial marketing.
Social Entrepreneurship and Impact
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers social ventures, impact, sustainability, measurement, and managing social entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship Law and Regulation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines business law, IP, contracts, compliance, regulation, and managing legal aspects of entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship Ecosystems and Policy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ecosystems, policy, support, incubation, and managing entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an entrepreneurship topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and entrepreneurship knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Venture Creation and Startups
Focuses on venture creation and startups, covering ideation, validation, business modelling, launch, and managing venture creation.
Small Business Management
Examines small business management, covering operations, finance, HR, growth, and managing small businesses.
Family Business
Covers family business, covering governance, succession, conflict, wealth, and managing family businesses.
Entrepreneurial Finance
Focuses on entrepreneurial finance, covering funding, venture capital, angel, microfinance, and managing entrepreneurial finance.
Entrepreneurial Marketing
Examines entrepreneurial marketing, covering strategy, digital, growth hacking, and managing entrepreneurial marketing.
Social Entrepreneurship
Covers social entrepreneurship, covering social ventures, impact, sustainability, and managing social entrepreneurship.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Entrepreneurship programme combines lectures, seminars, case studies, practical workshops, business plan exercises, and independent study. Sessions cover entrepreneurship theory, venture creation, business planning, and entrepreneurial finance. Entrepreneurship sessions examine theory, opportunity, venture creation, growth, and managing entrepreneurship. Venture creation sessions cover ideation, validation, business modelling, launch, scaling, and managing venture creation. Business planning sessions cover planning, financials, strategy, pitching, and managing business plans. Entrepreneurial finance sessions cover funding, venture capital, angel, microfinance, bootstrapping, and managing entrepreneurial finance. Small business management sessions cover operations, finance, HR, growth, and managing small businesses. Innovation sessions cover creativity, design thinking, product development, and managing innovation. Family business sessions cover governance, succession, conflict, wealth, and managing family businesses. Entrepreneurial marketing sessions cover strategy, digital, growth hacking, and managing entrepreneurial marketing. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Case studies provide opportunities for analysing real entrepreneurial ventures and scenarios. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with business modelling, financial projections, and entrepreneurship tools. Business plan exercises provide hands-on experience with venture planning, financial modelling, and pitching. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in entrepreneurship and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an entrepreneurship topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 126,000/year (KES 252,000 total) for MSc in Entrepreneurship.
Programme offered at multiple JKUAT campuses (Karen, Westlands, CBD centres) and KU, providing flexible study locations.
High demand for entrepreneurship skills with Kenya's SME sector growth and enterprise development needs.
JKUAT accepts Lower Second Class with three years working experience, making the programme more accessible.

Against it

UoN charges significantly higher fees at approximately KES 353,500/year (KES 707,000 total).
KU specific entrepreneurship development fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme may be more theoretical than practical at some institutions, with limited hands-on venture creation experience.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public126k to 354k

126k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology354k at University of Nairobi

Private119k to 700k

119k at Mount Kenya University700k at Strathmore 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

JKUAT 126K, UoN 353.5K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). MKU 119.1K/yr (eafinder). Strathmore unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. JKUAT may offer postgraduate bursaries. KeNIA may offer innovation grants for entrepreneurship research. Some startups and business organisations may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
KeNIA Innovation Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
JKUAT offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
KeNIA Innovation Grant
ScholarshipKsh 500,000Kenyan
KeNIA provides innovation grants for entrepreneurship research.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: JKUAT requires Upper Second in relevant discipline, or Lower Second with three years working experience, or Pass with research publication and five years experience. KU requires relevant Bachelor's degree. UoN requires Upper Second or Lower Second with proven research ability. 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, case study analyses, business plan reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering entrepreneurship theory, venture creation, finance, and small business management.
Business Plan and Project Assessment
Project30% of the mark
Practical assessment through business plan development, venture creation projects, and demonstrating entrepreneurship skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an entrepreneurship topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and entrepreneurship knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT, Kenyatta University, and University of Nairobi (all public) offer MSc programmes in entrepreneurship. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in entrepreneurship. Graduates are eligible for KeNIA innovation certification and ICSB entrepreneurship certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT, Kenyatta University, and University of Nairobi (all public) offer MSc programmes in entrepreneurship. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in entrepreneurship. Graduates are eligible for KeNIA innovation certification and ICSB entrepreneurship certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Entrepreneur
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 1,000,000
Creates and manages ventures, overseeing ideation, launch, growth, and managing entrepreneurial ventures.
Small Business Manager
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages small businesses, overseeing operations, finance, growth, and managing small businesses.
Business Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Provides business consulting, overseeing advisory, strategy, growth, and managing consulting.
Enterprise Development Officer
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages enterprise development, overseeing support, training, incubation, and managing enterprise development.
Family Business Manager
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages family businesses, overseeing governance, succession, growth, and managing family businesses.
Entrepreneurship Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches entrepreneurship at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Business Model Canvas
ToolPrimary
Business Model Canvas for venture planning, covering business modelling, value proposition, revenue, and managing business models.
Lean Startup Methodology
Tool
Lean Startup for venture creation, covering MVP, validation, pivoting, and managing lean venture development.
QuickBooks
Software
QuickBooks for small business accounting, covering bookkeeping, invoicing, financials, and managing small business finances.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Excel for financial modelling, covering business plans, projections, budgets, and managing financial analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Entrepreneurship is just about starting businesses.
Entrepreneurship covers comprehensive theory, venture creation, finance, management, and innovation beyond just starting businesses.
This programme is only for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship skills are valuable for corporate managers, consultants, and policy makers beyond just aspiring entrepreneurs.
Small business management is just about running shops.
Small business management covers comprehensive operations, finance, HR, growth, and strategic management.
Family business is just about inheriting businesses.
Family business covers comprehensive governance, succession, conflict resolution, and wealth management.
Entrepreneurial finance is just about getting loans.
Entrepreneurial finance covers comprehensive funding, venture capital, angel, microfinance, and bootstrapping.
Entrepreneurial marketing is just about advertising.
Entrepreneurial marketing covers comprehensive strategy, digital, growth hacking, and customer acquisition.