Health Sciences

Master of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health

The Master of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in environmental health, occupational health and safety, workplace hazard management, and public health. The programme combines environmental and occupational health theory with practical risk assessment, workplace inspection, and research application.

Core areas include environmental health, occupational health and safety, workplace hazards, ergonomics, environmental toxicology, risk management, occupational hygiene, epidemiology, environmental impact assessment, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both environmental and occupational health theory and practical laboratory and field work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by JKUAT through the Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology as MSc in Occupational Safety and Health, and Kenyatta University through the School of Public Health as MSc in Environmental Health. Both are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in occupational health, environmental health, risk assessment, ergonomics, occupational hygiene, and safety management. The programme includes 11 taught units in year 1 covering research methods, EIA, safety technology, ergonomics, occupational health and hygiene, risk management, epidemiology, and occupational laws, followed by a supervised research thesis in year 2.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 206,500/year (KES 413,000 total) for MSc in Occupational Safety and Health. Kenyatta University charges approximately KES 295,800/year for MSc in Environmental Health. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in science, health, environmental, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as occupational health and safety officers, environmental health officers, risk managers, safety consultants, public health specialists, and lecturers in environmental and occupational health across manufacturing companies, construction firms, health ministries, environmental agencies, consulting firms, and universities.

Skills Required

Occupational Health and Safety Management
Environmental Health and Risk Assessment
Workplace Hazard Identification and Control
Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering
Occupational Hygiene and Exposure Assessment
Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects
Risk Management and Safety Systems
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Research Methods in Environmental and Occupational Health
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Occupational Health and Safety Management
Environmental Health and Risk Assessment
Workplace Hazard Identification and Control
Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering
Occupational Hygiene and Exposure Assessment
Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects
Risk Management and Safety Systems
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Research Methods in Environmental and Occupational Health
Thesis Research

Certifications

DOSH Occupational Safety Certification
ILO OSH Certification

Specializations

Occupational Safety

Focuses on occupational safety, covering workplace hazards, safety management, accident prevention, and managing occupational safety.

Occupational Hygiene

Examines occupational hygiene, covering exposure assessment, chemical, physical, biological agents, and managing occupational hygiene.

Environmental Health

Covers environmental health, covering hazards, exposure, risk assessment, water, sanitation, and managing environmental health.

Ergonomics

Focuses on ergonomics, covering workstation design, manual handling, human factors, and managing ergonomics.

Risk Management

Examines risk management, covering risk assessment, control, communication, safety systems, and managing risk.

Industrial Hygiene

Covers industrial hygiene, covering chemical, physical, biological hazards, monitoring, control, and managing industrial hygiene.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 326,400
Private, up to: Ksh 267,500
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: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Occupational Health and Safety Management
Environmental Health and Risk Assessment
Workplace Hazard Identification and Control
Ergonomics and Human Factors Engineering
Occupational Hygiene and Exposure Assessment
Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects
Risk Management and Safety Systems
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Research Methods in Environmental and Occupational Health
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Research Methods in Environmental and Occupational Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, environmental and occupational health research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Occupational Health and Hygiene
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines workplace hazards, diseases, injuries, prevention, occupational hygiene, and managing occupational health.
Safety Technology and Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers safety systems, equipment, standards, safety management, and managing safety technology.
Ergonomics and Human Factors
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines workstation design, manual handling, human factors, musculoskeletal disorders, and managing ergonomics.
Environmental Health and Risk Assessment
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers hazards, exposure, risk assessment, water, sanitation, and managing environmental health.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines assessment, audit, health impact, mitigation, and managing environmental impact assessment.
Risk Management and Safety Systems
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers risk assessment, control, communication, safety systems, and managing risk.
Epidemiological Studies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines disease, investigation, surveillance, occupational epidemiology, and managing epidemiology.
Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers toxicants, exposure, effects, dose-response, and managing environmental toxicology.
Instrumentation and Analytical Techniques
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines air sampling, noise measurement, chemical analysis, instrumentation, and managing analytical techniques.
Occupational Laws and Regulations
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers legislation, regulation, compliance, OSHA, WIBA, and managing occupational laws and regulations.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an environmental and occupational health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and OSH knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence. At least one publication in a refereed journal is expected.

Specialisations

Occupational Safety
Focuses on occupational safety, covering workplace hazards, safety management, accident prevention, and managing occupational safety.
Occupational Hygiene
Examines occupational hygiene, covering exposure assessment, chemical, physical, biological agents, and managing occupational hygiene.
Environmental Health
Covers environmental health, covering hazards, exposure, risk assessment, water, sanitation, and managing environmental health.
Ergonomics
Focuses on ergonomics, covering workstation design, manual handling, human factors, and managing ergonomics.
Risk Management
Examines risk management, covering risk assessment, control, communication, safety systems, and managing risk.
Industrial Hygiene
Covers industrial hygiene, covering chemical, physical, biological hazards, monitoring, control, and managing industrial hygiene.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Environmental and Occupational Health programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, workplace visits, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover occupational health, environmental health, safety management, ergonomics, and risk assessment. Occupational health sessions examine workplace hazards, diseases, injuries, prevention, and managing occupational health. Environmental health sessions cover hazards, exposure, risk assessment, water, sanitation, and managing environmental health. Safety technology sessions cover safety systems, equipment, standards, and managing safety technology. Ergonomics sessions cover workstation design, manual handling, human factors, and managing ergonomics. Occupational hygiene sessions cover chemical, physical, biological agents, monitoring, control, and managing occupational hygiene. Environmental toxicology sessions cover toxicants, exposure, effects, dose-response, and managing environmental toxicology. Risk management sessions cover risk assessment, control, communication, safety systems, and managing risk. Epidemiology sessions cover disease, investigation, surveillance, occupational epidemiology, and managing epidemiology. EIA sessions cover assessment, audit, health impact, and managing environmental impact assessment. Occupational laws sessions cover legislation, regulation, compliance, OSHA, and managing occupational laws. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with air sampling, noise measurement, chemical analysis, and safety equipment. Workplace visits provide hands-on experience with safety inspections, risk assessments, hazard identification, and workplace audits. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with safety audits, risk assessment tools, and OSH management systems. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in environmental and occupational health and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced safety officers, occupational health specialists, and industry professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an environmental and occupational health topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for OSH professionals with Kenya's growing manufacturing, construction, and industrial sectors requiring safety compliance.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 206,500/year (KES 413,000 total) with weekend-only study mode for working professionals.
Programme includes 11 taught units covering comprehensive OSH topics including safety, ergonomics, hygiene, risk management, and epidemiology.
Graduates are eligible for DOSH and ILO certifications, enhancing career prospects in Kenya and internationally.

Against it

KU specific environmental health fees not independently verified.
Moi University specific environmental and occupational health fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires science, health, or related background, limiting access for non-related graduates.

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 courses

Public179k to 326k

179k at JKUAT326k at Kenyatta University

Private149k to 268k

149k at Mount Kenya University268k at Amref International 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 326.4k/yr (ku.ac.ke); JKUAT 357k/2=178.5k; MKU 74.5k/sem=149.1k; Amref~267.5k.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. JKUAT may offer postgraduate bursaries. ILO may offer research fellowships for OSH research. Some manufacturing and construction companies may sponsor staff for OSH postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
ILO Research Fellowship

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.
ILO Research Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 500,000
ILO provides research fellowships for OSH 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 any science discipline from JKUAT or recognised university, or Lower Second with two years of working experience in related field, or Postgraduate Diploma in OSH from JKUAT. KU requires Upper Second in Occupational Health, Environmental Health, Public Health, Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, or related fields, or Lower Second with relevant experience. 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, laboratory reports, workplace visit reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering occupational health, environmental health, safety, ergonomics, and risk management.
Practical and Workplace Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through workplace inspections, risk assessments, safety audits, laboratory exercises, and demonstrating OSH skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an environmental and occupational health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and OSH knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence. At least one publication in a refereed journal is expected.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and aligned with the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) under the Ministry of Labour. JKUAT and Kenyatta University (both public) offer MSc programmes in occupational safety and health and environmental health respectively. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in environmental and occupational health. Graduates are eligible for DOSH occupational safety certification and ILO OSH certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE and aligned with DOSH under the Ministry of Labour. JKUAT and Kenyatta University (both public) offer MSc programmes in occupational safety and health and environmental health. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in environmental and occupational health. Graduates are eligible for DOSH occupational safety certification and ILO OSH certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Occupational Health and Safety Officer
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages OSH programmes, overseeing workplace safety, risk assessment, compliance, and managing occupational health and safety.
Environmental Health Officer
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages environmental health programmes, overseeing inspections, risk assessment, and managing environmental health.
Risk Manager
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages risk programmes, overseeing assessment, control, communication, and managing risk.
Safety Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Provides safety consulting, overseeing advisory, audits, training, and managing safety consulting.
Public Health Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages public health programmes, overseeing disease prevention, health promotion, and managing public health.
Environmental and Occupational Health Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches environmental and occupational health at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

OSH Management Software
SoftwarePrimary
OSH management software for safety management, covering incidents, audits, inspections, and managing OSH systems.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis, covering epidemiological data, survey data, and managing statistical analysis.
ArcGIS
Software
ArcGIS for environmental health mapping, covering disease distribution, exposure, risk, and managing GIS for health.
EpiInfo
Software
EpiInfo for epidemiological analysis, covering outbreak investigation, surveillance, and managing epidemiological data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Environmental and occupational health is just about workplace safety.
The programme covers comprehensive environmental health, occupational health, safety, ergonomics, toxicology, and epidemiology beyond just workplace safety.
This programme is only for safety officers.
Environmental and occupational health skills are valuable for health professionals, engineers, environmental scientists, and HR managers beyond just safety officers.
Occupational hygiene is just about cleanliness.
Occupational hygiene covers comprehensive chemical, physical, biological hazard monitoring, exposure assessment, and control.
Ergonomics is just about comfortable chairs.
Ergonomics covers comprehensive workstation design, manual handling, human factors, and musculoskeletal disorder prevention.
Risk management is just about filling forms.
Risk management covers comprehensive risk assessment, control, communication, safety systems, and continuous improvement.
Environmental health is just about sanitation.
Environmental health covers comprehensive hazards, exposure, risk assessment, water, air, food safety, and vector control.