Health Sciences

Master of Science in Epidemiology

The Master of Science in Epidemiology is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in epidemiology, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and public health research. The programme combines epidemiological theory with practical field investigation, statistical analysis, and research application.

Core areas include epidemiology, biostatistics, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, infection control, research methods, data analysis, public health, and thesis. Students engage with both epidemiological theory and practical field and analytical work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by JKUAT as MSc in Epidemiology and MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kenyatta University as MSc in Epidemiology and Infection Control through the School of Health Sciences, and Moi University as MSc in Field Epidemiology. All are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in epidemiological methods, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, biostatistics, infection control, and public health research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, field epidemiology practice, clinical attachments, and a supervised research thesis.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 248,000/year (KES 496,000 total) for MSc in Epidemiology. Kenyatta University charges similar fees for epidemiology and infection control. Moi University charges similar fees for field epidemiology. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, biological sciences, or related health fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as epidemiologists, field epidemiologists, infection control officers, public health specialists, research scientists, and lecturers in epidemiology across health ministries, research institutions, hospitals, international health organisations, NGOs, and universities.

Skills Required

Epidemiological Methods and Study Design
Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Biostatistics and Statistical Analysis
Infection Prevention and Control
Public Health and Population Health
Epidemiological Data Management and Analysis
Field Epidemiology and Rapid Response
Research Methods in Epidemiology
Spatial Epidemiology and GIS
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Epidemiological Methods and Study Design
Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Biostatistics and Statistical Analysis
Infection Prevention and Control
Public Health and Population Health
Epidemiological Data Management and Analysis
Field Epidemiology and Rapid Response
Research Methods in Epidemiology
Spatial Epidemiology and GIS
Thesis Research

Certifications

KEMRI Research Certification
WHO Field Epidemiology Certification

Specializations

Field Epidemiology

Focuses on field epidemiology, covering outbreak investigation, surveillance, rapid response, and managing field epidemiology.

Infection Control

Examines infection control, covering healthcare-associated infections, prevention, surveillance, and managing infection control.

Biostatistics

Covers biostatistics, covering study design, statistical analysis, modelling, survival analysis, and managing biostatistics.

Disease Surveillance

Focuses on disease surveillance, covering systems, data collection, analysis, reporting, and managing disease surveillance.

Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Examines chronic disease epidemiology, covering NCDs, risk factors, prevention, and managing chronic disease epidemiology.

Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Covers infectious disease epidemiology, covering transmission, investigation, control, and managing infectious disease epidemiology.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 248,000
Private, up to: Ksh 292,000
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Epidemiological Methods and Study Design
Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Biostatistics and Statistical Analysis
Infection Prevention and Control
Public Health and Population Health
Epidemiological Data Management and Analysis
Field Epidemiology and Rapid Response
Research Methods in Epidemiology
Spatial Epidemiology and GIS
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Epidemiological Methods and Study Design
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines study design, measures of disease frequency, bias, confounding, causality, and managing epidemiological methods.
Biostatistics and Statistical Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers study design, statistical analysis, regression, survival analysis, and managing biostatistics.
Research Methods in Epidemiology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, epidemiological research methods, and conducting epidemiological research, preparing students for their thesis.
Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Investigation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines surveillance systems, data collection, analysis, reporting, outbreak detection, investigation, response, and managing disease surveillance.
Infection Prevention and Control
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers healthcare-associated infections, prevention, surveillance, infection control programmes, and managing infection control.
Public Health and Population Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines population health, disease prevention, health promotion, health policy, and managing public health.
Field Epidemiology and Rapid Response
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers field investigation, rapid response, sampling, field methods, and managing field epidemiology.
Epidemiological Data Management and Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines data management, EpiInfo, R, STATA, databases, and managing epidemiological data.
Spatial Epidemiology and GIS
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers GIS, mapping, spatial analysis, disease mapping, and managing spatial epidemiology.
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines NCDs, risk factors, prevention, surveillance, and managing chronic disease epidemiology.
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers transmission, investigation, control, emerging infections, and managing infectious disease epidemiology.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an epidemiology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and epidemiological knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Field Epidemiology
Focuses on field epidemiology, covering outbreak investigation, surveillance, rapid response, and managing field epidemiology.
Infection Control
Examines infection control, covering healthcare-associated infections, prevention, surveillance, and managing infection control.
Biostatistics
Covers biostatistics, covering study design, statistical analysis, modelling, survival analysis, and managing biostatistics.
Disease Surveillance
Focuses on disease surveillance, covering systems, data collection, analysis, reporting, and managing disease surveillance.
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Examines chronic disease epidemiology, covering NCDs, risk factors, prevention, and managing chronic disease epidemiology.
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Covers infectious disease epidemiology, covering transmission, investigation, control, and managing infectious disease epidemiology.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Epidemiology programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, field investigations, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover epidemiological methods, biostatistics, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and infection control. Epidemiological methods sessions examine study design, measures, bias, confounding, and managing epidemiological methods. Biostatistics sessions cover study design, statistical analysis, regression, survival analysis, and managing biostatistics. Disease surveillance sessions cover systems, data collection, analysis, reporting, and managing disease surveillance. Outbreak investigation sessions cover detection, investigation, response, control, and managing outbreaks. Infection control sessions cover healthcare-associated infections, prevention, surveillance, and managing infection control. Public health sessions cover population health, disease prevention, health promotion, and managing public health. Field epidemiology sessions cover rapid response, field investigation, sampling, and managing field epidemiology. Spatial epidemiology sessions cover GIS, mapping, spatial analysis, and managing spatial epidemiology. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with diagnostic techniques, sample analysis, and laboratory methods. Field investigations provide hands-on experience with outbreak response, disease surveillance, and field epidemiology. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with EpiInfo, R, STATA, and epidemiological tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in epidemiology and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced epidemiologists, public health specialists, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an epidemiology topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for epidemiologists with Kenya's disease surveillance, outbreak response, and public health research needs.
Programme offered by three public universities (JKUAT, KU, Moi), providing institutional choice.
KU offers MSc in Epidemiology and Infection Control with clinical attachments in trimester mode, providing practical experience.
Graduates are eligible for KEMRI and WHO certifications, enhancing career prospects in Kenya and internationally.

Against it

JKUAT charges relatively high fees at approximately KES 248,000/year (KES 496,000 total).
KU and Moi specific epidemiology fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires health, medicine, 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

Public187k to 248k

187k at Moi University248k at JKUAT

Private120k to 292k

120k at Great Lakes University of Kisumu292k 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

JKUAT 496k/2=248k; Moi 187.2k/yr; Amref MPH Y1=292k (eafinder); GLUK 120k/yr.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KEMRI may offer research grants for epidemiological research. WHO may offer research fellowships for field epidemiology. Some international health organisations may sponsor staff for epidemiology postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KEMRI Research Grant
WHO Research Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KEMRI Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 500,000Kenyan
KEMRI provides research grants for medical and epidemiological research.
WHO Research Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 500,000
WHO provides research fellowships for epidemiology and public health 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 Medical Microbiology, Environmental Health, Biochemistry, Public Health, Biological Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, MBChB, Dentistry, Community Health, Medical Laboratory Science, or BVM. KU requires first degree in Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, or Upper Second in Community Health, Environmental Health, Nutrition, Health Management, Public Health, Population Health, or Health Informatics. Moi University requires similar qualifications. 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, field reports, data analysis reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering epidemiological methods, biostatistics, disease surveillance, and infection control.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through field investigations, outbreak exercises, data analysis, clinical attachments, and demonstrating epidemiology skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an epidemiology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and epidemiological knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT, Kenyatta University, and Moi University (all public) offer MSc programmes in epidemiology and related fields. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in epidemiology. Graduates are eligible for KEMRI research certification and WHO field epidemiology certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT, Kenyatta University, and Moi University (all public) offer MSc programmes in epidemiology and related fields. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in epidemiology. Graduates are eligible for KEMRI research certification and WHO field epidemiology certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Epidemiologist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Conducts epidemiological research, overseeing study design, surveillance, investigation, and managing epidemiology.
Field Epidemiologist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages field epidemiology, overseeing outbreak investigation, rapid response, and managing field epidemiology.
Infection Control Officer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages infection control programmes, overseeing prevention, surveillance, and managing infection control.
Public Health Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages public health programmes, overseeing disease prevention, health promotion, and managing public health.
Research Scientist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Conducts epidemiological research, overseeing experiments, analysis, publications, and managing research projects.
Epidemiology Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches epidemiology at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

EpiInfo
SoftwarePrimary
EpiInfo for epidemiological analysis, covering outbreak investigation, surveillance, and managing epidemiological data.
R Studio
Software
R Studio for statistical analysis, covering epidemiological data, biostatistics, modelling, and managing data analysis.
STATA
Software
STATA for statistical analysis, covering epidemiological data, regression, survival, and managing statistical analysis.
ArcGIS
Software
ArcGIS for spatial epidemiology, covering disease mapping, spatial analysis, and managing GIS for epidemiology.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Epidemiology is just about counting cases.
Epidemiology covers comprehensive study design, methods, surveillance, outbreak investigation, and biostatistics beyond just counting cases.
This programme is only for doctors.
Epidemiology skills are valuable for nurses, pharmacists, public health professionals, and biological scientists beyond just doctors.
Field epidemiology is just about going to the field.
Field epidemiology covers comprehensive outbreak investigation, surveillance, rapid response, and field research methods.
Infection control is just about handwashing.
Infection control covers comprehensive healthcare-associated infections, prevention, surveillance, and infection control programmes.
Biostatistics is just about calculations.
Biostatistics covers comprehensive study design, statistical analysis, modelling, survival analysis, and data interpretation.
Disease surveillance is just about reporting.
Disease surveillance covers comprehensive systems, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and response.