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Social Sciences

Master of Science in Food Hygiene & Safety

The Master of Science in Food Hygiene & Safety is a master's programme offered at Kenyan universities. This postgraduate degree prepares professionals for advanced practice and research careers in social sciences.

Duration
1-2 years
Public, up to
Ksh 448,500
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
12 students
Award
Masters

What you study

10 subjects
  • Research Methods
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Laboratory Techniques
  • Experimental Design
  • Data Analysis
  • Scientific Communication
  • Literature Review
  • Thesis Research
  • Computational Methods
  • Field Methods

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Food Microbiology and Foodborne Pathogens

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Food microbiology, foodborne pathogens (E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Vibrio cholerae), food spoilage, fermentation, microbial growth, food preservation, Kenya's foodborne diseases, and applying food microbiology

  • Food Hygiene and Sanitation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Food hygiene, personal hygiene, food premises hygiene, sanitation, cleaning and disinfection, pest control, waste management, food handler certification, MoH, street food, and applying food hygiene and sanitation

  • HACCP and Food Safety Management Systems

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    HACCP, hazard analysis, critical control points, CCP monitoring, corrective actions, ISO 22000, food safety management systems, prerequisite programmes, KEBS, and applying HACCP and ISO 22000

  • Food Safety Law and Regulation

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Food safety law, Food Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, Public Health Act, KEBS Act, KDB regulations, Codex Alimentarius, SPS measures, WTO, food labelling, food additives, and applying food safety law

  • Food Safety Testing and Laboratory Analysis

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Food safety testing, microbiological analysis, chemical analysis (pesticide residues, heavy metals), aflatoxin testing, rapid test kits, KEBS labs, SGS, Bureau Veritas, sampling, and applying food safety testing

  • Aflatoxin and Chemical Contaminants in Food

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Aflatoxin, Aspergillus flavus, maize, groundnuts, Kenya's aflatoxin crisis, pesticide residues, heavy metals (lead, cadmium), food additives, food packaging contaminants, and applying contaminant analysis

  • Food Safety Inspection, Auditing and Risk Assessment

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Food safety inspection, public health officers, food safety auditing, audit checklists, risk assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterisation, food establishments, and applying inspection and risk assessment

  • Food Safety in Dairy, Meat, Fish and Horticulture

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Dairy safety, KDB, milk pasteurisation, meat safety, abattoir inspection, fish safety, EU export standards, horticulture safety, pesticide residues, GAP, KEPHIS, HCDA, and applying sector-specific food safety

  • Food Safety Policy and Research Methods

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Food safety policy, National Food Safety Strategy, food safety coordination, informal sector, food safety surveillance, MoH, research methods, statistics, scientific writing, and preparing for the thesis

  • Thesis

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Original research on a food hygiene and safety topic such as prevalence of Salmonella in street foods in Nairobi's Central Business District, effectiveness of HACCP implementation in Kenyan dairy processing plants, aflatoxin contamination levels in maize flour from different millers in Kenya, or microbial quality of raw milk in informal markets in Kenya's urban centres

Specialisations

  • Food Safety Risk Assessment and Policy

    Focus on food safety risk assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterisation, food safety policy, National Food Safety Strategy, Codex Alimentarius, and developing food safety policy

  • Food Safety Regulation and Inspection

    Focus on food safety law, regulation, inspection, public health enforcement, KEBS, MoH, food establishments, and developing regulatory compliance programmes

  • Food Microbiology and Laboratory Analysis

    Focus on food microbiology, foodborne pathogens, microbiological testing, laboratory analysis, KEBS labs, SGS, rapid test kits, and developing food testing programmes

  • HACCP and Food Safety Management Systems

    Specialisation in HACCP, ISO 22000, food safety management systems, prerequisite programmes, CCP monitoring, and developing food safety management programmes

  • Aflatoxin and Chemical Contaminants

    Specialisation in aflatoxin, mycotoxins, pesticide residues, heavy metals, food additives, Kenya's aflatoxin crisis, and developing contaminant management programmes

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting laboratory experiments, analysing data using specialised software, attending research seminars, reviewing scientific literature, and meeting with supervisors to discuss experimental results and thesis progress.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • High demand from food industry and regulatory bodies — Kenya's growing food industry, KEBS certification requirements, EU export standards, and public health concerns create strong demand for food safety expertise
  • Diverse career paths across sectors — food companies, hotels, testing laboratories (SGS, Bureau Veritas), KEBS, MoH, county governments, consulting firms, and universities provide varied career options

Against it

  • Regulatory complexity and fragmented enforcement — Kenya's food safety regulation involves multiple agencies (KEBS, MoH, KDB, KEPHIS, HCDA) with overlapping mandates, creating regulatory complexity
  • Limited laboratory infrastructure in some areas — food safety testing requires well-equipped laboratories that are concentrated in Nairobi and major towns, limiting testing capacity in rural areas

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
Public134k to 449k
134k at Maseno University449k at University of Nairobi

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

UoN MSc Food Safety 897K/2yr~448K/yr. Maseno ~134K/yr (old). Private: unverified. Src: uonbi.ac.ke

NACOSTI, NRF, and DAAD offer research grants. ICIPE and KEMRI provide research affiliation. HELB offers postgraduate loans.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    Loan

    Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited postgraduate programmes

  • National Research Fund

    Grant

    Postgraduate researchers in Kenyan institutions

  • DAAD Scholarship

    Scholarship

    Postgraduate researchers in STEM fields

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • National Research Fund Grant

    GrantKsh 300,000Kenyan

    Kenyan; Research; Academic merit; Research proposal

  • 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.

  • DAAD Food Science Scholarship

    FullKsh 4,000,000Kenyan

    Kenyan; Academic excellence; Food science programme

  • FAO Food Safety Fellowship

    FellowshipKsh 1,500,000

    African; Food safety 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 food safety, quality assurance, or public health. Professional certifications (HACCP, food handler) can support application.

  • Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Public Health, Microbiology, or related science field from a recognised university

    2.1 or higher

  • Food science or health background with food safety interest

    demonstrated in bachelor's

  • Experience in food safety, quality assurance, food inspection, or public health

    preferred

  • English proficiency (international applicants)

    IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90+

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Thesis

    Research30% of the mark

    Original research on a food hygiene and safety topic examined by oral defence

  • End of Semester Examinations

    Exam25% of the mark

    Formal written examinations covering food microbiology, food hygiene, HACCP, food safety law, food testing, contaminants, inspection/auditing, sector-specific safety, and food safety policy

  • Laboratory and Audit Projects

    Project30% of the mark

    Microbiological analysis project, HACCP plan design, food safety audit, aflatoxin testing, risk assessment, and seminar presentation

  • Industry Attachment and Seminars

    Cat15% of the mark

    KEBS/MoH/food company attachment assessment, inspection report, laboratory practicals, research seminar presentations, and HACCP exercise

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Scientific research programmes are regulated under NACOSTI guidelines.

Accredited by

  • Kenya Bureau of Standards

    Professional

    Food safety standards and product certification (S-mark) 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 roles

  • Public Health Officer

    Medium demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Enforces food safety regulations, conducts inspections, investigates foodborne disease outbreaks, and works at county governments or MoH in Kenya

  • Food Safety Manager

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Manages food safety programmes, implements HACCP and ISO 22000, ensures regulatory compliance, and works at food companies (Nestlé, Bidco, Unilever) or hotels in Kenya

  • Quality Assurance Manager

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Manages QA systems, conducts quality testing, ensures product standards, supports KEBS compliance, and works at food companies or manufacturing firms in Kenya

  • University Lecturer

    Low demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaches food safety and food science, conducts research, supervises students, and works at universities in Kenya

  • Food Inspector

    Medium demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Conducts food safety inspections, enforces regulations, supports KEBS and MoH, and works at KEBS, county governments, or MoH in Kenya

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as research scientists, laboratory managers, data analysts, quality assurance officers, and science educators in Kenya's scientific and industrial sectors.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Related courses

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Fees and entry marks for Master of Science in Food Hygiene & Safety are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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