Education

Master of Science in Health Professions Education

The Master of Science in Health Professions Education is a postgraduate programme that trains health professionals in medical education, curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment, and educational leadership. The programme prepares graduates for advanced careers as health professions educators, curriculum developers, assessment specialists, and educational leaders.

Core areas include curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment in health professions education, programme evaluation, educational leadership, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and issues in health professions education. Students engage with globally endorsed educational philosophies and innovative teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.

The programme is offered by Aga Khan University through its Institute for Educational Development, with Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology as a college. AKU is a private university with campuses in Nairobi and other countries. The programme is internationally recognised and has enrolled students from multiple countries.

Students develop competencies in curriculum design, teaching methods, assessment design, programme evaluation, educational research, and leadership. The programme consists of core courses, elective courses, and a thesis, delivered through pre-reading, on-campus intensive contact periods, and application-oriented projects.

The programme is delivered over a minimum of three years in a flexible format. Each course includes pre-reading, on-campus full-time contact periods of intensive interactive teaching, and an application-oriented project. Students must complete 48 credit hours including electives and a thesis with a minimum CGPA of 2.50.

Graduates pursue careers as health professions educators, curriculum developers, assessment specialists, educational researchers, and educational leaders in medical schools, nursing schools, health training institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Curriculum Development in Health Professions Education
Teaching and Learning in Health Professions
Assessment Design and Evaluation in Health Education
Programme Evaluation in Health Professions Education
Educational Leadership in Health Institutions
Quantitative Research in Health Professions Education
Qualitative Research in Health Professions Education
Educational Philosophy and Theory in Health Professions
Health Professions Education Policy and Governance
Thesis Research in Health Professions Education

Key Subjects

Curriculum Development
Teaching and Learning in Health Professions
Assessment in Health Professions Education
Programme Evaluation
Educational Leadership
Quantitative Research Methodologies
Qualitative Research Methodologies
Issues in Health Professions Education
Electives in Health Professions Education
Thesis Research

Certifications

KMPDC Medical Education Certification
FAIMER Faculty Development Certification

Specializations

Curriculum Development

Focuses on curriculum development in health professions education, curriculum design, curriculum mapping, needs assessment, and designing and developing health professions curricula.

Teaching and Learning

Examines teaching and learning in health professions, educational philosophies, teaching methods, learning theories, instructional strategies, and facilitating effective teaching and learning.

Assessment in Health Professions Education

Covers assessment in health professions education, assessment design, assessment methods, standard setting, psychometrics, and designing and implementing effective assessment systems.

Educational Leadership

Focuses on educational leadership in health professions, leadership theories, institutional management, faculty development, governance, and leading and managing health professions education institutions.

Educational Research

Examines educational research in health professions, quantitative research, qualitative research, research design, data analysis, and conducting research in health professions education.

Programme Evaluation

Covers programme evaluation in health professions education, evaluation models, evaluation design, quality assurance, and evaluating and improving health professions education programmes.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 246,000
Private, up to: Ksh 210,675
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: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Curriculum Development
Teaching and Learning in Health Professions
Assessment in Health Professions Education
Programme Evaluation
Educational Leadership
Quantitative Research Methodologies
Qualitative Research Methodologies
Issues in Health Professions Education
Electives in Health Professions Education
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Introductory Short Course in Health Professions Education
Year 1Semester 11 creditsCore
Prerequisite course introducing globally endorsed educational philosophies and innovative teaching, learning, and assessment strategies in health professions education.
Curriculum Development
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines curriculum development in health professions education, curriculum design, curriculum mapping, needs assessment, learning outcomes, and designing and developing health professions curricula.
Teaching and Learning I
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers teaching and learning in health professions, educational philosophies, learning theories, teaching methods, and facilitating effective teaching and learning.
Teaching and Learning II
Year 1Semester 24 creditsCore
Advanced teaching and learning in health professions, instructional strategies, simulation, problem-based learning, e-learning, and advanced teaching methods.
Assessment I
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers assessment in health professions education, assessment design, assessment methods, written tests, clinical assessments, and designing effective assessment systems.
Assessment II
Year 1Semester 24 creditsCore
Advanced assessment in health professions education, OSCE, standard setting, psychometrics, assessment validation, and advanced assessment methods.
Programme Evaluation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines programme evaluation in health professions education, evaluation models, evaluation design, quality assurance, and evaluating and improving education programmes.
Leadership in Health Professions Education
Year 2Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers educational leadership, leadership theories, institutional management, faculty development, governance, change management, and leading health professions education institutions.
Quantitative Research Methodologies
Year 2Semester 24 creditsCore
Examines quantitative research methods in health professions education, research design, statistics, survey methods, and quantitative data analysis.
Qualitative Research Methodologies
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers qualitative research methods in health professions education, interviews, focus groups, observation, qualitative data analysis, and conducting qualitative research.
Issues in Health Professions Education
Year 3Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines institutional, national, and global issues in health professions education including student, curriculum, faculty, and governance issues, and evidence-based solutions.
Research Thesis
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis in health professions education employing qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, demonstrating mastery of research methods, assessed through written submission and oral defence with minimum CGPA of 2.50.

Specialisations

Curriculum Development
Focuses on curriculum development in health professions education, curriculum design, curriculum mapping, needs assessment, and designing and developing health professions curricula.
Teaching and Learning
Examines teaching and learning in health professions, educational philosophies, teaching methods, learning theories, instructional strategies, and facilitating effective teaching and learning.
Assessment in Health Professions Education
Covers assessment in health professions education, assessment design, assessment methods, standard setting, psychometrics, and designing and implementing effective assessment systems.
Educational Leadership
Focuses on educational leadership in health professions, leadership theories, institutional management, faculty development, governance, and leading and managing health professions education institutions.
Educational Research
Examines educational research in health professions, quantitative research, qualitative research, research design, data analysis, and conducting research in health professions education.
Programme Evaluation
Covers programme evaluation in health professions education, evaluation models, evaluation design, quality assurance, and evaluating and improving health professions education programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc Health Professions Education programme at AKU begins with pre-reading of course materials before on-campus contact sessions. During on-campus intensive contact periods, students engage in interactive teaching and learning sessions covering curriculum development, teaching and learning, assessment, and programme evaluation. Curriculum development sessions cover curriculum design, curriculum mapping, needs assessment, learning outcomes, and designing and developing health professions curricula. Teaching and learning sessions examine educational philosophies, learning theories, teaching methods, instructional strategies, simulation, problem-based learning, and facilitating effective teaching and learning. Assessment sessions cover assessment design, assessment methods, written tests, clinical assessments, OSCE, standard setting, psychometrics, and designing and implementing effective assessment systems. Programme evaluation sessions examine evaluation models, evaluation design, quality assurance, programme accreditation, and evaluating and improving health professions education programmes. Leadership sessions cover educational leadership, leadership theories, institutional management, faculty development, governance, change management, and leading and managing health professions education institutions. Quantitative research sessions cover quantitative research methods, research design, statistics, survey methods, and quantitative data analysis in health professions education. Qualitative research sessions examine qualitative research methods, interviews, focus groups, observation, qualitative data analysis, and conducting qualitative research in health professions education. Issues sessions cover institutional, national, and global issues in health professions education including student issues, curriculum issues, faculty issues, governance issues, and evidence-based solutions. Elective sessions provide opportunities for students to build expertise in areas of interest through graduate-level courses. Between contact sessions, students work on application-oriented projects, which are independent studies and written assignments applying course concepts to their own educational contexts. Guest lectures from KMPDC officials, NCK registrars, FAIMER faculty, BEME researchers, and international health professions educators provide real-world insights. The three-year programme culminates in a research thesis defended with a minimum CGPA of 2.50.

The trade offs

In its favour

AKU offers an internationally recognised MHPE programme with 48 credit hours, drawing students from multiple countries and providing global networking opportunities.
Programme uses flexible delivery with pre-reading, intensive on-campus contact, and application-oriented projects, accommodating working health professionals.
AKU admissions are needs-blind with financial aid available, making the programme accessible based on merit rather than financial background.
Comprehensive curriculum covering curriculum development, teaching, assessment, leadership, research, and programme evaluation in health professions education.

Against it

Programme requires a minimum of three years to complete, which is longer than typical two-year master's programmes.
AKU is a private university and fees may be higher than public universities, though financial aid is available.
Only one primary institution (AKU) offers this specific programme in Kenya, limiting choice for prospective students.
Programme requires a health professional background and involvement in teaching, which may exclude some graduates.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public187k to 246k

187k at Moi University246k at Kenyatta University

Private142k to 211k

142k at Mount Kenya University211k at Aga Khan 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 MEd 246K/yr (ku.ac.ke). Moi ~187K/yr (worldscholarshipforum). MKU 142K/yr, AKU MMed 211K/yr (official sites).

AKU admissions are needs-blind and the university provides financial aid. HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. FAIMER supports faculty development in health professions education. BEME supports medical education research. The programme's health professions education focus attracts international health education funding.

Funding options

AKU Financial Aid
HELB Postgraduate Loan
FAIMER Faculty Development Funding

Scholarships

3 recorded

AKU Financial Aid
GrantKsh 500,000
AKU provides needs-blind admissions with financial aid for students demonstrating financial need, covering partial to full tuition based on need assessment.
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate health professions education studies at recognised universities.
FAIMER Faculty Development Funding
GrantKsh 400,000
FAIMER supports faculty development in health professions education, providing funding for training and research in medical education globally.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme is designed for health professionals involved in education. Applicants must complete the ISC-HPE prerequisite course. Admission is needs-blind (merit-based). Programme is 48 credit hours over minimum 3 years with core courses, electives, and thesis. Minimum CGPA of 2.50 required for graduation. Application fee from AKU residential countries is Rs. 9,000, from non-residential countries is US $160.

How you are assessed

4 components

Application-Oriented Projects
Coursework40% of the mark
Independent study and written assignments applying course concepts to students' own educational contexts, completed between on-campus contact sessions.
On-Campus Interactive Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Assessment during intensive on-campus contact periods including interactive participation, presentations, group work, and practical demonstrations.
Elective Course Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Assessment of elective courses (minimum 6 credits from two or more courses) completed at graduate level from accredited institutions.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis in health professions education employing qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, assessed through written submission and oral defence with minimum CGPA of 2.50.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). AKU offers Master of Health Professions Education through its Institute for Educational Development with 48 credit hours over 3 years. The programme is internationally recognised. KMPDC, NCK, and COC set standards for health professions education in Kenya. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate health professions education training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. AKU offers Master of Health Professions Education through its Institute for Educational Development with 48 credit hours over 3 years. The programme is internationally recognised. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate health professions education training.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC)
Professional accreditation
KMPDC sets standards for medical education in Kenya. Graduates involved in medical education may benefit from understanding KMPDC standards and accreditation requirements.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Health Professions Educator
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Teaches health professions students in medical schools, nursing schools, and health training institutions, applying advanced educational methods and assessment strategies.
Curriculum Developer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Develops and designs health professions curricula, overseeing curriculum mapping, needs assessment, learning outcomes, and curriculum evaluation in health institutions.
Assessment Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Designs and manages assessment systems in health professions education, overseeing assessment design, OSCE, standard setting, and ensuring assessment quality.
Educational Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Conducts research in health professions education, overseeing research design, data collection, analysis, and publishing educational research findings.
Educational Leader
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Leads health professions education institutions, overseeing institutional management, faculty development, governance, and educational quality assurance.
University Lecturer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches health professions education in universities, conducting research and training future health professions educators.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as health professions educators, curriculum developers, and assessment specialists in medical schools, nursing schools, and health training institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical software for quantitative research in health professions education, survey analysis, and statistical modelling of educational data.
NVivo
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for qualitative research in health professions education, interview analysis, and qualitative data management.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Spreadsheet software for educational data analysis, assessment data management, grade analysis, and educational data management.
R Statistical Computing
Software
Open-source statistical computing for educational research data analysis, psychometric analysis, and research data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Health professions education is just about teaching medical students.
The programme involves curriculum development, assessment design, educational research, leadership, programme evaluation, and policy, covering all health professions education, not just medicine.
This programme is only for doctors.
The programme is for all health professions educators including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, clinical officers, and other health professionals involved in education.
Health professions education is not a real academic discipline.
The programme involves 48 credit hours of rigorous coursework in educational theory, research methods, assessment, and a research thesis, making it a well-established academic discipline.
There is limited demand for health professions educators in Kenya.
Kenya's growing number of medical schools, nursing schools, and health training institutions creates moderate demand for qualified health professions educators.
A master's in health professions education is not useful for practising clinicians.
The programme enhances teaching skills, opens academic career paths, and is increasingly required for faculty positions in health professions institutions.
This programme can be completed quickly.
The programme requires a minimum of three years of study with intensive coursework, electives, and a research thesis, making it a substantial commitment.