Health Sciences

Master of Science in Medical Microbiology

The Master of Science in Medical Microbiology is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in medical microbiology, infectious disease diagnosis, and biomedical research. The programme provides comprehensive knowledge and practical training in disease causation, diagnosis, and treatment of microorganisms significant in public health.

Core areas include bacteriology, medical mycology, virology, immunology, molecular biology, medical parasitology, medical entomology, epidemiology, biostatistics, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, laboratory practicals, tutorials, seminars, and research.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi through the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Both are public universities offering the programme over two years through full-time study, with JKUAT also offering part-time options.

Students develop competencies in medical microbiology, infectious disease diagnosis, molecular techniques, immunology, epidemiology, and biomedical research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory practicum, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for diagnostic, research, and teaching roles.

UoN charges KES 872,000 total (~KES 436,000/year), while JKUAT charges KES 357,000 total (~KES 178,500/year). Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences or a relevant health profession from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as medical microbiologists, clinical laboratory scientists, research scientists, infection control specialists, public health microbiologists, and lecturers in microbiology across hospitals, research institutions, public health agencies, diagnostic laboratories, and universities.

Skills Required

Medical Bacteriology and Mycology
Virology and Viral Pathogenesis
Immunology and Immune Responses
Molecular Biology and Genomic Techniques
Medical Parasitology and Entomology
Infectious Disease Diagnosis and Laboratory Methods
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Research Methods in Microbiology
Quality Control and Biosafety in Laboratory Practice
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Bacteriology
Medical Mycology
Virology
Immunology
Molecular Biology and Genomics
Medical Parasitology and Entomology
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Research Methods and Computer Applications
Laboratory Practicum and Attachment
Thesis Research

Certifications

KEMRI Professional Certification
ASM Professional Membership

Specializations

Bacteriology

Focuses on bacteriology, covering bacteria, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing bacterial infections.

Virology

Examines virology, covering viruses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing viral infections.

Medical Mycology

Covers medical mycology, covering fungi, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing fungal infections.

Immunology

Focuses on immunology, covering immune, responses, antibodies, vaccines, and managing immune system research.

Molecular Biology and Genomics

Examines molecular biology, covering DNA, RNA, genomics, techniques, and managing molecular diagnostics.

Public Health Microbiology

Covers public health microbiology, covering epidemiology, surveillance, outbreaks, control, and managing public health microbiology.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 436,000
Private, up to: Ksh 179,100
Job market: High

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: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Bacteriology
Medical Mycology
Virology
Immunology
Molecular Biology and Genomics
Medical Parasitology and Entomology
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Research Methods and Computer Applications
Laboratory Practicum and Attachment
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Bacteriology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines bacteria, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing bacterial infections.
Medical Mycology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers fungi, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing fungal infections.
Virology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines viruses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing viral infections.
Immunology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers immune, responses, antibodies, vaccines, and managing immune system research.
Molecular Biology and Genomics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines DNA, RNA, genomics, techniques, and managing molecular diagnostics.
Medical Parasitology and Entomology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers parasites, vectors, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and managing parasitic infections and vectors.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines surveillance, outbreaks, control, statistics, and managing public health microbiology.
Research Methods and Computer Applications
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, computing, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Advanced Diagnostic Microbiology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines advanced diagnostic methods, molecular techniques, automation, and managing diagnostic microbiology.
Laboratory Management and Quality Control
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers management, quality, biosafety, accreditation, and managing microbiology laboratories.
Attachment and Practicum
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Provides hands-on laboratory experience in diagnostic microbiology settings, covering clinical, research, and public health laboratory practice.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a medical microbiology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and microbiology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Bacteriology
Focuses on bacteriology, covering bacteria, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing bacterial infections.
Virology
Examines virology, covering viruses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing viral infections.
Medical Mycology
Covers medical mycology, covering fungi, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing fungal infections.
Immunology
Focuses on immunology, covering immune, responses, antibodies, vaccines, and managing immune system research.
Molecular Biology and Genomics
Examines molecular biology, covering DNA, RNA, genomics, techniques, and managing molecular diagnostics.
Public Health Microbiology
Covers public health microbiology, covering epidemiology, surveillance, outbreaks, control, and managing public health microbiology.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Medical Microbiology programme combines lectures, laboratory practicals, tutorials, seminars, journal clubs, and independent study. Sessions cover bacteriology, medical mycology, virology, immunology, and molecular biology. Bacteriology sessions examine bacteria, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing bacterial infections. Medical mycology sessions cover fungi, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing fungal infections. Virology sessions cover viruses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing viral infections. Immunology sessions cover immune, responses, antibodies, vaccines, and managing immune system research. Molecular biology sessions cover DNA, RNA, genomics, techniques, and managing molecular diagnostics. Medical parasitology sessions cover parasites, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing parasitic infections. Epidemiology sessions cover surveillance, outbreaks, control, biostatistics, and managing public health microbiology. Laboratory practicals provide hands-on experience with bacterial culture, identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular techniques, and diagnostic methods. Seminars and journal clubs provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current scientific literature. Guest lectures from experienced microbiologists, researchers, and public health professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a medical microbiology topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme offered at two public universities (UoN and JKUAT) with KEMRI collaboration providing options.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at KES 357,000 total (~KES 178,500/year).
High demand for medical microbiology professionals with Kenya's infectious disease burden and research needs.
Graduates are eligible for KEMRI professional certification and ASM professional membership.

Against it

UoN fees are high at KES 872,000 total (~KES 436,000/year).
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences, limiting access for non-science graduates.
Significant fee disparity between JKUAT (KES 357,000) and UoN (KES 872,000) for the same programme.

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 436k

179k at JKUAT436k at University of Nairobi

Private179k to 179k

179k at Mount Kenya University179k at Mount Kenya 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

UoN MSc Medical Microbiology 436K/yr; JKUAT 178.5K/yr; MKU MLS 179.1K/yr. Src: UoN fee schedule, kenyaeducationguide

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. UoN and JKUAT may offer scholarships for eligible students. KEMRI may offer research grants for medical microbiology research. Some hospitals, research institutions, and international health bodies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
UoN Scholarship
KEMRI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
UoN Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 436,000Kenyan
University of Nairobi offers scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
KEMRI Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
KEMRI may offer research grants for medical microbiology research.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: UoN requires common regulations for Master's degree in the Faculty of Medicine. JKUAT requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences. Lower Second Class may be considered with evidence of research ability. Contact the 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, seminar presentations, journal club participation, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering bacteriology, virology, immunology, molecular biology, and epidemiology.
Laboratory Practicum Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory work, diagnostic exercises, attachment, and demonstrating microbiology laboratory skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a medical microbiology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and microbiology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). University of Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (both public) offer MSc in Medical Microbiology. JKUAT offers the programme in collaboration with KEMRI Graduate School. The programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in medical microbiology. Graduates are eligible for KEMRI professional certification and ASM professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (both public) offer MSc in Medical Microbiology. JKUAT offers the programme in collaboration with KEMRI Graduate School. The programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in medical microbiology. Graduates are eligible for KEMRI professional certification and ASM professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Medical Microbiologist
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts medical microbiology analysis and research, overseeing diagnosis, identification, treatment, and managing microbiology.
Clinical Laboratory Scientist
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages clinical laboratory operations, overseeing testing, diagnosis, quality, and managing clinical laboratories.
Research Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts microbiology research, overseeing research, experiments, analysis, and managing research projects.
Infection Control Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages infection control programmes, overseeing prevention, surveillance, outbreaks, and managing infection control.
Public Health Microbiologist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts public health microbiology, overseeing surveillance, outbreaks, control, and managing public health microbiology.
Microbiology Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches microbiology at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

PCR and Real-Time PCR Systems
EquipmentPrimary
PCR and real-time PCR systems for molecular diagnostics, covering amplification, detection, quantification, and managing molecular analysis.
Bacterial Culture and Identification Systems
Equipment
Automated culture and identification systems for bacterial diagnosis, covering culture, identification, susceptibility, and managing diagnostic microbiology.
BLAST and Bioinformatics Tools
Software
BLAST and bioinformatics tools for sequence analysis, covering alignment, searching, analysis, and managing bioinformatics data.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis of research data, covering statistics, analysis, research, and managing research data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Medical microbiology is just about identifying bacteria.
Medical microbiology covers comprehensive bacteriology, virology, mycology, immunology, molecular biology, and public health beyond just identifying bacteria.
This programme is only for doctors.
Medical microbiology skills are valuable for biomedical scientists, laboratory technologists, pharmacists, and public health professionals beyond just doctors.
Virology is just about studying viruses.
Virology covers comprehensive viral pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and molecular techniques beyond just studying viruses.
Immunology is just about antibodies.
Immunology covers comprehensive immune responses, cellular immunity, vaccines, diagnostics, and immunopathology beyond just antibodies.
Medical microbiology careers are limited to laboratories.
Medical microbiology careers span research, public health, education, industry, and consulting beyond just laboratory work.
Molecular biology is just about DNA sequencing.
Molecular biology covers comprehensive genomics, gene expression, molecular diagnostics, and bioinformatics beyond just DNA sequencing.