Health Sciences

Master of Science in Medical Parasitology

The Master of Science in Medical Parasitology is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in medical parasitology, entomology, and tropical disease research. The programme combines parasitology theory with medical applications, vector biology, and public health interventions.

Core areas include protozoology, helminthology, medical entomology, immunology of parasitic infections, molecular parasitology, epidemiology, control of parasitic diseases, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, laboratory work, field work, and research.

The programme is offered by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in collaboration with KEMRI Graduate School, and by Chuka University. Both are public institutions offering the programme over a minimum of two years through full-time and part-time modes.

Students develop competencies in medical parasitology, vector biology, molecular diagnostics, immunology, epidemiology, and biomedical research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory and field work, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for diagnostic, research, and public health roles.

JKUAT charges KES 496,000 total (~KES 248,000/year), while Chuka University charges approximately KES 130,000/year (tuition only). Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences or a related discipline from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as medical parasitologists, entomologists, research scientists, public health specialists, vector control officers, and lecturers in parasitology across research institutions, public health agencies, hospitals, universities, and international health organisations.

Skills Required

Medical Parasitology and Protozoology
Helminthology and Parasite Identification
Medical Entomology and Vector Biology
Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Molecular Parasitology and Diagnostics
Epidemiology and Control of Parasitic Diseases
Laboratory Methods in Parasitology
Research Methods in Biomedical Sciences
Public Health and Tropical Disease Management
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Protozoology
Helminthology
Medical Entomology and Vector Biology
Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Molecular Parasitology and Diagnostics
Epidemiology and Control of Parasitic Diseases
Laboratory Methods in Parasitology
Research Methods in Biomedical Sciences
Public Health and Tropical Disease Management
Thesis Research

Certifications

KEMRI Professional Certification
ASTMH Professional Membership

Specializations

Protozoology

Focuses on protozoology, covering protozoa, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing protozoan infections.

Helminthology

Examines helminthology, covering helminths, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing helminth infections.

Medical Entomology

Covers medical entomology, covering vectors, biology, control, diseases, and managing vector-borne diseases.

Molecular Parasitology

Focuses on molecular parasitology, covering DNA, genomics, diagnostics, techniques, and managing molecular parasitology.

Immunology of Parasitic Infections

Examines immunology of parasitic infections, covering immune, responses, diagnosis, vaccines, and managing parasitic immunology.

Vector Control and Public Health

Covers vector control, covering interventions, surveillance, management, public health, and managing vector control programmes.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 248,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Evening, Weekend
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Protozoology
Helminthology
Medical Entomology and Vector Biology
Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Molecular Parasitology and Diagnostics
Epidemiology and Control of Parasitic Diseases
Laboratory Methods in Parasitology
Research Methods in Biomedical Sciences
Public Health and Tropical Disease Management
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Protozoology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines protozoa, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing protozoan infections.
Helminthology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers helminths, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing helminth infections.
Medical Entomology and Vector Biology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines vectors, biology, ecology, control, diseases, and managing vector-borne diseases.
Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers immune, responses, diagnosis, vaccines, and managing parasitic immunology.
Research Methods in Biomedical Sciences
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines research design, data collection, analysis, ethics, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Molecular Parasitology and Diagnostics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers DNA, genomics, diagnostics, techniques, and managing molecular parasitology.
Epidemiology and Control of Parasitic Diseases
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines surveillance, outbreaks, control, statistics, and managing parasitic disease control.
Laboratory Methods in Parasitology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers identification, culture, staining, microscopy, and managing parasitology laboratory methods.
Vector Control and Integrated Vector Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines interventions, surveillance, resistance, environmental management, and managing vector control programmes.
Tropical Disease Management and Public Health
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers treatment, prevention, programmes, policy, and managing tropical disease public health interventions.
Advanced Topics in Parasitology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines current research, emerging parasites, drug resistance, vaccines, and managing advanced parasitology topics.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a medical parasitology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and parasitology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Protozoology
Focuses on protozoology, covering protozoa, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing protozoan infections.
Helminthology
Examines helminthology, covering helminths, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing helminth infections.
Medical Entomology
Covers medical entomology, covering vectors, biology, control, diseases, and managing vector-borne diseases.
Molecular Parasitology
Focuses on molecular parasitology, covering DNA, genomics, diagnostics, techniques, and managing molecular parasitology.
Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Examines immunology of parasitic infections, covering immune, responses, diagnosis, vaccines, and managing parasitic immunology.
Vector Control and Public Health
Covers vector control, covering interventions, surveillance, management, public health, and managing vector control programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Medical Parasitology programme combines lectures, laboratory practicals, field work, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover protozoology, helminthology, medical entomology, immunology, and molecular parasitology. Protozoology sessions examine protozoa, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing protozoan infections. Helminthology sessions cover helminths, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and managing helminth infections. Medical entomology sessions cover vectors, biology, control, diseases, and managing vector-borne diseases. Immunology sessions cover immune, responses, diagnosis, vaccines, and managing parasitic immunology. Molecular parasitology sessions cover DNA, genomics, diagnostics, techniques, and managing molecular parasitology. Epidemiology sessions cover surveillance, outbreaks, control, statistics, and managing parasitic disease control. Laboratory practicals provide hands-on experience with parasite identification, culture, molecular techniques, and diagnostic methods. Field work provides practical experience with vector collection, identification, and surveillance in endemic areas. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current scientific literature. Guest lectures from experienced parasitologists, entomologists, and public health professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a medical parasitology topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme offered at two public institutions (JKUAT/KEMRI and Chuka University) providing options.
Chuka University offers competitive fees at approximately KES 130,000/year (tuition only).
Programme addresses Kenya's significant tropical disease burden including malaria and neglected tropical diseases.
Graduates are eligible for KEMRI professional certification and ASTMH professional membership.

Against it

JKUAT fees are moderate at KES 496,000 total (~KES 248,000/year).
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences, limiting access for non-science graduates.
Specialised field with relatively small cohorts and limited programme availability.

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

Public130k to 248k

130k at Chuka University248k at JKUAT

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 Medical Parasitology & Entomology 248K/yr; Chuka 130K/yr. Private unverified. Src: kenyaeducationguide, Chuka

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KEMRI may offer research grants for parasitology research. WHO TDR may offer research grants for tropical disease research. Some research institutions, government agencies, and international health bodies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KEMRI Research Grant
TDR Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KEMRI Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
KEMRI may offer research grants for parasitology research.
WHO TDR Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 200,000
WHO TDR may offer research grants for tropical disease research.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: JKUAT/KEMRI requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Biological Sciences. Chuka University accepts Lower Second Class with at least two years of relevant work experience or research. Contact the institutions 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, field reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering protozoology, helminthology, entomology, immunology, and epidemiology.
Laboratory and Field Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory work, field exercises, parasite identification, vector collection, and demonstrating parasitology skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a medical parasitology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and parasitology knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

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

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (in collaboration with KEMRI Graduate School) and Chuka University (both public) offer MSc in Medical Parasitology. The programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in medical parasitology. Graduates are eligible for KEMRI professional certification and ASTMH professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Medical Parasitologist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts parasitology analysis and research, overseeing diagnosis, identification, treatment, and managing parasitology.
Entomologist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages vector biology and control, overseeing vectors, identification, surveillance, and managing entomology programmes.
Research Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts parasitology research, overseeing research, experiments, analysis, and managing research projects.
Public Health Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages public health programmes, overseeing control, prevention, surveillance, and managing parasitic disease control.
Vector Control Officer
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages vector control operations, overseeing interventions, surveillance, monitoring, and managing vector control programmes.
Parasitology Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches parasitology 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 Molecular Diagnostic Systems
Equipment
PCR and molecular diagnostic systems for parasite detection, covering amplification, detection, quantification, and managing molecular parasitology.
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 epidemiological and research data, covering statistics, analysis, research, and managing research data.
Microscopy Systems
EquipmentPrimary
Light and electron microscopy systems for parasite identification and morphological analysis, covering identification, staining, microscopy, and managing parasitology diagnostics.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Medical parasitology is just about studying worms.
Medical parasitology covers comprehensive protozoa, helminths, vectors, immunology, molecular biology, and public health beyond just studying worms.
This programme is only for biologists.
Parasitology skills are valuable for doctors, pharmacists, public health professionals, and laboratory scientists beyond just biologists.
Parasitic diseases are no longer a problem in Kenya.
Kenya still faces significant parasitic disease burden including malaria, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminths requiring trained professionals.
Medical entomology is just about collecting insects.
Medical entomology covers comprehensive vector biology, ecology, control, disease transmission, and public health beyond just collecting insects.
Molecular parasitology is just about DNA sequencing.
Molecular parasitology covers comprehensive genomics, diagnostics, gene expression, and bioinformatics beyond just DNA sequencing.
Vector control is just about spraying insecticides.
Vector control covers comprehensive integrated vector management, surveillance, resistance monitoring, and environmental management beyond just spraying insecticides.