Master of Science in Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing is a postgraduate programme that prepares registered nurses for advanced practice, leadership, and specialised clinical roles. The programme provides advanced training in nursing science, clinical specialisation, research, and nursing education.
Core areas include advanced nursing practice, nursing research, nursing education, healthcare management, clinical specialisation, health informatics, palliative care, trauma and emergency nursing, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, clinical practice, and research.
The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Meru University of Science and Technology, and Kabarak University. UoN and JKUAT are public universities, while Kabarak is private. The programme runs over two years through full-time and part-time study, combining coursework with clinical practice and research.
Students develop competencies in advanced clinical practice, nursing research, nursing education, healthcare management, evidence-based practice, and specialised clinical skills. The programme includes coursework, examinations, clinical practice, and a supervised research project, preparing graduates for leadership roles in clinical practice, education, management, and research.
Public university fees range from KES 357,000 total at JKUAT (~KES 178,500/year) to KES 867,000 total at UoN (~KES 433,500/year). Kabarak University (private) charges KES 75,000 per semester in tuition (~KES 150,000/year). Entry requires a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, registration with the Nursing Council of Kenya, and at least two years of post-qualification experience.
Graduates pursue careers as nurse specialists, nursing educators, nursing managers, clinical nurse specialists, nurse researchers, and nursing administrators across hospitals, community health agencies, academic institutions, research organisations, and healthcare regulatory bodies.
Skills Required
- Advanced Nursing Practice and Clinical Specialisation
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Healthcare Management and Leadership
- Health Informatics and Communication Sciences
- Palliative Care Nursing
- Trauma and Emergency Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Midwifery and Reproductive Health
- Academic Writing and Research Project
Key Subjects
- Advanced Nursing Practice and Clinical Specialisation
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Healthcare Management and Leadership
- Health Informatics and Communication Sciences
- Palliative Care Nursing
- Trauma and Emergency Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Midwifery and Reproductive Health
- Research Project
Certifications
- Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) Registration
- International Council of Nurses (ICN) Membership
Specializations
Midwifery and Reproductive Health
Focuses on midwifery, covering reproductive, health, maternal, care, and managing midwifery and reproductive health nursing.
Community Health Nursing
Examines community health, covering communities, public, health, prevention, and managing community health nursing.
Nursing Education
Covers nursing education, covering teaching, curriculum, assessment, training, and managing nursing education.
Medical Surgical Nursing
Focuses on medical surgical nursing, covering medical, surgical, clinical, care, and managing medical surgical nursing.
Critical Care Nursing
Examines critical care, covering intensive, emergency, critical, care, and managing critical care nursing.
Oncology and Palliative Nursing
Covers oncology and palliative care, covering cancer, palliative, care, pain, and managing oncology and palliative nursing.
Paediatrics and Child Health Nursing
Focuses on paediatrics, covering children, health, care, development, and managing paediatrics and child health nursing.
- Duration
- 2 years
- Public, up to
- Ksh 433,500
- Private, up to
- Ksh 463,200
- 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
- 20 students
- Award
- Masters
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Nursing Practice and Clinical Specialisation
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Healthcare Management and Leadership
- Health Informatics and Communication Sciences
- Palliative Care Nursing
- Trauma and Emergency Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Midwifery and Reproductive Health
- Research Project
Modules
12 in the programmeAdvanced Nursing Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines clinical, assessment, diagnosis, management, and managing advanced nursing practice.
Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research, evidence, practice, methods, and managing nursing research.
Health Informatics and Communication Sciences
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines data, systems, communication, technology, and managing health informatics in nursing.
Healthcare Management and Leadership
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers management, leadership, policy, quality, and managing healthcare services.
Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines teaching, curriculum, assessment, training, and managing nursing education.
Community Health Nursing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers communities, public, health, prevention, and managing community health nursing.
Midwifery and Reproductive Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines reproductive, health, maternal, care, and managing midwifery and reproductive health nursing.
Palliative Care Nursing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers palliative, pain, care, end-of-life, and managing palliative care nursing.
Clinical Specialisation I
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines specialised clinical practice in the student's chosen area, covering assessment, management, interventions, and managing clinical specialisation.
Trauma and Emergency Nursing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers trauma, emergency, critical, care, and managing trauma and emergency nursing.
Clinical Specialisation II
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Continues specialised clinical practice, covering advanced skills, interventions, evaluation, and managing clinical specialisation.
Research Project
Year 2Semester 28 creditsCore
Original supervised research project on a specialised nursing topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and nursing knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.
Specialisations
Midwifery and Reproductive Health
Focuses on midwifery, covering reproductive, health, maternal, care, and managing midwifery and reproductive health nursing.
Community Health Nursing
Examines community health, covering communities, public, health, prevention, and managing community health nursing.
Nursing Education
Covers nursing education, covering teaching, curriculum, assessment, training, and managing nursing education.
Medical Surgical Nursing
Focuses on medical surgical nursing, covering medical, surgical, clinical, care, and managing medical surgical nursing.
Critical Care Nursing
Examines critical care, covering intensive, emergency, critical, care, and managing critical care nursing.
Oncology and Palliative Nursing
Covers oncology and palliative care, covering cancer, palliative, care, pain, and managing oncology and palliative nursing.
Paediatrics and Child Health Nursing
Focuses on paediatrics, covering children, health, care, development, and managing paediatrics and child health nursing.
A day as a student
A typical day during the MSc in Nursing programme combines lectures, clinical practice, seminars, case studies, and independent study. Sessions cover advanced nursing practice, research, education, healthcare management, and clinical specialisation. Advanced nursing practice sessions examine clinical, assessment, diagnosis, management, and managing advanced practice. Nursing research sessions cover research, evidence, practice, methods, and managing nursing research. Nursing education sessions cover teaching, curriculum, assessment, training, and managing nursing education. Healthcare management sessions cover management, leadership, policy, quality, and managing healthcare. Clinical specialisation sessions cover midwifery, community, critical care, oncology, paediatrics, and managing clinical specialisation. Health informatics sessions cover data, systems, communication, technology, and managing health informatics. Palliative care sessions cover palliative, pain, care, end-of-life, and managing palliative nursing. Clinical practice provides hands-on experience in hospital and community settings, applying advanced nursing skills. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting case studies and discussing current research. The programme culminates in a supervised research project on a specialised nursing topic.
The trade offs
In its favour
- Programme offers seven specialisation tracks covering major nursing practice areas.
- Programme offered at multiple universities (UoN, JKUAT, MUST, Kabarak) providing choice.
- Graduates are registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya and eligible for ICN membership.
- High job market demand for specialised nurses in Kenya and globally.
Against it
- UoN fees are high at KES 867,000 total (~KES 433,500/year).
- Programme requires NCK registration and two years of post-qualification experience.
- Kabarak (private) tuition data is per semester only; total fees not publicly available.
- Programme involves intensive clinical practice alongside coursework, requiring significant time commitment.
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 coursesAnnual 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 867k/2=433.5k/yr (UoN dept). JKUAT 357k/2=178.5k/yr. AKU 463.2k/yr (AKU PDF). Kabarak 267.3k/yr (Kabarak PDF).
HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. NCK may offer professional development grants. Some hospitals and healthcare organisations may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
NCK Professional Development Grant
Scholarships
3 recordedHELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate nursing students.
NCK Professional Development Grant
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
NCK may offer professional development grants for registered nurses pursuing postgraduate study.
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
- KCSE mean grade
- N/A (Postgraduate)
- Alternative entry
- UoN accepts holders of BSc in Nursing registered with NCK. Candidates with a first degree in a comparable field plus a Diploma in Nursing may be considered if registrable with NCK. JKUAT requires BSc Nursing from a recognised university, NCK registration (KRCHN/BScN) with valid practice licence, and two years of post-BScN experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.
How you are assessed
4 componentsContinuous Assessment Tests
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through assignments, written tests, seminar presentations, case presentations, and practical tests administered during the course.
Final Written Examinations
Examination60% of the mark
Final written examinations covering advanced nursing practice, research, education, and clinical specialisation. Pass mark is 50% in each course.
Clinical Practice Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through clinical practice in hospital and community settings, demonstrating advanced nursing skills and competencies.
Research Project
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research project on a specialised nursing topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and nursing knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.
Accreditation
The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). University of Nairobi, JKUAT, MUST (public), and Kabarak University (private) offer MSc in Nursing. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in nursing. Graduates must be registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) and hold a valid practice licence. The programme aligns with WHO and ICN global nursing standards.
Accredited by
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Nairobi, JKUAT, MUST (public), and Kabarak University (private) offer MSc in Nursing. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in nursing. Graduates must be registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) and hold a valid practice licence. The programme aligns with WHO and ICN global nursing standards.
Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK)
Professional accreditationRequired
NCK regulates nursing practice in Kenya. Graduates must be registered with NCK and hold a valid practice licence. The programme meets NCK standards for advanced nursing practice.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
6 rolesNurse Specialist
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides specialised clinical care in hospitals and community settings, overseeing assessment, treatment, management, and managing specialised nursing practice.
Nursing Educator
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches nursing at university or college level, overseeing instruction, curriculum, research, and academic supervision.
Nursing Manager
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages nursing services in healthcare facilities, overseeing staff, quality, policy, and managing nursing services.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides advanced clinical care in specialised areas, overseeing practice, protocols, education, and managing clinical specialisation.
Nurse Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts nursing research, overseeing studies, evidence, practice, and managing nursing research.
Nursing Administrator
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Administers nursing programmes and services, overseeing policy, quality, management, and managing nursing administration.
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as nurse specialists, nursing educators, nursing managers, clinical nurse specialists, nurse researchers, and nursing administrators across hospitals, community health agencies, academic institutions, research organisations, and healthcare regulatory bodies.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Career Guidance & Labour Market Information CounselorEducation11Low exposure
- School Guidance CounselorEducation17Low exposure
- CrystallographerScience19Low exposure
- StatisticsScience20Low exposure
- Motor Vehicle MechanicEducation21Low exposure
- MycologistScience21Low exposure
- OceanographerScience21Low exposure
- Computational BiologistScience22Low exposure
Tools you will learn
Clinical Assessment Tools
EquipmentPrimary
Clinical assessment tools for advanced nursing practice, covering assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, and managing clinical care.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis of research data, covering statistics, analysis, research, and managing research data.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Software
EHR systems for patient data management, covering records, data, management, and managing patient information.
Evidence-Based Practice Databases
Software
Evidence-based practice databases for nursing research, covering evidence, practice, guidelines, and managing evidence-based care.
Industry links
Common misconceptions
MSc Nursing is just about clinical skills.
MSc Nursing covers comprehensive research, education, management, leadership, and specialised clinical practice beyond just clinical skills.
This programme is only for hospital nurses.
MSc Nursing skills are valuable for community health, education, research, management, and policy roles beyond just hospital nursing.
Nursing research is not real science.
Nursing research uses rigorous scientific methods including clinical trials, epidemiology, and evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes.
Advanced practice nursing is the same as basic nursing.
Advanced practice nursing involves specialised clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and independent practice beyond basic nursing.
Nursing education is just about teaching.
Nursing education covers comprehensive curriculum development, assessment, training, research, and academic leadership beyond just teaching.
MSc Nursing graduates can only work in Kenya.
MSc Nursing qualifications are recognised globally, with opportunities for international practice, research, and education.
Related courses
Further reading
Fees and entry marks for Master of Science in Nursing are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.