Business

Master of Science in Procurement and Supplies Management

The Master of Science in Procurement and Supplies Management is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in procurement, supplies management, and supply chain governance. The programme provides specialised training in procurement strategy, supplies management, inventory control, store management, and public procurement regulation.

Core areas include procurement principles, supplies management, inventory control, store management, public procurement, contract management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, and research.

The programme is offered by Mount Kenya University as a private institution and Kisii University as a public institution. Both universities offer the programme over two years through full-time and part-time study, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in procurement, supplies management, inventory control, store management, public procurement compliance, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, case studies, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for procurement, supplies, and store management leadership roles.

Mount Kenya University charges approximately KES 119,100 per year. Kisii University also offers a related programme but fee data is not publicly available. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as procurement managers, supplies managers, store managers, inventory controllers, procurement auditors, and lecturers across public sector organisations, private companies, NGOs, and international organisations.

Skills Required

Procurement Strategy and Sourcing
Supplies Management and Store Operations
Inventory Control and Stock Management
Public Procurement and Regulation
Contract Management and Administration
Procurement Risk Management and Auditing
Supplier Relationship Management
Project Management
Research Methods in Procurement and Supplies
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Procurement Principles and Strategy
Supplies Management and Store Operations
Inventory Control and Stock Management
Public Procurement and Regulation
Contract Management and Administration
Procurement Risk Management and Auditing
Supplier Relationship Management
Project Management
Research Methods in Procurement and Supplies
Thesis Research

Certifications

KISM Professional Registration
CIPS Professional Certification

Specializations

Supplies Management

Focuses on supplies management, covering supplies, stores, management, operations, and managing supplies management.

Inventory Control

Examines inventory control, covering inventory, control, stock, management, and managing inventory control and stock management.

Public Procurement

Covers public procurement, covering public, procurement, regulation, compliance, and managing public procurement.

Store Management

Focuses on store management, covering stores, management, operations, warehousing, and managing store operations.

Procurement Auditing

Examines procurement auditing, covering audits, procurement, compliance, risk, and managing procurement auditing.

Contract Management

Covers contract management, covering contracts, administration, compliance, performance, and managing contract management.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 256,200
Private, up to: Ksh 119,100
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: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Procurement Principles and Strategy
Supplies Management and Store Operations
Inventory Control and Stock Management
Public Procurement and Regulation
Contract Management and Administration
Procurement Risk Management and Auditing
Supplier Relationship Management
Project Management
Research Methods in Procurement and Supplies
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Procurement Principles and Strategy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines procurement, strategy, sourcing, planning, and managing procurement principles and strategy.
Supplies Management and Store Operations
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers supplies, stores, management, operations, and managing supplies management and store operations.
Inventory Control and Stock Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines inventory, control, stock, management, and managing inventory control and stock management.
Public Procurement and Regulation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers public, procurement, regulation, compliance, and managing public procurement and regulatory compliance.
Contract Management and Administration
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines contracts, administration, compliance, performance, and managing contract management and administration.
Procurement Risk Management and Auditing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers risk, procurement, management, auditing, and managing procurement risk management and auditing.
Supplier Relationship Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines suppliers, relationships, management, performance, and managing supplier relationship management.
Project Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers projects, management, planning, execution, and managing project management in procurement contexts.
Research Methods in Procurement and Supplies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines research, design, methods, ethics, and conducting research in procurement and supplies, preparing students for their thesis.
E-Procurement and Digital Supplies Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers e-procurement, digital, supplies, technology, and managing e-procurement and digital supplies management.
Strategic Supply Chain Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines strategic, supply, chain, management, and managing strategic supply chain management.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a procurement or supplies management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and procurement and supplies knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Supplies Management
Focuses on supplies management, covering supplies, stores, management, operations, and managing supplies management.
Inventory Control
Examines inventory control, covering inventory, control, stock, management, and managing inventory control and stock management.
Public Procurement
Covers public procurement, covering public, procurement, regulation, compliance, and managing public procurement.
Store Management
Focuses on store management, covering stores, management, operations, warehousing, and managing store operations.
Procurement Auditing
Examines procurement auditing, covering audits, procurement, compliance, risk, and managing procurement auditing.
Contract Management
Covers contract management, covering contracts, administration, compliance, performance, and managing contract management.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Procurement and Supplies Management programme combines lectures, case studies, group discussions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover procurement, supplies management, inventory control, and store management. Procurement sessions examine procurement, strategy, sourcing, contracts, and managing procurement. Supplies management sessions cover supplies, stores, management, operations, and managing supplies management. Inventory control sessions cover inventory, control, stock, management, and managing inventory control. Store management sessions cover stores, management, operations, warehousing, and managing store operations. Public procurement sessions cover public, procurement, regulation, compliance, and managing public procurement. Contract management sessions cover contracts, administration, compliance, performance, and managing contract management. Risk management sessions cover risk, procurement, management, auditing, and managing procurement risk and auditing. Research methods sessions cover research, design, methods, ethics, and conducting research in procurement and supplies. Case studies provide practical experience in analysing real-world procurement and supplies management scenarios. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current issues in procurement and supplies. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a procurement or supplies management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme combines procurement and supplies management, covering both sourcing and stock management.
Programme offered at both private (MKU) and public (Kisii) universities providing choice.
Graduates are eligible for KISM registration and CIPS professional certification.
High job market demand for procurement and supplies professionals in Kenya.

Against it

Only two universities confirmed offering this exact programme name.
Public university fee data not publicly available for this exact programme.
Programme may require relevant work experience for Lower Second Class holders.
Some institutions may have limited industry linkages for practical training.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public171k to 256k

171k at Maseno University256k at University of Nairobi

Private119k to 119k

119k at Mount Kenya University119k 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

MKU 119.1K/yr (victormatara). Maseno, UoN unverified

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. MKU may offer scholarships for eligible students. Some employers, particularly in the public sector, may sponsor staff for postgraduate study in procurement and supplies management.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
MKU Scholarship
Employer Sponsorship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
MKU Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 119,100Kenyan
MKU may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
Employer Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 238,200Kenyan
Some employers, particularly in the public sector, may sponsor staff for postgraduate study in procurement and supplies.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant field. Lower Second Class may be considered with relevant work experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case study analyses, seminar presentations, group discussions, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering procurement, supplies management, inventory control, and public procurement.
Case Study Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through case studies, demonstrating procurement strategy, supplies analysis, and problem-solving in real-world scenarios.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a procurement or supplies management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and procurement and supplies knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Mount Kenya University (private) and Kisii University (public) offer MSc in Procurement and Supplies Management. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in procurement and supplies management. Graduates should be registered with KISM and may pursue CIPS professional certification. The programme aligns with PPRA public procurement standards and CIPS global procurement standards.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Mount Kenya University (private) and Kisii University (public) offer MSc in Procurement and Supplies Management. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in procurement and supplies management. Graduates should be registered with KISM and may pursue CIPS professional certification. The programme aligns with PPRA public procurement standards and CIPS global procurement standards.
Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM)
Professional accreditationRequired
KISM regulates the supply management profession in Kenya. Graduates working in procurement and supplies management should be registered with KISM.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Procurement Manager
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages procurement operations, overseeing procurement, sourcing, contracts, and managing procurement functions.
Supplies Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages supplies operations, overseeing supplies, stores, inventory, and managing supplies management.
Store Manager
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages store operations, overseeing stores, inventory, operations, and managing store management.
Inventory Controller
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages inventory control, overseeing inventory, stock, control, and managing inventory control and stock management.
Procurement Auditor
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts procurement audits, overseeing audits, compliance, risk, and managing procurement auditing.
Procurement Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches procurement and supplies at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SAP ERP
SoftwarePrimary
SAP ERP for procurement and supplies management, covering procurement, supplies, inventory, and managing enterprise procurement and supplies.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Excel for procurement and supplies data analysis, covering analysis, reporting, data, and managing procurement and supplies data.
Inventory Management Software
Software
Inventory management software for stock control, covering inventory, stock, tracking, and managing inventory and stock control.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis of research data, covering statistics, analysis, research, and managing research data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Procurement and supplies management is just about buying and storing.
Procurement and supplies management involves strategic sourcing, inventory optimisation, contract management, and compliance beyond just purchasing and storing.
This programme is only for those working in stores.
Procurement and supplies management skills are valuable in government, manufacturing, healthcare, NGOs, and international organisations beyond just stores.
Supplies management is outdated in the age of digital procurement.
Digital procurement enhances supplies management through automation, tracking, and analytics, but strategic management remains essential.
Procurement and supplies has limited career growth.
Procurement and supplies professionals can advance to chief procurement officer, supply chain director, and executive roles with significant career growth.
This programme is the same as logistics management.
While related, procurement and supplies management focuses on sourcing and stock management, while logistics focuses on transport and distribution of goods.
Public procurement is just about following tender rules.
Public procurement requires strategic thinking, value optimisation, risk management, and innovation within regulatory frameworks, not just rule-following.