Business

Master of Science in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation

The Master of Science in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in project management combined with monitoring and evaluation expertise. The programme provides specialised training in project design, planning, implementation, M&E frameworks, indicator development, evaluation methods, and evidence-based decision making.

Core areas include project management principles, project planning and design, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, indicator development, data collection and analysis, project financing, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, and research.

The programme is offered by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Kenyatta University as public institutions, and Mount Kenya University as a private institution. Multiple study modes are available including full-time and part-time over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in project management, monitoring and evaluation, indicator development, data collection, analysis, reporting, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, case studies, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for project management and M&E leadership roles across sectors.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 126,000 per year while Kenyatta University charges approximately KES 246,000 per year. Mount Kenya University (private) charges approximately KES 119,100 per year. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as project managers, M&E specialists, programme coordinators, development consultants, research officers, and lecturers across government, NGOs, development agencies, private companies, and consulting firms.

Skills Required

Project Planning and Design
Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks
Indicator Development and Performance Measurement
Data Collection and Analysis for M&E
Project Financing and Budgeting
Project Risk Management
Evaluation Methods and Impact Assessment
Research Methods in Project Management and M&E
Evidence-Based Decision Making
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Project Management Principles and Planning
Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks
Indicator Development and Performance Measurement
Data Collection and Analysis for M&E
Project Financing and Budgeting
Project Risk Management
Evaluation Methods and Impact Assessment
Research Methods in Project Management and M&E
Evidence-Based Decision Making
Thesis Research

Certifications

PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)
AEA Professional Membership

Specializations

Project Monitoring

Focuses on project monitoring, covering monitoring, projects, indicators, tracking, and managing project monitoring systems and processes.

Project Evaluation

Examines project evaluation, covering evaluation, projects, methods, impact, and managing project evaluation and impact assessment.

Project Planning and Design

Covers project planning, covering planning, design, projects, implementation, and managing project planning and design processes.

M&E Data Management

Focuses on M&E data management, covering data, M&E, collection, analysis, reporting, and managing M&E data and reporting systems.

Project Financing

Examines project financing, covering financing, projects, budgeting, funding, and managing project financing and budget management.

Impact Assessment

Covers impact assessment, covering impact, assessment, evaluation, projects, and managing project impact assessment and evaluation.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 246,000
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

Project Management Principles and Planning
Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks
Indicator Development and Performance Measurement
Data Collection and Analysis for M&E
Project Financing and Budgeting
Project Risk Management
Evaluation Methods and Impact Assessment
Research Methods in Project Management and M&E
Evidence-Based Decision Making
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Project Management Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines project management, covering principles, planning, execution, and managing project management principles and frameworks.
Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers monitoring, evaluation, frameworks, systems, and managing monitoring and evaluation frameworks and systems.
Project Planning and Design
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines planning, design, projects, implementation, and managing project planning and design processes.
Indicator Development and Performance Measurement
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers indicators, development, performance, measurement, and managing indicator development and performance measurement.
Data Collection and Analysis for M&E
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines data, collection, methods, analysis, and managing M&E data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Project Financing and Budgeting
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers financing, projects, budgeting, funding, and managing project financing and budget management.
Project Risk Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines risk, projects, management, assessment, and managing project risk management and mitigation.
Evaluation Methods and Impact Assessment
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers evaluation, methods, impact, assessment, and managing project evaluation and impact assessment methods.
Research Methods in Project Management and M&E
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines research, design, methods, ethics, and conducting research in project management and M&E, preparing students for their thesis.
Evidence-Based Decision Making
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers evidence, decision making, data, analysis, and managing evidence-based decision making in projects and programmes.
Project Management Information Systems
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines information, systems, projects, technology, and managing project management information systems for M&E.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a project management or M&E topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and project management and M&E knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Project Monitoring
Focuses on project monitoring, covering monitoring, projects, indicators, tracking, and managing project monitoring systems and processes.
Project Evaluation
Examines project evaluation, covering evaluation, projects, methods, impact, and managing project evaluation and impact assessment.
Project Planning and Design
Covers project planning, covering planning, design, projects, implementation, and managing project planning and design processes.
M&E Data Management
Focuses on M&E data management, covering data, M&E, collection, analysis, reporting, and managing M&E data and reporting systems.
Project Financing
Examines project financing, covering financing, projects, budgeting, funding, and managing project financing and budget management.
Impact Assessment
Covers impact assessment, covering impact, assessment, evaluation, projects, and managing project impact assessment and evaluation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation programme combines lectures, case studies, group discussions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover project management, monitoring and evaluation, indicator development, and data analysis. Project management sessions examine planning, design, execution, and managing project management principles. M&E sessions cover monitoring, evaluation, frameworks, systems, and managing monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Indicator development sessions cover indicators, development, performance, measurement, and managing indicator development and performance measurement. Data collection sessions cover data, collection, methods, tools, and managing M&E data collection. Analysis sessions cover analysis, data, reporting, statistics, and managing M&E data analysis and reporting. Project financing sessions cover financing, projects, budgeting, funding, and managing project financing. Risk management sessions cover risk, projects, management, assessment, and managing project risk. Evaluation methods sessions cover evaluation, methods, impact, assessment, and managing project evaluation and impact assessment. Research methods sessions cover research, design, methods, ethics, and conducting research in project management and M&E. Case studies provide practical experience in analysing real-world project management and M&E scenarios. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a project management or M&E topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme combines project management with M&E, providing integrated skills for development and business sectors.
Programme offered at both public and private universities with multiple study modes.
Graduates are eligible for PMI PMP and AEA professional certification.
High job market demand for project management and M&E professionals in Kenya's development sector.

Against it

Fees vary significantly, from KES 119,100/year at MKU to KES 246,000/year at KU.
Programme name varies across institutions, causing potential confusion.
Programme may require relevant work experience for Lower Second Class holders.
Only one private university confirmed offering this programme.

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

Public126k to 246k

126k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology246k at Kenyatta University

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

JKUAT 126K, KU 246K/yr (joweri). MKU 119.1K/yr (victormatara)

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. Some employers, particularly in government, NGOs, and development agencies, may sponsor staff for postgraduate study in project management and M&E.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
Employer Sponsorship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 246,000Kenyan
Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate project management and M&E students.
Employer Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 492,000Kenyan
Some employers in government, NGOs, and development agencies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

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 any discipline. Lower Second Class may be considered with relevant work experience. Pass degree holders may be considered with five years of relevant 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 project management, M&E frameworks, indicator development, and evaluation methods.
Case Study Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through case studies, demonstrating project planning, M&E analysis, and problem-solving in real-world scenarios.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a project management or M&E topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and project management and M&E knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT and Kenyatta University (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer MSc in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in project management and M&E. Graduates may pursue PMI PMP and AEA professional certification. The programme aligns with PMI global project management standards and AEA evaluation standards.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT and Kenyatta University (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer MSc in Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in project management and M&E. Graduates may pursue PMI PMP and AEA professional certification. The programme aligns with PMI global project management standards and AEA evaluation standards.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Project Manager
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages projects, overseeing planning, execution, monitoring, and managing project management from initiation to closure.
M&E Specialist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages monitoring and evaluation, overseeing M&E, indicators, reporting, and managing project monitoring and evaluation systems.
Programme Coordinator
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Coordinates programmes, overseeing coordination, projects, implementation, and managing programme coordination.
Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides development consulting services, overseeing advisory, projects, M&E, and managing development consulting.
Research Officer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts research, overseeing research, data, analysis, and managing research and data collection for projects.
Project Management and M&E Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches project management and M&E at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Project
SoftwarePrimary
Microsoft Project for project planning and scheduling, covering scheduling, planning, tracking, and managing project schedules and timelines.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical analysis of M&E data, covering statistics, analysis, data, and managing M&E data analysis.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Excel for project and M&E data analysis and reporting, covering analysis, reporting, data, and managing project and M&E data.
M&E Software (DevResults)
Software
M&E software for indicator tracking and reporting, covering indicators, tracking, reporting, and managing M&E data and reporting systems.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Monitoring and evaluation is just about reporting.
M&E involves framework design, indicator development, data collection, analysis, impact assessment, and evidence-based decision making beyond just reporting.
This programme is only for NGO workers.
Project management and M&E skills are valuable in government, private sector, consulting, healthcare, and education beyond just NGOs.
M&E is just about counting outputs.
M&E covers outcomes, impact, theory of change, causal attribution, and complex evaluation designs beyond just counting outputs.
Project management and M&E are separate fields.
This programme integrates project management with M&E, recognising that effective project management requires robust monitoring and evaluation.
M&E has limited career growth.
M&E professionals can advance to M&E director, programme director, and chief strategy officer roles with significant career growth potential.
Anyone can do M&E without formal training.
M&E requires specialised skills in research design, statistics, indicator development, and evaluation methods that formal training provides.