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Master of Science in Public Health Systems Management and Application

The Master of Science in Public Health Systems Management and Application is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in health systems management with a strong applied focus. The programme combines theoretical foundations with practical application in healthcare management, health policy implementation, and health systems strengthening.

Core areas include health systems management, healthcare leadership, health financing, quality assurance, health information systems, applied health policy, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, field application, and research.

The programme is offered by Mount Kenya University and Kenya Methodist University as private institutions. Both universities offer the programme over two years through part-time and distance learning modes, combining coursework with applied research.

Students develop competencies in health systems management, healthcare leadership, health financing, quality management, health information, policy application, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, case studies, applied projects, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for health systems leadership roles with practical skills.

Mount Kenya University charges approximately KES 169,100 per year. Kenya Methodist University also offers the programme but fee data is not publicly available. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant health or management field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as health systems managers, healthcare administrators, health programme managers, quality assurance officers, hospital administrators, and lecturers across ministries of health, county governments, hospitals, NGOs, and international health organisations.

Skills Required

  • Health Systems Management and Application
  • Applied Healthcare Leadership
  • Health Financing and Resource Allocation
  • Healthcare Quality Assurance and Improvement
  • Health Information Systems Application
  • Applied Health Policy Implementation
  • Managing Human Resources for Health
  • Health Project Management and Applied Evaluation
  • Research Methods in Health Systems
  • Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

  • Fundamentals of Health Systems Management and Application
  • Management and Leadership for Health
  • Health Financing and Economics
  • Healthcare Quality Management and Application
  • Health Information Management and Application
  • Managing Human Resources for Health
  • Healthcare Commodities Management
  • Health Systems Research Methods
  • Applied Health Project Management and Evaluation
  • Thesis Research

Certifications

  • WHO Health Systems Management Certification
  • Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Professional Development

Specializations

Applied Health Systems Management

Focuses on applied health systems management, covering systems, management, application, health, and managing applied health systems management in practice.

Healthcare Quality Application

Examines healthcare quality application, covering quality, healthcare, application, improvement, and managing applied healthcare quality improvement.

Health Information Systems Application

Covers health information systems application, covering information, systems, health, application, and managing applied health information systems.

Applied Health Policy

Focuses on applied health policy, covering policy, health, application, implementation, and managing applied health policy implementation.

Healthcare Leadership Application

Examines healthcare leadership application, covering leadership, healthcare, application, practice, and managing applied healthcare leadership in practice.

Health Project Application

Covers health project application, covering projects, health, application, evaluation, and managing applied health project management and evaluation.

Duration
2 years
Public, up to
Ksh 295,800
Private, up to
Ksh 216,450
Job market
High

The programme

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

What you study

10 subjects
  • Fundamentals of Health Systems Management and Application
  • Management and Leadership for Health
  • Health Financing and Economics
  • Healthcare Quality Management and Application
  • Health Information Management and Application
  • Managing Human Resources for Health
  • Healthcare Commodities Management
  • Health Systems Research Methods
  • Applied Health Project Management and Evaluation
  • Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Fundamentals of Health Systems Management and Application

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines health systems management fundamentals with application, covering systems, management, health, application, and managing applied health systems management.

  • Management and Leadership for Health

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers management, leadership, health, application, and managing applied healthcare leadership and management.

  • Health Services Management

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines health services, management, operations, application, and managing applied health services management.

  • Managing Human Resources for Health

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers HR, health, management, application, and managing applied human resources for health.

  • Healthcare Commodities Management

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines commodities, healthcare, management, supply, application, and managing applied healthcare commodities.

  • Health Financing and Economics

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers financing, health, economics, application, and managing applied health financing and health economics.

  • Healthcare Quality Management and Application

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines quality, healthcare, management, application, improvement, and managing applied healthcare quality improvement.

  • Health Information Management and Application

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers information, health, management, systems, application, and managing applied health information systems.

  • Health Systems Research Methods

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines research, methods, health, application, and conducting applied research in health systems, preparing students for their thesis.

  • Statistics for Health Systems Research

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers statistics, health, research, data, application, and managing applied statistical analysis for health systems research.

  • Applied Health Project Management and Evaluation

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines projects, health, management, evaluation, application, and managing applied health project management and evaluation.

  • Thesis Write-up and Defence

    Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore

    Original supervised research thesis on an applied health systems management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and health systems knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

  • Applied Health Systems Management

    Focuses on applied health systems management, covering systems, management, application, health, and managing applied health systems management in practice.

  • Healthcare Quality Application

    Examines healthcare quality application, covering quality, healthcare, application, improvement, and managing applied healthcare quality improvement.

  • Health Information Systems Application

    Covers health information systems application, covering information, systems, health, application, and managing applied health information systems.

  • Applied Health Policy

    Focuses on applied health policy, covering policy, health, application, implementation, and managing applied health policy implementation.

  • Healthcare Leadership Application

    Examines healthcare leadership application, covering leadership, healthcare, application, practice, and managing applied healthcare leadership in practice.

  • Health Project Application

    Covers health project application, covering projects, health, application, evaluation, and managing applied health project management and evaluation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Public Health Systems Management and Application programme combines lectures, case studies, group discussions, seminars, and independent study with a strong applied focus. Sessions cover health systems management, healthcare leadership, health financing, and quality management with practical application. Health systems sessions examine systems, management, health, application, and managing applied health systems management. Leadership sessions cover leadership, healthcare, application, practice, and managing applied healthcare leadership. Health financing sessions cover financing, health, economics, application, and managing applied health financing. Quality management sessions cover quality, healthcare, application, improvement, and managing applied healthcare quality improvement. Health information sessions cover information, systems, health, application, and managing applied health information systems. Human resources sessions cover HR, health, management, application, and managing applied human resources for health. Research methods sessions cover research, methods, health, application, and conducting applied research in health systems. Project management sessions cover projects, health, application, evaluation, and managing applied health project management. Case studies provide practical experience in analysing and solving real-world health systems management scenarios. Applied projects give students hands-on experience implementing health systems solutions. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an applied health systems management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Programme emphasises practical application of health systems management theory through case studies and applied projects.
  • Distance learning and part-time modes make it accessible to working healthcare professionals.
  • Graduates can pursue careers across ministries of health, county governments, hospitals, NGOs, and international organisations.
  • Programme addresses critical health systems needs in Kenya and Africa with an applied focus.

Against it

  • No public university confirmed offering this exact programme name with verified fees.
  • Only one private institution has publicly available fee data.
  • Programme may require relevant work experience for Lower Second Class holders.
  • Programme name is very similar to the standard health systems management programme, causing potential confusion.

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
Public171k to 296k
171k at Kisii University296k at Kenyatta University
Private159k to 216k
159k at Mount Kenya University216k at Amref International 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

KU ~295.8K/yr, MKU ~159.1K/yr verified. Kisii, Amref partially verified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. Some employers, particularly in the health sector and government, may sponsor staff for postgraduate study in health systems management. WHO and global health organisations may offer fellowships and scholarships.

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 169,100Kenyan

    Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate health systems management students.

  • WHO Fellowship

    ScholarshipKsh 300,000

    WHO and global health organisations may offer fellowships for health systems management education.

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 health systems management, health financing, quality management, and applied health policy.

  • Applied Project Assessment

    Project40% of the mark

    Practical assessment through applied projects, demonstrating health systems analysis, management application, and problem-solving in real-world scenarios.

  • Research Thesis

    Research100% of the mark

    Original supervised research thesis on an applied health systems management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and health systems knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Mount Kenya University and Kenya Methodist University (private) offer MSc in Public Health Systems Management and Application or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in health systems management. Graduates may interact with WHO Kenya and the Ministry of Health for health systems standards and career opportunities. The programme aligns with WHO global health systems frameworks.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Programme accredited by CUE. Mount Kenya University and Kenya Methodist University (private) offer MSc in Public Health Systems Management and Application or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in health systems management. Graduates may interact with WHO Kenya and the Ministry of Health for health systems standards. The programme aligns with WHO global health systems frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

  • Health Systems Manager

    High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Manages health systems, overseeing systems, management, health, application, and managing applied health systems management functions.

  • Healthcare Administrator

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Manages healthcare administration, overseeing administration, healthcare, operations, and managing healthcare administration.

  • Health Programme Manager

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Manages health programmes, overseeing programmes, health, management, and managing health programme management.

  • Quality Assurance Officer

    High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Manages quality assurance, overseeing quality, healthcare, assurance, improvement, and managing healthcare quality assurance.

  • Hospital Administrator

    High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Manages hospital administration, overseeing hospital, administration, operations, and managing hospital administration.

  • Health Systems Lecturer

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Teaches health systems management at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as health systems managers, healthcare administrators, health programme managers, quality assurance officers, hospital administrators, and lecturers across ministries of health, county governments, hospitals, NGOs, and international health organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • DHIS2

    SoftwarePrimary

    DHIS2 for health information management, covering health, information, data, application, and managing applied health information systems.

  • Microsoft Excel

    Software

    Excel for health data analysis and reporting, covering analysis, reporting, data, and managing applied health data.

  • SPSS

    Software

    SPSS for statistical analysis of health research data, covering statistics, analysis, research, and managing health research data.

  • Hospital Management Information Systems

    Software

    Hospital management information systems for healthcare operations, covering hospital, management, information, and managing hospital operations.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

  • Health systems management and application is just theory.

    This programme emphasises practical application of health systems management theory through case studies, applied projects, and field work.

  • This programme is only for those working in government health facilities.

    Health systems management skills are valuable in private hospitals, NGOs, insurance organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and international health organisations.

  • Applied health systems management has limited career growth.

    Health systems managers can advance to hospital CEO, county health director, ministry positions, and international health organisation roles.

  • You need a medical degree to study health systems management.

    Health systems management requires management, leadership, policy, and finance skills, not clinical medical training.

  • This programme is the same as public health.

    While related, health systems management focuses on management, leadership, and administration of health systems, while public health focuses on population health and disease prevention.

  • Distance learning is less rigorous than full-time study.

    Distance learning programmes maintain the same academic standards and requirements as full-time programmes, with flexible delivery modes.

Related courses

Further reading

Keep this

Fees and entry marks for Master of Science in Public Health Systems Management and Application are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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