Health Sciences

Master of Science in Sexual and Reproductive Health

The Master of Science in Sexual and Reproductive Health is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in sexual and reproductive health, public health, and reproductive health research. The programme provides specialised training in reproductive health policy, family planning, maternal health, adolescent reproductive health, reproductive health research, and sexual health.

Core areas include reproductive health policy and programmes, family planning, maternal and child health, adolescent reproductive health, sexual health, reproductive health research methods, epidemiology, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, fieldwork, and research.

The programme is offered by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Kenyatta University as public institutions. JKUAT offers MSc in Public Reproductive Health while KU offers MPH in Reproductive Health. The programme is available in full-time and part-time modes over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in reproductive health policy, family planning, maternal health, adolescent health, sexual health, epidemiology, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, fieldwork, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for reproductive health programme management, policy, and research roles.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 248,000 per year while KU charges approximately KES 326,400 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Public Health, Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as reproductive health programme managers, public health officers, family planning coordinators, reproductive health researchers, policy analysts, and lecturers across government ministries, county governments, NGOs, international health organisations, and research institutions.

Skills Required

Reproductive Health Policy and Programme Management
Family Planning and Contraception
Maternal and Child Health
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Sexual Health and Rights
Reproductive Health Research Methods
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Reproductive Health Advocacy
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programmes
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Reproductive Health Policy and Programmes
Family Planning and Contraception
Maternal and Child Health
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Sexual Health and Rights
Reproductive Health Research Methods
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programmes
Reproductive Health Advocacy
Thesis Research

Certifications

WHO Reproductive Health Certification
UNFPA Professional Membership

Specializations

Reproductive Health Policy

Focuses on reproductive health policy, covering policy, health, reproduction, programmes, and managing reproductive health policy and programmes.

Family Planning

Examines family planning, covering planning, family, contraception, methods, and managing family planning services and programmes.

Maternal and Child Health

Covers maternal and child health, covering maternal, child, health, care, and managing maternal and child health programmes.

Adolescent Reproductive Health

Focuses on adolescent reproductive health, covering adolescent, reproductive, health, youth, and managing adolescent reproductive health programmes.

Sexual Health and Rights

Examines sexual health and rights, covering sexual, health, rights, advocacy, and managing sexual health and rights programmes.

Reproductive Health Research

Covers reproductive health research, covering research, reproductive, health, methods, and conducting research in reproductive health.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 326,400
Private, up to: Ksh 218,900
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

Reproductive Health Policy and Programmes
Family Planning and Contraception
Maternal and Child Health
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Sexual Health and Rights
Reproductive Health Research Methods
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programmes
Reproductive Health Advocacy
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Reproductive Health Policy and Programmes
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines reproductive health policy, covering policy, health, reproduction, programmes, and managing reproductive health policy and programmes.
Family Planning and Contraception
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers family planning, covering planning, family, contraception, methods, and managing family planning services and programmes.
Maternal and Child Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines maternal and child health, covering maternal, child, health, care, and managing maternal and child health programmes.
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers adolescent reproductive health, covering adolescent, reproductive, health, youth, and managing adolescent reproductive health programmes.
Sexual Health and Rights
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines sexual health and rights, covering sexual, health, rights, advocacy, and managing sexual health and rights programmes.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers epidemiology and biostatistics, covering epidemiology, biostatistics, health, data, and managing health data analysis.
Reproductive Health Research Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines research, methods, reproductive, design, and conducting research in reproductive health, preparing students for their thesis.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programmes
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers monitoring and evaluation, covering M&E, health, programmes, indicators, and managing monitoring and evaluation of health programmes.
Reproductive Health Advocacy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines reproductive health advocacy, covering advocacy, health, reproduction, policy, and managing reproductive health advocacy and communication.
Gender and Reproductive Health
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers gender and reproductive health, covering gender, health, reproduction, equality, and managing gender and reproductive health programmes.
HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, covering HIV, AIDS, reproductive, health, and managing HIV/AIDS and reproductive health programmes.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a sexual and reproductive health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and reproductive health knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Reproductive Health Policy
Focuses on reproductive health policy, covering policy, health, reproduction, programmes, and managing reproductive health policy and programmes.
Family Planning
Examines family planning, covering planning, family, contraception, methods, and managing family planning services and programmes.
Maternal and Child Health
Covers maternal and child health, covering maternal, child, health, care, and managing maternal and child health programmes.
Adolescent Reproductive Health
Focuses on adolescent reproductive health, covering adolescent, reproductive, health, youth, and managing adolescent reproductive health programmes.
Sexual Health and Rights
Examines sexual health and rights, covering sexual, health, rights, advocacy, and managing sexual health and rights programmes.
Reproductive Health Research
Covers reproductive health research, covering research, reproductive, health, methods, and conducting research in reproductive health.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Sexual and Reproductive Health programme combines lectures, seminars, fieldwork, and independent study. Sessions cover reproductive health policy, family planning, maternal health, adolescent health, and sexual health. Policy sessions examine policy, health, reproduction, programmes, and managing reproductive health policy. Family planning sessions cover planning, family, contraception, methods, and managing family planning services. Maternal health sessions cover maternal, child, health, care, and managing maternal and child health. Adolescent health sessions cover adolescent, reproductive, health, youth, and managing adolescent reproductive health. Sexual health sessions cover sexual, health, rights, advocacy, and managing sexual health and rights. Epidemiology sessions cover epidemiology, biostatistics, health, data, and managing health data analysis. Research methods sessions cover research, methods, reproductive, design, and conducting research in reproductive health. Monitoring and evaluation sessions cover M&E, health, programmes, indicators, and managing monitoring and evaluation of health programmes. Fieldwork provides practical experience in reproductive health programmes, community health assessments, and health facility visits. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current developments in reproductive health. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a sexual and reproductive health topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses critical reproductive health challenges aligned with SDG 3 and SDG 5.
Programme offered at multiple public universities with different fee options.
Graduates are in high demand in Kenya's health sector including government, NGOs, and international organisations.
Programme combines public health, policy, research, and advocacy skills.

Against it

JKUAT fee data is estimated from a related programme, not confirmed for this exact programme.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
Programme may require background in health sciences or public health.
Fieldwork may involve working in sensitive reproductive health environments.

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

Public248k to 326k

248k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology326k at Kenyatta University

Private120k to 219k

120k at Great Lakes University of Kisumu219k 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 ~326.4K/yr, Amref ~218.9K, GLUK ~120K verified (KU/Amref/GLUK). JKUAT unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. UNFPA, WHO, and international health organisations may offer scholarships and fellowships for reproductive health research and education.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
UNFPA Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 248,000Kenyan
Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate reproductive health students.
UNFPA Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
UNFPA and international health organisations may offer scholarships for reproductive health research and 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 or evidence of research ability. 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, field reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering reproductive health policy, family planning, maternal health, adolescent health, and epidemiology.
Field Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through fieldwork, demonstrating reproductive health programme assessment, community health evaluation, and field research skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a sexual and reproductive health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and reproductive health 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) offer MSc in Sexual and Reproductive Health or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in reproductive health. Graduates may interact with the Kenya Ministry of Health for reproductive health policy standards and WHO and UNFPA for international reproductive health standards. The programme aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) frameworks.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT and Kenyatta University (public) offer MSc in Sexual and Reproductive Health or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in reproductive health. Graduates may interact with the Kenya Ministry of Health for reproductive health policy standards and WHO and UNFPA for international reproductive health standards. The programme aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Reproductive Health Programme Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages reproductive health programmes, covering programmes, health, reproduction, and managing reproductive health programme management.
Public Health Officer
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages public health programmes, covering health, public, programmes, and managing public health and reproductive health programmes.
Family Planning Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Coordinates family planning services, covering planning, family, services, and managing family planning programmes and services.
Reproductive Health Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts reproductive health research, covering research, reproductive, health, and managing reproductive health research and analysis.
Health Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Analyses health policy, covering policy, health, analysis, research, and managing reproductive health policy analysis.
Reproductive Health Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches reproductive health at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
SPSS for statistical analysis of reproductive health data, covering statistics, analysis, data, and managing reproductive health research data.
Stata
Software
Stata for epidemiological data analysis, covering epidemiology, analysis, data, and managing epidemiological and health data analysis.
EpiInfo
Software
EpiInfo for public health data management and analysis, covering public, health, data, and managing public health data collection and analysis.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Excel for health data management and reporting, covering data, analysis, reporting, and managing reproductive health data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Sexual and reproductive health is just about family planning.
Sexual and reproductive health covers policy, maternal health, adolescent health, sexual health, rights, research, and programme management beyond just family planning.
This programme is only for medical doctors.
Sexual and reproductive health is for professionals from public health, nursing, social sciences, and health management backgrounds, not just medical doctors.
Reproductive health has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Reproductive health graduates are in high demand in government, NGOs, county governments, and international health organisations addressing SDG 3 and SDG 5.
This programme is the same as general public health.
Sexual and reproductive health focuses specifically on reproductive health issues, policies, and programmes, distinct from general public health.
Reproductive health is only about women's health.
Sexual and reproductive health covers both men's and women's health, including adolescent health, sexual health, and rights for all genders.
This programme is only clinical.
The programme covers policy, programme management, research, advocacy, and public health aspects, not just clinical practice.