Science

Master of Science in Statistics/Master of Science in Applied Statistics

The Master of Science in Statistics/Master of Science in Applied Statistics is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in both theoretical and applied statistics. The programme provides specialised training in statistical theory, applied statistics, statistical computing, data analysis, and statistical modelling for real-world problems.

Core areas include probability theory, statistical inference, applied statistics, linear models, design and analysis of surveys, time series analysis, multivariate analysis, statistical computing, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, computing sessions, and research.

The programme is offered by the Technical University of Kenya as a public institution. TUK offers both MSc in Applied Statistics and MSc in Mathematical Statistics through the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Financial and Actuarial Mathematics. The programme is available in full-time and part-time modes over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in statistical theory, applied statistics, computing, data analysis, modelling, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, computing projects, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for statistical analysis, research, and advisory roles across multiple sectors.

TUK charges approximately KES 201,000 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact combined programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Statistics or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as statisticians, applied statisticians, data analysts, research analysts, quantitative analysts, and lecturers across government statistics offices, research institutions, financial institutions, health organisations, NGOs, and universities.

Skills Required

Statistical Theory and Inference
Applied Statistics and Data Analysis
Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes
Linear Models and Regression Analysis
Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
Statistical Computing with R and SPSS
Design and Analysis of Surveys
Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Research Methods in Statistics
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Probability Theory and Statistical Inference
Applied Statistics and Data Analysis
Linear Models and Regression Analysis
Design and Analysis of Surveys
Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Statistical Computing
Financial Statistics
Research Methods in Statistics
Thesis Research

Certifications

KNBS Professional Membership
RSS Professional Certification

Specializations

Applied Statistics

Focuses on applied statistics, covering applied, statistics, methods, analysis, and managing applied statistics and practical data analysis.

Mathematical Statistics

Examines mathematical statistics, covering mathematics, statistics, theory, probability, and managing mathematical statistics and theoretical inference.

Statistical Computing

Covers statistical computing, covering computing, statistics, software, algorithms, and managing statistical computing and data processing.

Time Series Analysis

Focuses on time series analysis, covering time, series, analysis, forecasting, and managing time series analysis and forecasting.

Survey Methods

Examines survey methods, covering surveys, design, sampling, analysis, and managing survey design and analysis.

Financial Statistics

Covers financial statistics, covering finance, statistics, modelling, risk, and managing financial statistics and risk analysis.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 201,000
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

Probability Theory and Statistical Inference
Applied Statistics and Data Analysis
Linear Models and Regression Analysis
Design and Analysis of Surveys
Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Statistical Computing
Financial Statistics
Research Methods in Statistics
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Probability Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines probability theory, covering probability, theory, statistics, distributions, and managing probability theory and distributions.
Statistical Inference
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers statistical inference, covering inference, statistics, estimation, testing, and managing statistical inference and hypothesis testing.
Applied Statistics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines applied statistics, covering applied, statistics, methods, analysis, and managing applied statistics and practical data analysis.
Linear Models and Regression
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers linear models, covering models, regression, linear, analysis, and managing linear models and regression analysis.
Design and Analysis of Surveys
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines survey design, covering surveys, design, sampling, analysis, and managing survey design and analysis.
Statistical Computing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers statistical computing, covering computing, statistics, software, R, and managing statistical computing and data processing.
Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines time series analysis, covering time, series, analysis, forecasting, and managing time series analysis and forecasting.
Research Methods in Statistics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research, methods, statistics, design, and conducting research in statistics, preparing students for their thesis.
Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines multivariate analysis, covering multivariate, statistics, analysis, methods, and managing multivariate statistical analysis.
Financial Statistics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers financial statistics, covering finance, statistics, modelling, risk, and managing financial statistics and risk analysis.
Statistical Consulting and Communication
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines statistical consulting, covering consulting, communication, statistics, reporting, and managing statistical consulting and communication.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a statistics or applied statistics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and statistical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Applied Statistics
Focuses on applied statistics, covering applied, statistics, methods, analysis, and managing applied statistics and practical data analysis.
Mathematical Statistics
Examines mathematical statistics, covering mathematics, statistics, theory, probability, and managing mathematical statistics and theoretical inference.
Statistical Computing
Covers statistical computing, covering computing, statistics, software, algorithms, and managing statistical computing and data processing.
Time Series Analysis
Focuses on time series analysis, covering time, series, analysis, forecasting, and managing time series analysis and forecasting.
Survey Methods
Examines survey methods, covering surveys, design, sampling, analysis, and managing survey design and analysis.
Financial Statistics
Covers financial statistics, covering finance, statistics, modelling, risk, and managing financial statistics and risk analysis.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Statistics/Applied Statistics programme combines lectures, computing sessions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover probability theory, statistical inference, applied statistics, linear models, and time series analysis. Probability theory sessions examine probability, theory, statistics, distributions, and managing probability theory. Statistical inference sessions cover inference, statistics, estimation, testing, and managing statistical inference. Applied statistics sessions cover applied, statistics, methods, analysis, and managing applied statistics. Linear models sessions cover models, regression, linear, analysis, and managing linear models. Survey design sessions cover surveys, design, sampling, analysis, and managing survey design. Time series sessions cover time, series, analysis, forecasting, and managing time series analysis. Multivariate analysis sessions cover multivariate, statistics, analysis, methods, and managing multivariate analysis. Financial statistics sessions cover finance, statistics, modelling, risk, and managing financial statistics. Computing sessions provide practical experience in R, SPSS, and Stata for statistical analysis. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current developments in statistics. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a statistics or applied statistics topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme offers both theoretical and applied statistics training, providing flexibility for academic or industry careers.
TUK provides verified fee structure with transparent breakdown of tuition and statutory charges.
Graduates are eligible for KNBS professional membership and RSS professional certification.
Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical computing skills using R, SPSS, and Stata.

Against it

Only one confirmed institution (TUK) offers this exact combined programme.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
Programme requires background in statistics or mathematics.
Limited specialisation options compared to UoN which offers four specialisations.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 science courses

Public201k to 201k

201k at Technical University of Kenya201k at Technical University of Kenya

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

TUK ~201K/yr intake.tukenya.ac.ke (402K total). Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. TUK may offer scholarships for eligible students. ISI, RSS, and international statistics organisations may offer scholarships and fellowships for statistics research and education.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
ISI Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 201,000Kenyan
TUK may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate statistics students.
ISI Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000
ISI and international statistics organisations may offer scholarships for statistics 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: TUK requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Statistics or equivalent. Lower Second Class may be considered with relevant work experience or postgraduate diploma. Contact the university for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, computing projects, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering probability theory, statistical inference, applied statistics, linear models, and time series analysis.
Computing Project
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through computing projects, demonstrating statistical computing, data analysis, and reporting skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a statistics or applied statistics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and statistical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Technical University of Kenya (public) offers MSc in Applied Statistics and MSc in Mathematical Statistics. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in statistics. Graduates may interact with KNBS for official statistics standards, RSS for international professional certification, and ISI for global statistics standards. The programme aligns with ISI and RSS global statistics frameworks.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Technical University of Kenya (public) offers MSc in Applied Statistics and MSc in Mathematical Statistics. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in statistics. Graduates may interact with KNBS for official statistics standards, RSS for international professional certification, and ISI for global statistics standards. The programme aligns with ISI and RSS global statistics frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Statistician
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts statistical analysis, covering statistics, data, analysis, and managing statistical analysis and interpretation.
Applied Statistician
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Applies statistical methods to real-world problems, covering applied, statistics, methods, and managing applied statistics and practical analysis.
Data Analyst
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts data analysis, covering data, analysis, statistics, and managing data analysis and reporting.
Research Analyst
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts research analysis, covering research, analysis, data, statistics, and managing research analysis and reporting.
Quantitative Analyst
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts quantitative analysis, covering quantitative, analysis, finance, statistics, and managing quantitative analysis and modelling.
Statistics Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches statistics at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

R Statistical Software
SoftwarePrimary
R for statistical computing and data analysis, covering computing, statistics, analysis, and managing statistical computing and data processing.
SPSS
Software
SPSS for statistical data analysis, covering statistics, data, analysis, and managing statistical data analysis.
Stata
Software
Stata for statistical analysis and data management, covering statistics, analysis, data, and managing statistical data analysis.
Python
Software
Python for data analysis and computing, covering computing, data, analysis, and managing data analysis and computing.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Applied statistics is just about using statistical software.
Applied statistics covers theory, methodology, modelling, research methods, and data analysis beyond just using software.
This programme is only for mathematicians.
Applied statistics is for professionals from economics, biology, health sciences, social sciences, and engineering backgrounds, not just mathematicians.
Statistics has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Statistics graduates are in high demand in government, research institutions, financial institutions, health organisations, and NGOs.
Applied statistics is the same as pure statistics.
Applied statistics focuses on practical applications and real-world data analysis, while pure statistics emphasises mathematical foundations and theory.
This combined programme is confusing.
The programme offers both theoretical and applied statistics training, giving graduates flexibility to pursue academic or industry careers.
You need to be good at mathematics to study applied statistics.
While mathematical foundations are important, applied statistics emphasises practical analysis, interpretation, and communication of data.