Education

Master of Science (Records Management and Archives Administration)

The Master of Science in Records Management and Archives Administration is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in records management, archives administration, and information governance. The programme combines records management theory with digital archival practice and information governance application.

Core areas include records management, archives administration, digital repositories, metadata standards, information governance, record keeping, project management, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both records management theory and practical archival application through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University, Moi University, and Technical University of Kenya. All are public universities offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and distance learning modes of study.

Students develop competencies in records management, archives administration, digital repositories, metadata standards, information governance, record keeping, and research methods. The programme includes coursework, practical projects, examinations, and a research thesis.

KU charges KES 267,000/year (East Africans). TUK charges approximately KES 191,650/year (total KES 383,300). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours in information sciences, records management, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as records managers, archivists, information governance officers, digital preservation specialists, records consultants, and lecturers in records and archives management across government, corporate institutions, archives, and universities.

Skills Required

Records Management and Information Governance
Archives Administration and Preservation
Digital Archival Repositories and Curation
Metadata Standards and Taxonomies
Record Keeping and Governance Compliance
Digital Preservation and Electronic Records
Information Policy and Legal Frameworks
Project Management for Information Professionals
Research Methods in Information Sciences
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Advanced Records and Archives Management
Digital Archival Repositories
Record Keeping and Governance
Record Keeping Metadata, Standards and Taxonomies
Information and Communication Theory
Managing Human Resource Records
Project Management for Information Professionals
Research Methods in Information Sciences
Web Design and Information Architecture
Thesis Research

Certifications

KNADS Professional Registration
ICA Professional Membership

Specializations

Digital Archives

Focuses on digital archival repositories, covering digital preservation, digital curation, electronic records, and managing digital archives.

Records Management

Examines records management, covering records lifecycle, records systems, records policy, and managing records management programmes.

Information Governance

Covers information governance, covering governance frameworks, compliance, access policies, and managing information governance.

Health Records Management

Focuses on health records management, covering health information systems, patient records, health data governance, and managing health records.

Legal Records Management

Examines legal records management, covering legal records, court records, legal compliance, and managing legal records.

Digital Preservation

Covers digital preservation, covering preservation strategies, digital longevity, format migration, and managing digital preservation.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 267,000
Private, up to: Ksh 191,050
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Online
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Records and Archives Management
Digital Archival Repositories
Record Keeping and Governance
Record Keeping Metadata, Standards and Taxonomies
Information and Communication Theory
Managing Human Resource Records
Project Management for Information Professionals
Research Methods in Information Sciences
Web Design and Information Architecture
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Records and Archives Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines records lifecycle, archival theory, records systems, records policy, classification, and managing records and archives management.
Digital Archival Repositories
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers digital preservation, digital curation, electronic records, repository systems, and managing digital archives.
Research Methods in Information Sciences
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, ethical issues, and conducting information sciences research, preparing students for their thesis.
Information and Communication Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines information theory, communication models, information transfer, information behaviour, and managing information and communication.
Managing Human Resource Records
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers HR records, personnel files, HR information systems, privacy, and managing human resource records.
Record Keeping and Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines record keeping systems, governance frameworks, compliance, accountability, transparency, and managing record keeping and governance.
Record Keeping Metadata, Standards and Taxonomies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers metadata schemas, taxonomies, classification systems, interoperability, standards, and managing metadata and taxonomies.
Project Management for Information Professionals
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines project planning, project implementation, project monitoring, project evaluation, and managing information projects.
Web Design and Information Architecture
Year 2Semester 12 creditsCore
Covers web design, information architecture, user experience, content management, and managing web-based information systems.
Managing Health Records
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines health information systems, patient records, health data governance, medical records, and managing health records.
Managing Legal Records
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers legal records, court records, legal compliance, legal information systems, and managing legal records.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a records and archives management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and records management knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Digital Archives
Focuses on digital archival repositories, covering digital preservation, digital curation, electronic records, and managing digital archives.
Records Management
Examines records management, covering records lifecycle, records systems, records policy, and managing records management programmes.
Information Governance
Covers information governance, covering governance frameworks, compliance, access policies, and managing information governance.
Health Records Management
Focuses on health records management, covering health information systems, patient records, health data governance, and managing health records.
Legal Records Management
Examines legal records management, covering legal records, court records, legal compliance, and managing legal records.
Digital Preservation
Covers digital preservation, covering preservation strategies, digital longevity, format migration, and managing digital preservation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Records Management and Archives Administration programme combines lectures, practical projects, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover records management, archives administration, digital repositories, metadata standards, and information governance. Records management sessions examine records lifecycle, records systems, records policy, classification, and managing records management programmes. Archives administration sessions cover archival theory, archival appraisal, archival description, access management, and managing archives. Digital repositories sessions cover digital preservation, digital curation, electronic records, repository systems, and managing digital archives. Metadata standards sessions cover metadata schemas, taxonomies, classification systems, interoperability, and managing metadata. Information governance sessions cover governance frameworks, compliance, access policies, privacy, and managing information governance. Record keeping sessions cover record keeping systems, record keeping standards, governance compliance, and managing record keeping. Project management sessions cover project planning, project implementation, project monitoring, and managing information projects. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Practical projects provide hands-on experience with records systems, archival processing, digital repositories, and records management tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in records and archives management. Guest lectures from experienced archivists, records managers, and information governance professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on a records and archives management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for records management professionals with digital transformation, data governance, and compliance requirements in Kenya.
Programme is offered by multiple universities (KU, Moi, TUK), providing institutional choice.
TUK offers affordable fees at approximately KES 191,650/year (total KES 383,300).
Programme combines records management with digital archives, providing versatile skills for both traditional and digital information environments.

Against it

KU fees are relatively high at KES 267,000/year.
Moi University fees not independently verified, limiting fee comparison.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme, limiting options.
Career prospects may be concentrated in government and corporate sectors, limiting options in other sectors.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public221k to 267k

221k at Technical University of Kenya267k at Kenyatta University

Private165k to 191k

165k at Kabarak University191k at Africa 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 MSc Records Mgmt 267K/yr (joweri.com). TUK 221K/yr (eafinder.com). Kabarak 165K, AIU 191K (official sites).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KU may offer postgraduate bursaries for eligible students. ICA may provide training support for archives professionals. Some government departments and corporate institutions may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KU Postgraduate Bursary
ICA Training Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KU Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
Kenyatta University offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
ICA Training Support
GrantKsh 200,000
International Council on Archives provides training support for archives professionals in developing countries.

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 Upper Second Class Honours in information sciences or related field. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience and Postgraduate Diploma holders are also considered. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, practical projects, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination60% of the mark
Written examinations covering records management, archives administration, digital repositories, metadata standards, and information governance.
Practical Project
Practical100% of the mark
Practical project involving records system design, archival processing, digital repository setup, or records management audit, demonstrating practical skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a records and archives management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and records management knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kenyatta University, Moi University, and Technical University of Kenya (all public) offer MSc in Records Management and Archives Administration or Records and Archives Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in records and archives management. Graduates are eligible for KNADS professional registration and ICA professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Kenyatta University, Moi University, and Technical University of Kenya (all public) offer MSc in Records Management and Archives Administration or Records and Archives Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in records and archives management. Graduates are eligible for KNADS professional registration and ICA professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Records Manager
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages records programmes, overseeing records lifecycle, records systems, records policy, and managing records management operations.
Archivist
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages archives, overseeing archival appraisal, archival description, access management, preservation, and managing archival operations.
Information Governance Officer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages information governance, overseeing governance frameworks, compliance, access policies, privacy, and managing information governance.
Digital Preservation Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages digital preservation, overseeing preservation strategies, format migration, integrity checking, and managing digital preservation.
Records Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Consults on records management, overseeing records systems design, policy development, compliance auditing, and managing records consulting.
Information Sciences Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches records and archives management at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, practical supervision, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Archival Management System
SoftwarePrimary
Archives management system for archival administration, covering archival description, access management, finding aids, and managing archival collections.
Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)
Software
EDMS for records management, covering document management, records lifecycle, classification, retention, and managing electronic records.
DSpace
Software
DSpace for digital repositories, covering digital preservation, digital curation, repository management, and managing digital collections.
SPSS
Software
SPSS statistical software for information sciences research, covering data analysis, statistical tests, and managing research data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Records management is just about filing documents.
Records management covers comprehensive information governance including digital repositories, metadata standards, compliance, and archival administration.
This programme is only for those working in archives.
Records and archives skills are valuable in government, corporate institutions, healthcare, legal, and any organisation dealing with information governance.
Records management has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With digital transformation, data governance, and compliance requirements, demand for records management professionals is growing in Kenya.
Archives are just about old documents.
Modern archives cover digital preservation, electronic records, digital curation, and managing born-digital materials.
Digital preservation is just about backing up files.
Digital preservation involves format migration, integrity checking, preservation strategies, and ensuring long-term access to digital records.
Information governance is just about policies.
Information governance covers comprehensive frameworks including compliance, access management, privacy, risk management, and accountability.