Education

Masters Educational Policy Studies

The Masters in Educational Policy Studies is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in educational policy analysis, planning, and governance. The programme provides specialised training in policy formulation, educational planning, sociology of education, and comparative education.

Core areas include educational policy analysis, educational planning, sociology of education, comparative education, economics of education, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, policy analysis projects, and research.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University as a public institution through the School of Education. Moi University offers a related MEd in Educational Management and Policy Studies. Both programmes are available over two years.

Students develop competencies in policy analysis, educational planning, research, comparative education, and governance. The programme includes coursework, examinations, policy projects, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for educational policy and leadership roles.

KU charges approximately KES 142,700 per year while Moi University charges approximately KES 187,200 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Education or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as education policy analysts, educational planners, education officers, policy researchers, education consultants, and lecturers across government ministries, education agencies, NGOs, research institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Educational Policy Analysis and Formulation
Educational Planning and Resource Allocation
Sociology of Education and Social Policy
Comparative and International Education
Economics of Education and Financing
Education Governance and Administration
Curriculum Policy and Development
Quantitative Research Methods in Education
Education Monitoring and Evaluation
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Educational Policy Analysis and Formulation
Educational Planning and Resource Allocation
Sociology of Education and Social Policy
Comparative and International Education
Economics of Education and Financing
Education Governance and Administration
Curriculum Policy and Development
Education Monitoring and Evaluation
Research Methods in Education
Thesis Research

Certifications

UNESCO Education Policy Certification
Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) Membership

Specializations

Educational Policy Analysis

Focuses on policy analysis, covering educational, policy, analysis, formulation, and managing educational policy analysis and formulation.

Educational Planning

Examines educational planning, covering educational, planning, resource, allocation, and managing educational planning and resource allocation.

Sociology of Education

Covers sociology of education, covering sociology, education, social, policy, and managing sociology of education and social policy.

Comparative Education

Focuses on comparative education, covering comparative, international, education, systems, and managing comparative and international education.

Economics of Education

Examines economics of education, covering economics, education, financing, costs, and managing economics of education and financing.

Education Governance

Covers education governance, covering education, governance, administration, management, and managing education governance and administration.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 187,200
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, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Policy Analysis and Formulation
Educational Planning and Resource Allocation
Sociology of Education and Social Policy
Comparative and International Education
Economics of Education and Financing
Education Governance and Administration
Curriculum Policy and Development
Education Monitoring and Evaluation
Research Methods in Education
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Educational Policy Analysis and Formulation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines educational policy, covering educational, policy, analysis, formulation, and managing educational policy analysis and formulation.
Educational Planning and Resource Allocation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers educational planning, covering educational, planning, resource, allocation, and managing educational planning and resource allocation.
Sociology of Education and Social Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines sociology of education, covering sociology, education, social, policy, and managing sociology of education and social policy.
Comparative and International Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers comparative education, covering comparative, international, education, systems, and managing comparative and international education.
Economics of Education and Financing
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines economics of education, covering economics, education, financing, costs, and managing economics of education and financing.
Education Governance and Administration
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers education governance, covering education, governance, administration, management, and managing education governance and administration.
Curriculum Policy and Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines curriculum policy, covering curriculum, policy, development, education, and managing curriculum policy and development.
Research Methods in Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research, methods, education, statistics, and conducting research in education, preparing students for their thesis.
Education Monitoring and Evaluation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines monitoring and evaluation, covering monitoring, evaluation, education, assessment, and managing education monitoring and evaluation.
Education in Emergencies and Crisis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers education in emergencies, covering education, emergencies, crisis, conflict, and managing education in emergencies and crisis.
Education Law and Regulatory Frameworks
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines education law, covering education, law, regulatory, frameworks, and managing education law and regulatory frameworks.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an educational policy topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and policy knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Educational Policy Analysis
Focuses on policy analysis, covering educational, policy, analysis, formulation, and managing educational policy analysis and formulation.
Educational Planning
Examines educational planning, covering educational, planning, resource, allocation, and managing educational planning and resource allocation.
Sociology of Education
Covers sociology of education, covering sociology, education, social, policy, and managing sociology of education and social policy.
Comparative Education
Focuses on comparative education, covering comparative, international, education, systems, and managing comparative and international education.
Economics of Education
Examines economics of education, covering economics, education, financing, costs, and managing economics of education and financing.
Education Governance
Covers education governance, covering education, governance, administration, management, and managing education governance and administration.

A day as a student

A typical day combines lectures, seminars, policy analysis projects, and independent study. Sessions cover educational policy, planning, sociology of education, comparative education, and economics of education. Policy analysis sessions examine educational, policy, analysis, formulation, and managing educational policy analysis. Planning sessions cover educational, planning, resource, allocation, and managing educational planning. Sociology sessions cover sociology, education, social, policy, and managing sociology of education. Comparative education sessions cover comparative, international, education, systems, and managing comparative education. Economics sessions cover economics, education, financing, costs, and managing economics of education. Seminars provide opportunities for policy analysis presentations and discussing research findings. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an educational policy topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses Kenya's education reform needs with demand for policy experts in government and NGOs.
Two public universities confirmed offering related programmes, providing options for students.
Programme covers diverse areas from policy analysis to economics to comparative education.
Graduates are eligible for UNESCO certification and KIM professional membership.

Against it

Fee difference between KU (KES 142,700/year) and Moi (KES 187,200/year).
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Policy roles in government may require civil service qualifications beyond the degree.
Programme may require travel for field research and policy analysis projects.

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

Public143k to 187k

143k at Kenyatta University187k at Moi 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 142,700, Moi 187,200/yr. Kabarak 165,200, AIU 191,050/yr. Verified 2025.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. UNESCO and ADEA may offer fellowships for education policy research and education.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
UNESCO Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 187,200Kenyan
KU and Moi University may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate education students.
UNESCO Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
UNESCO and ADEA may offer fellowships for education policy 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: KU and Moi University require at least Upper Second Class Honours in Education or a related field. Lower Second Class may be considered with relevant postgraduate qualifications or 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, policy analysis reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering educational policy, planning, sociology of education, and comparative education.
Policy Project Assessment
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through policy analysis projects, demonstrating policy analysis, planning, and evaluation skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an educational policy topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and policy knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). KU (public) offers MEd in Sociology of Education and Policy Studies. Moi University (public) offers MEd in Educational Management and Policy Studies. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in educational policy. Graduates may interact with UNESCO for international standards and ADEA for continental frameworks. The programme aligns with CUE, UNESCO, and ADEA global education policy frameworks.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. KU (public) offers MEd in Sociology of Education and Policy Studies. Moi University (public) offers MEd in Educational Management and Policy Studies. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in educational policy. Graduates may interact with UNESCO for international standards and ADEA for continental frameworks. The programme aligns with CUE, UNESCO, and ADEA global education policy frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Education Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Analyses education policy, covering education, policy, analyst, analysis, and managing educational policy analysis.
Educational Planner
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Plans educational development, covering educational, planner, planning, resource, and managing educational planning.
Education Officer
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 300,000
Manages education operations, covering education, officer, operations, governance, and managing education operations.
Policy Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts policy research, covering policy, researcher, research, education, and managing education policy research.
Education Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 380,000
Provides education consulting, covering education, consultant, advisory, policy, and managing education consulting.
Education Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches educational policy 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 education policy research data analysis, covering statistics, data, analysis, education, and managing education research data analysis.
Stata
Software
Stata for econometric analysis in education policy research, covering Stata, econometrics, analysis, education, and managing education econometric analysis.
Excel
Software
Excel for education planning and budgeting, covering Excel, planning, budgeting, education, and managing education planning and budgeting.
NVivo
Software
NVivo for qualitative data analysis in education policy research, covering NVivo, qualitative, data, analysis, and managing qualitative data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Educational policy studies is just about teaching.
Educational policy covers policy analysis, planning, governance, economics, and comparative education beyond just teaching.
This programme is only for education graduates.
The programme is for professionals from social sciences, public administration, and related fields, not just education graduates.
Educational policy has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Education policy professionals are in demand in government ministries, NGOs, and education agencies as Kenya reforms its education system.
This programme is the same as educational administration.
Educational policy focuses on policy analysis and planning, while educational administration covers institutional management.
Policy studies is only about government policy.
The programme covers government, institutional, and international education policy, not just national government policy.
You need teaching experience to study this programme.
The programme is accessible to graduates from various fields seeking education policy specialisation, not just teachers.