Bachelor of Public Administration
Duration: 4 Academic Years (8 semesters); includes a 12-week industrial attachment after Year 3 Semester 2
Start Date: To be confirmed
Cost: KES 105,000 per academic year
The Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) is a flexible, technology‑driven programme designed to prepare learners for leadership, governance, policy, and administrative roles across public, private, non‑governmental, and international sectors.
Learners gain strong foundations in:
- Public administration and governance
- Political science and constitutional processes
- Public finance and county governance
- Diplomacy, digital government, and ethics
- Conflict management and sustainable development
The programme blends independent study, live virtual sessions, collaborative discussions, case studies, practical assignments, e‑portfolios, industrial attachment, and a capstone project to connect theory with practice
Career Prospects in Public Administration
Graduates may pursue or advance careers in areas such as:
- Public administration and sector management
- County, federal, and national government administration
- Policy analysis, planning, and development practice
- Public finance, accountability, and governance support
- Diplomacy, foreign service, and international relations
- NGOs, civil society, and development organizations
- Research institutions, think tanks, and consultancy
- Programme and project management
Kindly ask for a return call from our proficient OUK course consultants to have your inquiries addressed.
Other Programmes offered
- Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics
- Bachelor of Agri-Technology and Food Systems
- Bachelor of Data Science
- Bachelor of Business and Entrepreneurship
- Bachelor of Economics and Statistics
- Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Accountability
- Postgraduate Diploma in Learning Design and Technology
The BPA follows a progressive four-year pathway;
- Year One introduces core foundations in politics, public administration, conflict management, international relations, constitutional processes, African political thought, critical thinking, and IT and entrepreneurship.
- Year Two develops intermediate knowledge in administrative practice, law, gender and development, devolution, labour laws, security studies, and political economy.
- Year Three advances learners into development theory, research methods, international organizations, African politics, foreign policy, environmental politics, comparative public administration, and industrial attachment.
- Year Four focuses on public policy analysis, project planning, public finance management, public international law, digital government, human rights, contemporary political theory, diplomacy, and the capstone project.
Progressive Certification and Awards
The Bachelor of Public Administration programme allows learners to earn progressive awards upon successful completion of the prescribed requirements at each stage.
- After Year Two, a learner may qualify for a Certificate in Public Administration upon meeting all approved academic and University requirements.
- After Year Three, a learner may qualify for a Diploma in Public Administration upon meeting all approved academic, credit, assessment, and practical requirements.
- After Year Four, a learner who successfully completes all prescribed courses, industrial attachment, capstone/project requirements, and all University graduation requirements shall qualify for the award of the Bachelor of Public Administration degree.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the programme, learners will be able to:
- Analyse the operations of public administration at micro and macro levels.
- Demonstrate ethical values that govern the conduct of public affairs.
- Integrate knowledge and essential skills to address the challenges of a fast-changing public sector.
- Apply professionalism in performing public administration responsibilities.
Applicants must meet general OUK undergraduate admission criteria plus any of the following:
- KCSE mean grade of C+ or equivalent, with at least C in English/Kiswahili and a Humanities/Social Sciences subject, or the approved KUCCPS cluster cut-off for OUK.
- Relevant diploma or professional qualification in Social Sciences from an accredited institution.
- Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education with one principal pass and subsidiary passes
- KCSE or equivalent supported by Recognition of Prior Learning portfolio
- Any other qualification recognised by Senate
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
· Credit transfer may be considered for equivalent undergraduate coursework completed and passed at accredited institutions recognised by Senate.
· A course considered for credit transfer must have been completed at an equivalent level and with a minimum grade of 50%.
· Credit transfers or exemptions may be granted up to 49% of the programme, subject to Senate approval and the general rules governing credit transfer.
Learners will be assessed through content-embedded quizzes, online practical work, open-book tests, project reports, e-portfolios, oral presentation of projects where applicable, and end-of-course online examinations
|
Continuous Assessment |
Coursework, assignments, practical activities, forum discussions, session reflections, and continuous assessment tasks: 50% |
|
End-of-Course Examination |
End of course examination or approved final project/practical assessment: 50% |
|
Academic Integrity |
All student submissions are subject to plagiarism checks and authentication through University-provided credentials. |
|
Semester |
Code |
Course Title |
Units |
|
I |
BPA 101 |
Introduction to Political Science |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 103 |
Introduction to Public Administration |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 105 |
Introduction to Conflict Management |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 107 |
Introduction to International Relations |
3 |
|
I |
UCU 100 |
Critical Thinking |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 102 |
Politics and Government in Kenya |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 104 |
Public Administration in Kenya |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 106 |
Constitutional Processes in Kenya |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 108 |
African Political Thought |
3 |
|
II |
BEB 105 |
IT and Entrepreneurship |
3 |
|
Semester |
Code |
Course Title |
Units |
|
I |
BPA 201 |
Government and Politics in East Africa |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 203 |
Administrative Thoughts and Practices |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 205 |
Administrative Law |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 207 |
Gender and Development |
3 |
|
I |
UCU 211 |
Contemporary Issues in Psychology |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 202 |
Nationalism and the African State |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 204 |
Labour Laws |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 206 |
Decentralization and County Governance in Kenya |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 208 |
Strategic and National Security Studies |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 210 |
Political Economy of Developing Countries |
3 |
|
Semester |
Code |
Course Title |
Units |
|
I |
BPA 301 |
Theories and Politics of Development |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 303 |
Research Methodology in Political Science |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 305 |
International Organizations in Public Administration |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 307 |
Politics and Government in Africa |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 309 |
Africa in International Relations |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 302 |
Kenya's Foreign Policy |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 304 |
Politics of Environment and Development |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 306 |
Comparative Public Administration |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 308 |
Research Methods |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 310 |
Politics of Industrialization and Agriculture in Africa |
3 |
|
After Sem II |
BPA 326 |
Industrial Attachment |
6 |
|
Semester |
Code |
Course Title |
Units |
|
I |
BPA 401 |
Public Policy Analysis |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 403 |
Project Planning and Management |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 405 |
Public International Law |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 407 |
Digitizing Government Systems and Processes in Developing Countries |
3 |
|
I |
BPA 409 |
Capstone Project in Public Administration |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 402 |
Planning and Development: Theory and Practice |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 404 |
Public Finance Management |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 406 |
Human Rights and Refugee Studies |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 408 |
Contemporary Political Theory |
3 |
|
II |
BPA 410 |
Theory and Practice of Diplomacy |
3 |