University of Nairobi B.A. Programme in Political Science and Public Administration

Bachelor of Arts

Course Structure and Duration

  1. All the 1st level courses are compulsory for candidates registered in the Department.
  2. In second year, students shall take a maximum of 4 courses, two in each semester.
  3. From the 3rd level onwards, a candidate may opt for any of the four degree options offered in the Faculty of Arts as detailed in the Faculty’s Regulations for Degree Programmes. That is one may opt to

a) Take political Science as the only Major (option 2) or

b) Take Political Science as one of two Majors (option 1) or

c) Take Political Science as a Major plus another discipline in the Faculty as a Minor (option 3) or

d) Take Political Science as one Major with other two disciplines in the Faculty as Minor (option 4).

  1. Whichever option the candidate chooses, the regulations governing each degree options and loading in the Faculty of Arts shall apply.
  2. The duration period for the programme is sixteen (16) semesters comprising two (2) semesters per academic year.
  3. Each semester shall last a period of 15 weeks.
  4. Each course under the programme shall be covered in 45 contact hours.

 Course Outlines

Courses offered are clustered around the six sub-disciplines of the discipline of Political Science, that is, Political Theory, Political Sociology, Political Economy, International Relations, Comparative Politics and Public Administration. However, in First Year courses, introduce students to general issues in Political Science and are compulsory.

FIRST YEAR

First Semester

CPS 101: Introduction to Political Science

CPS 102: Politics and Government in Africa

Second Semester

CPS 103: Basic Concepts in Political Science

CPS 104: Politics and Government in Kenya

Second Year

In the second year, students shall choose two courses in each semester from the choices given below:

First Semester

CPS 201: Introduction to Political Theory

CPS 251: Introduction to Political Economy

CPS 241: Introduction to Public Administration

Second Semester

CPS 231: Introduction to International Relations

CPS 221: Introduction to Comparative Politics

CPS 211: Introduction to Political Sociology

THIRD YEAR

POLITICAL THEORY

CPS 303: Theory of Political Inquiry

CPS 304: Methods of Political Inquiry

*These courses are compulsory for all students who are majoring in Political Science under either Option One or Option Two of the B.A. degree programme in the Faculty of Arts.

Political Theory        

CPS 301: Major Themes in African Political Thought

CPS 302: African Political Thought: Selected Works

CPS 305: Modern Political Theory

POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

CPS 311: Politics of Social Movements

CPS 312: Political Parties and Pressure Groups

COMPARATIVE POLITICS

CPS 321: Politics and Government in East Africa

CPS 322: Politics and Government of a Selected African Region

CPS 323: Politics and Government of a Selected Developing Region

CPS 324: COMPARATIVE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING AREAS

CPS 325: Comparative Politics of Industrial States

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CPS 331: North-South Relations

CPS 332: South-South Relations

CPS 333: International Organization

CPS 334: Issues in International Relations

CPS 335: Relations Among African States

CPS 336: Africa and the Major Powers

CPS 337: Introduction to International Law

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

CPS 341: Comparative Administration Systems

CPS 342: Development Administration

CPS 343: Public Policy Analysis

CPS 344: Public Personnel Management

CPS 345: Comparative Local Government

CPS 346: Administrative Theory

POLITICAL ECONOMY

CPS 351: Politics of Agricultural Development

CPS 352: Politics of Industrialization in Africa

CPS 353: Women in the Political Economy of the Third World

CPS 354: Political Economy of African Development

FOURTH YEAR

Dissertation is compulsory for all students who are specializing in Political Science, that is those who have opted for option one Degree programme.

POLITICAL THEORY

CPS 401: Theory of Democracy

CPS 402: Seminar on Approaches to Political Science

CPS 403: Dissertation

POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

CPS 411: Urban Politics

CPS 412: Public Opinion and Voter Behaviour

CPS 413: Dissertation

COMPARATIVE POLITICS

CPS 421: Politics and Government in South Africa

CPS 422: The Military in the Politics of a Selected Region

CPS 423: Dissertation

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

CPS 431: Kenya’s Foreign Policy

CPS 432: Comparative Foreign Policies

CPS 433: Politics of Regional Cooperation and Conflict

CPS 434: Superpower Relations

CPS 435: Strategic and National Security Studies

CPS 436: International Law and the African States

CPS 437: Dissertation

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

CPS 441: Administration of Rural Development

CPS 442: Public Financial Administration

CPS 443: Administration of Public Enterprises

CPS 444: Public Administration in Kenya

CPS 445: Dissertation

POLITICAL ECONOMY

CPS 451: Politics of Multinational Corporations

CPS 452: Dependency and Development in the Third World

CPS 453: Dissertation

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