St. Paul’s University: Courses Offered, Fees, Location and Campuses

St. Paul’s University (SPU) is a private institution in Kenya whose roots trace back to the early years of missionary activity in East Africa.

Learning began in 1888 at Frere Town, near Mombasa, making the university one of the oldest institutions of theological and higher education in the region.

From its humble beginnings as a missionary settlement for freed slaves, SPU has grown into one of Kenya’s most respected universities, shaping theological and academic leadership for nearly 150 years.

The story began in 1875, when the Church Missionary Society (CMS) established a settlement for freed slaves at Frere Town.

In 1888, Reverend E.A. Fitch introduced a Divinity class to equip the former slaves with practical skills and Christian leadership training. The class produced six teacher-evangelists, who were later ordained as deacons—marking the beginning of structured theological education in the region.

In 1903, Rev. H.K. Binns laid the foundation stone of St. Paul’s Divinity School at Frere Town. This milestone was followed in 1930 by the relocation of the foundation stone to Limuru, where the institution began to firmly establish its presence.

A significant turning point came in 1949, when the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) and the Methodist Church in Kenya (MCK) joined the Anglican Church to bring in their ministerial candidates for training.

This ecumenical collaboration led to the formation of a College Council in 1954, and in 1955, the institution was renamed St. Paul’s United Theological College.

St. Paul’s University Courses Offered, Fees, and Location

The college’s academic profile continued to grow. In 1963, it launched an external Bachelor of Divinity degree in affiliation with the University of London.

A decade later, in 1973, the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) joined as the fourth participating partner. The AITEA Bachelor of Divinity program was introduced in 1978, and by 1989, the college was registered as a private university by the Commission for Higher Education.

Governance expanded in 1993 with the inclusion of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) as a corporate partner. Ownership was structured as follows: the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) 50%, PCEA 20%, MCK 10%, RCEA 10%, and NCCK 10%.

After commemorating 100 years of existence in 2003, the institution was granted a Charter by President Mwai Kibaki in 2007, officially becoming St. Paul’s University. That same year saw the appointment of the university’s first Chancellor, who was installed in 2008.

St. Paul’s continued to expand its reach, establishing campuses in Nairobi (2010), Nakuru, and Machakos (both in 2011). In 2018, the second Chancellor was installed.

In 2020, the university laid the foundation stone for the Joshua and Timothy School of Theology and celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of PhD students.

Most recently, in 2023, St. Paul’s University was awarded the ISO 9001:2015 Certification, reaffirming its commitment to quality education and institutional excellence.

SPU Campuses

The Nairobi Campus is strategically located at the Central Business District at the Church House Building. It was established in January 2010 and serves the educational needs of over 3000 students.

The Nakuru Campus is strategically located in the Nakuru CBD, just next to the ACK Cathedral Church. It was established in May 2011, and all programs, including Diplomas, Undergraduate, and postgraduate, are offered here.

The university comprises five schools offering certificates, diplomas, undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programmes.

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School of Education and Social Sciences

Incepted in 2012, the School of Education and Social Sciences seeks to offer quality programmes that not only equip students with knowledge in the social sciences but also empower them to be innovative and adaptable to the dynamics of a global community.

• Undergraduate Programmes
  Bachelor of Arts in Community Development
  Bachelor of Arts in Counseling Psychology
  Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Security Studies
  Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies
  Bachelor of Arts in Social Work
  Bachelor of Education (Arts)
  Bachelor of Education (Special Needs Education)
  Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE)
• Diploma Programmes
  Diploma in Community Development
  Diploma in Community Health Development
  Diploma in Counseling Psychology
  Diploma in Criminology and Security Management
  Diploma in Education (Arts)
  Diploma in Education (Early Childhood Education)
  Diploma in Social Work

School of Theology

Graduates from programmes in Theology proceed to have careers in community development, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching, human services, and more.

• Undergraduate Programmes
  Bachelor of Divinity
  Bachelor of Arts in Translation Studies
• Diploma Programmes
  Diploma in Kenya Sign Language Interpretation
  Diploma in Theology

School of Business and Leadership Management

The School of Business and Leadership Studies aims to develop exemplary servant leaders and entrepreneurs who will, in turn, go out to develop Africa and the world.

It offers PhD, Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Diploma programmes in a wide range of disciplines related to business and leadership, including banking, strategic leadership and management, marketing, human resources, and finance.

• Undergraduate Programmes
  Bachelor of Business Administration & Management
  Bachelor of Commerce
  Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Management
• Diploma Programmes
  Diploma in Business Management
  Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management
  Diploma in Leadership and Management
• Certificate Programmes
  Certificate in Business Management

School of Health Sciences

The School of Health Sciences comprises the Departments of Nursing and Health Sciences.

It has embraced innovative educational technologies such as blended learning and simulation to enhance students’ learning experiences.

• Undergraduate Programmes
  Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Regular)
  Bachelor of Health Records Management and Informatics
  Bachelor of Health Systems Management and Economics
• Diploma Programmes
  Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery
  Diploma in Community Health Development

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School of Communication and Computer Studies

The School of Communication and Computer Studies aims to develop exemplary communication and technology practitioners who will, in turn, go out to develop Africa and the world.

It offers graduate and undergraduate programmes in a wide range of disciplines related to communication and information technology.

• Undergraduate Programmes
  Bachelor of Arts in Communication
  Bachelor of Business and Information Technology
  Bachelor of Computer Science
  Bachelor of Science in Computing and Information Systems
• Diploma Programmes
  Diploma in Business Information Technology (DBIT)
  Diploma in Communication
  Diploma in Computer Science
  Diploma in Film Production
  Diploma in Information Technology and Cyber Security
  Diploma in Journalism
• Certificate Programmes
  Certificate in Business Information Technology
  Certificate in Communication
  Certificate in Information Technology

 Undergraduate Programs Fees

Students taking programs in Communication, computer science, and Counseling. Theology and Nursing will pay fees equipment fee of Ksh 2,000 once upon joining the program.

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