Short diploma courses in Kenya

In today’s fast-paced world, there is a big demand for specialized skills and short diploma courses have become a popular choice for individuals looking to quickly enhance their professional qualifications.

To that end, in this guide, I will tell you about some of the best short diploma courses that you can pursue in Kenya. These are courses that you can pursue in 1 year or less.

I will also highlight what the courses entail, their entry requirements, career opportunities, and where you can study them.

Short diploma courses in Kenya

I shall first start with some of the most marketable diploma courses before highlighting some other good short diploma courses.

Diploma in Digital Marketing

This course equips you with the necessary skills to help you run digital marketing campaigns on various online platforms.

With businesses increasing their online presence, the demand for professional digital marketers has also risen.

This course is a good investment if you work in the marketing department, you want to start your own digital marketing agency, or if you are a business owner.

Entry requirements: At least a C- in KCSE and basic computer literacy

Duration: 3-4 months

Possible career paths: Digital marketer, SEO Specialist, social media manager, PPC manager, e-commerce manager, email marketing specialist, and content marketing manager among others.

With that in mind, there are many good institutions where you can enroll for the program. However, the secret to choosing a good institution lies in looking at its course curriculum.

You see, an in-depth course curriculum will open more doors for you compared to a specialized curriculum.

ALSO READ: Where to study digital marketing in Kenya

Diploma in Data Management & Analytics (DDMA)

This course imparts the necessary knowledge and skills to help you undertake non-complex database designs and mine and analyze data for better decision-making.

The course can be a good choice if you’re looking to upskill or enter the data analysis field more so if you have a background in economics, business, or finance-related fields.

Entry requirements: A minimum of C- in KCSE and basic computer literacy skills

Duration: 5 months per module (3 modules in total)

Possible career paths: Data analyst, database administrator, big data expert, data architect, business analyst, or data governance manager.

In Kenya, there are several good institutions that offer this course such as Zetech University, KCA University, and KASNEB.

Diploma in Web Design

With this course, you’ll learn how to create and manage various types of websites.

Usually, a good diploma in web design will teach you how to create websites through coding and content management systems such as WordPress.

Just so you know, web design is one of the best-paying short-term courses in Kenya… You can earn upwards of Ksh. 100,000 when creating complex websites or if you freelance.

Entry requirements: At least a C- in KCSE and basic IT skills

Duration: 4 months

Possible career paths: Freelance website developer, web designer, front-end developer, back-end developer, UI/UX designer, e-commerce developer, and web content manager.

To learn more about what the course entails, I recommend you read our other guide on the same (web design course in Kenya) where we look at various aspects of the course including its marketability and curriculum.

Diploma in Sales & Marketing

This is one of the most marketable and well-paying courses that you can pursue in Kenya.

This is because salespeople are the primary revenue drivers in any business.

Moreover, most salespeople are paid based on commissions – the more they sell, the more they earn.

This course can be a good choice for you if you are a people person and have good persuasion skills.

Entry requirements: At least a C- in KCSE

Duration: 6 months per module (there are 3 modules in total)

Possible career paths: Sales manager, account manager, sales representative, market research analyst, brand manager, business development executive, or marketing coordinator.

Having said that, there are several good institutions where you can pursue this course such as KIPS and NIBS.

Diploma in Graphic Design

Pursuing this course will equip you with the necessary skills needed to excel in the field of visual communication.

As such, this course can be a good choice for you if you have a knack for telling stories in colors and typography.

At Kenya Online College, we offer a very comprehensive graphic design course where we also train you in 3D animation skills… Read our graphic design course structure for more information about the course.

Entry requirements: Basic IT skills and at least a C- in KCSE

Duration: 3 months

Possible career paths: Graphic designer, UI/UX designer, brand identity designer, motion graphics designer, creative director, 3D modeler, and animation director.

Diploma in Computer Networking

With the growing reliance on digital infrastructure, more and more businesses are looking for qualified network engineers to install, secure, and manage their networks.

This has led to an increased demand for qualified personnel.

With a diploma in this course, you can have the freedom to work in a corporate IT department, a telecommunications company, or as an independent consultant.

Duration: 6-9 months

Possible career paths: Network administrator, network engineer, IT support specialist, data center technician, network technician, and systems administrator.

Entry requirements: A minimum of C- in KCSE and a solid foundation in IT (ICDL is also accepted)

The reason I recommend a solid foundation in an IT field is because oftentimes, employers tend to favor professionals with a wholesome qualification in ICT (such as a degree/diploma in IT) plus a diploma in computer networking.

In other words, a diploma in computer networking is usually an added advantage.

But don’t get me wrong. While you might land a job, you’ll lack other vital skills such as programming, database administration, and hardware maintenance which will come in handy in your job.

That said, if this sounds like something that you might be interested in, have a look at our computer networking course to see if it’s a good choice for you.

More short diploma courses in Kenya

In addition to the above diploma courses, there are other good short-term diploma courses such as:

Course	Duration
Diploma in Human Resource Management	6 months per module (3 modules in total)
Diploma in Beauty Therapy	6 months
Diploma in Hairdressing	7 months
Diploma in Computer Networks & Systems Administration (DCNSA)	5 months per module (3 modules in total)
Diploma in Photography & Videography	4 months
Diploma in Food & Beverage Production	6 months per module (3 modules in total)
Diploma in Baking & Pastry	6-9 months
Diploma in Monitoring & Evaluation	6 months
Diploma in Front Office Administration	6 months
Diploma in Animation	6 months
Diploma in Business Management	6 months per level (3 levels in total)
Diploma in Airport Operations	12 months
Diploma in Hospitality Management	12 months
Diploma in Supply Chain Management	6 months per module (3 modules in total)

To qualify for the above diploma programs, you only need to have at least a C- in your KCSE.

Parting shots on short diploma courses in Kenya

At Kenya Online College, we offer several of these courses such as diploma in digital marketing, diploma in web design, and diploma in graphic design among others see our comprehensive course list.

We teach our courses using a fully hands-on approach to ensure you put into practice what you learn.

This makes transitioning to the job market much easier for you upon graduation.

Not to mention that you’ll have a good portfolio that you can use to showcase and market your skills.

So, remember to have a look at our course catalogue to see what we offer.

ALSO READ:

Short courses in baking & pastry

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Best colleges in Kenya offering diploma courses