Kenyatta University Fashion Design and Marketing: Course, Portfolio and Fees

Moyo Lane · October 26, 2026

Kenyatta University main entrance, photographed in 2016 by Thorkild Tylleskar. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo record · Licence.

Kenyatta University’s Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and Marketing brings two connected questions into one qualification: how a fashion product is developed, and how it reaches a customer. For someone researching fashion courses in Nairobi or elsewhere in Kenya, that combination deserves a closer look. A well-made garment needs a clear design idea, while a viable fashion business also needs to understand its audience and the way its work is presented.

The qualification named by the university

The university’s programme page describes a four-year BSc in Fashion Design and Marketing. Its published aims connect creative and technical development with professionalism, entrepreneurship and leadership. It also identifies a third-year practicum and a fourth-year internship. Use that exact qualification name when asking about an intake, teaching campus and current timetable.

The distinction between a degree and a short practical course matters when planning several years of study. Think about the range of work you want to undertake and the time you can commit to it. A broad route can provide room to develop a project over successive stages, while a focused workshop may answer a more immediate skill question.

Reading the published fee figure carefully

The official programme page, last updated in May 2025 and checked for this guide on 26 October 2026, displays KSh 204,000 under a full-time fee heading. It does not clearly label the period covered by that figure. Treat it as the university’s published reference and obtain an itemised assessment for your intake, rather than assuming it is a semester, annual or complete-degree total.

Keep the assessment beside your offer letter and ask which charges recur. Materials, commuting, accommodation and the presentation of practical work deserve their own budget lines. This makes it easier to compare a tuition-related quotation with the amount you need to organise for a real term of study, especially if you will move from another Kenyan city.

Entry routes and an informed enquiry

For KCSE applicants, the programme page gives an overall C-plus and C-plus in at least one of Art and Design, Home Science or a science subject. It also describes a diploma route involving a relevant diploma with a credit pass and KCSE C-minus or above. Ask admissions to assess your actual qualifications and confirm any current conditions.

Prepare a simple record of your results, previous creative training and the kind of work you hope to develop. That helps the university answer a specific enquiry. If you already have a diploma, ask how your route is evaluated and which stage of the programme is being offered, rather than deciding on a study duration from the name of the earlier award alone.

Where design and marketing meet

A useful personal project can begin with a clearly described wearer and occasion. Consider what the wearer needs to carry, how the garment will move and the circumstances in which it will be used. That brief can shape the fabric, the construction and the way the finished work is photographed. It gives the design a reason to exist beyond an attractive first drawing.

The marketing side adds another question: how would you explain that reason to someone unfamiliar with your process? A concise product description, a considered image and a clear account of materials can make the work easier to understand. Practise identifying the most important feature of a piece before writing a longer promotional story around it.

Developing a practical portfolio

A portfolio can record decisions as well as successful outcomes. Keep an early sketch, a fabric test and photographs of the first sample alongside the later version. Explain what changed and why. A small alteration to a seam or closure can show careful observation when it is documented clearly, even if the overall silhouette remains simple.

Try to make your photographs comparable. Use a plain background and similar views, then add a close detail where construction matters. Label the work with the date, materials and your own contribution. That record can support a useful conversation with a tutor, collaborator or prospective placement host without requiring every project to be presented as a finished commercial collection.

Planning for practice and placement

The university’s stated practicum and internship stages provide specific points to ask about when discussing the course. Request an explanation of how practical experience is organised, how students are supported and which responsibilities remain with the student. A clear timetable can help you plan transport and living arrangements around the actual learning sequence.

Before approaching an industry contact, prepare a short introduction and a focused selection of work. Say what you can currently do and what you want to learn. Keep a record of the feedback you receive. Even a brief conversation can be useful when it produces a concrete next step, such as improving a technical sample or documenting a project more clearly.

Discussing study arrangements

The programme page describes regular study with face-to-face and blended activities. Ask the department which sessions require attendance, how practical access is scheduled and which campus will host your intake. Someone travelling from Mombasa, Kisumu or Nakuru needs those details before building a weekly or relocation plan around the course.

During an enquiry or visit, request examples of the kinds of work students develop and the way assessment is explained. Look for a connection between a brief, the making process and the resulting piece. That provides a clearer basis for choosing a learning environment than relying only on an impressive photograph of a final runway presentation.

Styling a presentation with purpose

For a portfolio presentation, the accessories should help the garment remain understandable. A compact bag can support a clean silhouette; a more noticeable necklace can suit a simple neckline. Choose the main focal point first, then see whether each added item helps it. Keep the full outfit in view rather than selecting every element separately.

Moyo Lane’s catalogue can be part of that wider styling search for bags, jewellery and other accessories. Keep a reference photograph of combinations that work well for you. The same small wardrobe of useful pieces can support creative meetings, college visits and later fashion events without requiring a completely new look for every occasion.

Frequently asked questions

What is the published degree duration?

The programme page describes a four-year Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and Marketing. Confirm the study route offered with your own admission assessment.

Does KSh 204,000 mean the whole degree?

The programme page does not clearly specify the period for that displayed figure. Request the current itemised fee assessment before interpreting it as a total.

When are practical experience stages listed?

The university identifies a practicum in year three and an internship in year four. Ask the department how these are organised for the relevant cohort.

Sources checked

https://socialscience.ku.ac.ke/all-categories/programmes/bachelor-of-science-in-fashion-design-and-marketing · https://www.ku.ac.ke/department/fashion-design-marketing/