Arts & Humanities

Master of Arts in Philosophy

The Master of Arts in Philosophy is a postgraduate programme that provides advanced study of philosophical theory, ethics, logic, metaphysics, and African philosophy. The programme trains graduates for careers in academia, research, public service, ethics, and critical thinking.

Core areas include logic, metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, ethics, contemporary philosophy, African philosophy, social and political philosophy, and research methods. Students engage with both Western and African philosophical traditions.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, Maseno University, and Catholic University of Eastern Africa. KU offers MA in Philosophy through its School of Humanities and Social Sciences with blended learning mode. UoN offers MA in Philosophy through its Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Students develop competencies in philosophical analysis, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, research, and argumentation. The programme includes coursework, examinations, research proposal, thesis, and oral defence.

KU charges KES 246,000/year for the programme. UoN charges KES 21,000 per unit with total programme cost of approximately KES 441,000 (~KES 220,500/year). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy or related field with at least Second Class Honours.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, ethics officers, policy analysts, researchers, and public service professionals in universities, government, religious institutions, and organisations.

Skills Required

Philosophical Analysis and Argumentation
Logic and Critical Thinking
Ethical Reasoning and Analysis
Metaphysics and Ontology
African Philosophy
Social and Political Philosophy
Research Methods in Philosophy
Contemporary Philosophy
History of Philosophy
Philosophy of Science

Key Subjects

Philosophy of Logic
Metaphysics and Ontology
Ethics
Contemporary Philosophy
African Philosophy
Social and Political Philosophy
History of Philosophy
Philosophy of Science
Research Methods
Great Thinkers in Philosophy

Certifications

FISP Philosophy Certification
PAK Philosophy Certification

Specializations

Ethics

Focuses on ethics, moral philosophy, ethical theory, applied ethics, bioethics, and understanding and applying ethical principles and reasoning.

African Philosophy

Examines African philosophy, African thought, ethnophilosophy, sage philosophy, and understanding and developing African philosophical traditions.

Social and Political Philosophy

Covers social and political philosophy, justice, democracy, power, state, and understanding society and politics through philosophy.

Metaphysics and Ontology

Focuses on metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, existence, reality, and understanding the nature of reality and existence.

Contemporary Philosophy

Examines contemporary philosophy, analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, phenomenology, and understanding contemporary philosophical movements.

Philosophy of Science

Covers philosophy of science, scientific method, epistemology, knowledge, and understanding science and knowledge through philosophy.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 246,000
Private, up to: Ksh 229,876
Job market: Low

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Blended, Online
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Philosophy of Logic
Metaphysics and Ontology
Ethics
Contemporary Philosophy
African Philosophy
Social and Political Philosophy
History of Philosophy
Philosophy of Science
Research Methods
Great Thinkers in Philosophy

Modules

12 in the programme

Philosophy of Logic
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines formal logic, informal logic, argumentation, fallacies, proof, and developing logical and critical thinking skills.
Research Methods in Philosophy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers philosophical research methods, design, argumentation, scholarly writing, and conducting research in philosophy, preparing students for their thesis.
Great Thinkers in the History of Philosophy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines great thinkers, ancient, medieval, modern philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, and understanding the history of philosophical thought.
Ethics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ethical theory, normative ethics, applied ethics, bioethics, moral reasoning, and understanding and applying ethical principles.
Metaphysics and Ontology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines metaphysics, ontology, existence, reality, being, and understanding the nature of reality and existence.
Contemporary Philosophy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers contemporary philosophy, analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, phenomenology, existentialism, and understanding contemporary philosophical movements.
Philosophy in Africa
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines African philosophy, African thought, ethnophilosophy, sage philosophy, African metaphysics, and understanding and developing African philosophical traditions.
Social and Political Philosophy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers social and political philosophy, justice, democracy, power, state, freedom, and understanding society and politics through philosophy.
Cosmology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines cosmology, universe, space, time, causality, and understanding the nature and structure of the universe.
History and Philosophy of Science
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers philosophy of science, scientific method, epistemology, knowledge, truth, and understanding science and knowledge through philosophy.
Metaphilosophy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines metaphilosophy, nature of philosophy, philosophical method, philosophy of philosophy, and understanding what philosophy is and how it is done.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 28 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a philosophy topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Ethics
Focuses on ethics, moral philosophy, ethical theory, applied ethics, bioethics, and understanding and applying ethical principles and reasoning.
African Philosophy
Examines African philosophy, African thought, ethnophilosophy, sage philosophy, and understanding and developing African philosophical traditions.
Social and Political Philosophy
Covers social and political philosophy, justice, democracy, power, state, and understanding society and politics through philosophy.
Metaphysics and Ontology
Focuses on metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, existence, reality, and understanding the nature of reality and existence.
Contemporary Philosophy
Examines contemporary philosophy, analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, phenomenology, and understanding contemporary philosophical movements.
Philosophy of Science
Covers philosophy of science, scientific method, epistemology, knowledge, and understanding science and knowledge through philosophy.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MA Philosophy programme begins with morning lectures on logic, ethics, or metaphysics. Students engage with both Western and African philosophical traditions. Logic sessions cover formal logic, informal logic, argumentation, fallacies, and developing logical and critical thinking. Ethics sessions examine ethical theory, applied ethics, bioethics, moral reasoning, and understanding and applying ethical principles. Metaphysics sessions cover ontology, cosmology, existence, reality, and understanding the nature of reality and existence. Contemporary philosophy sessions examine analytic philosophy, continental philosophy, phenomenology, existentialism, and understanding contemporary philosophical movements. African philosophy sessions cover African thought, ethnophilosophy, sage philosophy, African metaphysics, and understanding and developing African philosophical traditions. Social and political philosophy sessions examine justice, democracy, power, state, freedom, and understanding society and politics through philosophy. History of philosophy sessions cover great thinkers, ancient, medieval, modern philosophy, and understanding the history of philosophical thought. Philosophy of science sessions cover scientific method, epistemology, knowledge, truth, and understanding science and knowledge. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering philosophical research methods, argumentation, and scholarly writing. Guest lectures from visiting philosophers, ethicists, and international scholars provide real-world insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme develops exceptional critical thinking, analytical, and ethical reasoning skills valuable across multiple fields.
UoN offers the programme at KES 220,500/year, relatively affordable for a postgraduate degree.
Career opportunities in academia, ethics, government, religious institutions, policy, and research.
Programme covers both Western and African philosophical traditions, providing comprehensive philosophical education.

Against it

Philosophy is a niche field with limited direct career positions in Kenya.
KU tuition of KES 246,000/year is higher than UoN for a similar programme.
CUEA fee structure for this exact programme not independently verified.
Academic and research positions are competitive and may require doctoral qualifications.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public221k to 246k

221k at University of Nairobi246k at Kenyatta University

Private190k to 230k

190k at Tangaza University230k at Catholic University of Eastern Africa

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 246K/yr, UoN 220.5K/yr. CUEA 229.9K/yr. Tangaza 190K/yr

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. FISP supports philosophy research globally. CUEA offers scholarships for philosophy students. The programme's philosophy and ethics focus attracts FISP, religious institutions, and research funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
FISP Research Funding
CUEA Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate philosophy studies at recognised universities.
FISP Research Funding
FellowshipKsh 250,000
FISP supports philosophy research globally, providing fellowships for postgraduate study in philosophy.
CUEA Scholarship
GrantKsh 200,000Kenyan
CUEA offers scholarships for philosophy students, supporting postgraduate study in philosophy and religious studies.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme accepts graduates from philosophy, religious studies, arts, social sciences, and related fields. KU offers blended learning with face-to-face and online teaching. UoN offers full-time mode. Maseno offers full-time and part-time modes. CUEA offers the programme through its Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Two-year programme with coursework in Year 1 and thesis in Year 2.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework essays, philosophical analysis papers, seminar presentations, argument analysis, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering logic, ethics, metaphysics, and philosophical theory, conducted at end of each semester.
Research Proposal Defence
Practical20% of the mark
Assessment of research proposal defence, including research design, literature review, methodology, and proposal presentation.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a philosophy topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kenyatta University offers MA in Philosophy. University of Nairobi offers MA in Philosophy. Maseno University offers MA in Philosophy. Catholic University of Eastern Africa offers MA in Philosophy. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate philosophy training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. KU offers MA in Philosophy. UoN offers MA in Philosophy. Maseno offers MA in Philosophy. CUEA offers MA in Philosophy. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate philosophy training.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

University Lecturer
Low demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches philosophy in universities, conducting research and training future philosophers and critical thinkers.
Ethics Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides ethics advisory services, overseeing ethics policy, training, compliance, and supporting ethical practice in organisations.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Analyses public policy, overseeing policy research, analysis, development, and supporting evidence-based policy and governance.
Researcher
Low demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts philosophical research, overseeing research design, analysis, publication, and supporting knowledge generation.
Public Service Professional
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Serves in public service, overseeing governance, policy, ethics, and supporting effective and ethical public administration.
Religious Institution Leader
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Serves in religious institutions, overseeing education, ethics, counselling, and supporting moral and spiritual development.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, ethics officers, policy analysts, and researchers in universities, government, religious institutions, and organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Google Scholar
PlatformPrimary
Academic search platform for philosophical research, finding scholarly articles, and accessing philosophy literature.
PhilPapers
Platform
Online philosophy research platform for finding philosophical articles, books, and accessing philosophy literature and discussions.
Zotero
Software
Reference management software for philosophical research, citations, bibliography, and managing research references.
SPSS
Software
Statistical software for philosophical research, survey analysis, and quantitative data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Philosophy is just about opinions and arguments.
Philosophy involves rigorous logic, analysis, theory, research, and scholarly writing, far beyond mere opinions.
Philosophy has no practical application.
Philosophy develops critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and analytical skills valuable in law, policy, ethics, education, and leadership.
There is no demand for philosophy graduates in Kenya.
Kenya's ethics needs, governance challenges, education sector, and policy development create demand for qualified philosophy professionals.
Philosophy is not a rigorous discipline.
Philosophy involves rigorous logic, analysis, argumentation, and scholarly writing comparable to any academic discipline.
A master's in philosophy is redundant after a BA.
The master's provides advanced specialisation, research capability, and career progression to senior academic and professional positions.
Philosophy is only for those who cannot do other subjects.
Philosophy is a demanding discipline that requires exceptional analytical, logical, and writing skills.