Business

Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management

The Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management is a doctoral programme offered at KCA University and the Open University of Kenya. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in business management, organisational leadership and enterprise development. The programme combines management theory with empirical research to address business challenges in Kenya's evolving economic landscape.

Students engage with advanced topics in strategic management, organisational behaviour, business research methods, entrepreneurship, project management, corporate governance, change management and research methods. At KCA University, students complete 9 units over a minimum of three semesters, publish at least two papers in peer-reviewed journals, and write a doctoral thesis within one and a half years after completing coursework.

Kenya's entrepreneurial ecosystem, the growth of SMEs and the need for management research that addresses African business contexts create demand for doctoral-level business management expertise. The programme supports Kenya's enterprise development and management capacity building.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At KCA University, the programme is offered through the School of Business, Department of Business Administration and Management. The minimum duration is three years and maximum is six years, with a possible one-year extension. At the Open University of Kenya, the programme costs KSh 337,500 total over three years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, management consultants, business researchers, corporate executives and entrepreneurship advisors. They work in universities, consulting firms, corporate organisations, government agencies and entrepreneurial ventures.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in business, management or related fields who wish to contribute original research to business management.

Duration: 3-6 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 332,500
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Strategic Management
Organisational Behaviour and Leadership
Business Research Methods
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Project Management
Corporate Governance
Change Management
Quantitative Methods for Business
International Business Management
Business Policy and Strategy

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Strategic Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Strategic management theory and competitive analysis, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Organisational Behaviour and Leadership
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced theory of organisations and leadership, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Business Research Methods
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Quantitative and qualitative research methods, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Research on entrepreneurship and innovation, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Corporate Governance and Ethics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Governance frameworks and ethical issues, examining ethical principles, professional conduct, regulatory frameworks, and their application in research and practice.
Quantitative Methods for Business
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Statistical and mathematical methods for business research, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Doctoral thesis research with requirement of 2 peer-reviewed publications, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing.

Specialisations

Corporate Governance
Research on governance and accountability
Project Management
Research on project management practices
Entrepreneurship
Research on entrepreneurship and innovation
Strategic Management
Research on strategy and competitive advantage

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing management literature, analysing business case studies, developing research frameworks, attending seminars on management theory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, collecting data from organisations, and preparing research papers for peer-reviewed journals.

The trade offs

In its favour

Open University of Kenya offers affordable online delivery at KSh 337,500 total
KCA University requires peer-reviewed publications ensuring research quality
Kenya's entrepreneurial ecosystem creates research opportunities

Against it

Balancing coursework, publications and thesis is demanding
Private university fees can be high
Access to corporate data for research can be challenging

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public113k to 245k

113k at Open University of Kenya245k at Kenyatta University

Private200k to 333k

200k at Mount Kenya University333k at KCA University

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 244.8K/yr(ku.ac.ke); OUK 337.5K/3=112.5K/yr(ouk.ac.ke); KCA 332.5K Yr1; MKU 200K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. Ford Foundation provides fellowships for research in business and development. Open University of Kenya offers affordable online delivery at KSh 337,500 total.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
Ford Foundation Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
Ford Foundation Fellowship
Fellowship
Researchers in business and development
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: Holder of a Master's degree in a relevant discipline from KCA University or any recognised institution. Must submit a research proposal. At OUK, applicants must hold a relevant Master's degree from a recognised institution.

MBA or MSc in Business Management, Commerce or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
9 units over minimum 3 semesters with assignments and examinations
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Publication20% of the mark
At least 2 papers published in reputable peer-reviewed journals

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at KCA University (School of Business, Department of Business Administration and Management) and the Open University of Kenya. KCA University requires 9 coursework units, 2 peer-reviewed publications and a doctoral thesis. Minimum 3 years, maximum 6 years with possible 1-year extension.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Business Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at think tanks and research institutes
Management Consultant
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consulting on strategy and management
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in business schools
Corporate Executive
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Senior management at corporations

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, management consultants, business researchers and corporate executives. They work in universities, consulting firms, corporate organisations and government agencies.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

A PhD in Business Management is just about running businesses.
The programme covers management theory, research methods, organisational behaviour and strategic analysis.
There is no demand for business management PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's entrepreneurial ecosystem and corporate growth create demand for management scholars.
Business management research is not rigorous.
The programme requires peer-reviewed publications and uses quantitative and qualitative methods.
Only experienced managers study business management PhDs.
The programme attracts researchers, consultants and early-career academics.