Social Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in development studies, development policy and social change. The programme addresses Kenya's development challenges including poverty, inequality, governance and sustainable development.

Students engage with advanced topics in development theory, development economics, governance and development, rural development, urban development, gender and development, poverty analysis, climate change and development, project planning and management, and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops development insights for Kenya's social and economic challenges.

Kenya's development challenges including poverty, regional inequality, governance issues, youth unemployment, climate change vulnerability and the need for evidence-based development policy create demand for doctoral-level development studies expertise. The programme supports Kenya's development planning and Vision 2030 goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Nairobi. Application fee is KSh 5,000. Prospective applicants must be cleared by IDS before formal application to the Graduate School. The IDS is a leading development research institute in Eastern Africa.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, development researchers, policy analysts, development consultants and programme managers. They work in universities, Ministry of Planning, international development organisations, NGOs, think tanks and research institutes.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in development studies, economics, sociology, political science or related fields who wish to contribute original research to development studies.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 285,333
Private, up to: Ksh 333,533
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

Development Theory and Paradigms
Development Economics and Policy
Governance and Development
Rural Development and Livelihoods
Urban Development and Planning
Gender and Development
Poverty Analysis and Measurement
Climate Change and Development
Project Planning and Management
Research Methods in Development Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

Development Theory and Paradigms
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical approaches to development, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Development Economics and Policy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Economics of development, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Governance and Development
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Governance in development, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Poverty Analysis and Measurement
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Analysis and measurement of poverty, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Project Planning and Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Planning and management of development projects, requiring students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, conduct independent research, and present findings in a scholarly format.
Research Methods in Development Studies
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
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 and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.

Specialisations

Gender and Development
Research on gender and development
Rural Development
Research on rural development
Poverty and Inequality
Research on poverty and inequality
Governance and Development
Research on governance and development

A day as a student

A typical day involves analysing development data, reviewing development policy documents, conducting field research in communities, attending seminars on development theory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with IDS, Ministry of Planning, UNDP and World Bank for development research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's development challenges and Vision 2030 create strong demand
Access to IDS, UNDP, World Bank and KIPPRA in Nairobi
Research directly impacts development policy and practice

Against it

Field research in rural areas can be logistically challenging
Requires interdisciplinary knowledge of economics, politics and sociology
Development research can be politically sensitive

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public248k to 285k

248k at Egerton University285k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 334k

200k at Mount Kenya University334k at Kabarak 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

UoN 285K/yr avg (ids.uonbi.ac.ke). Egerton 248K/yr (egerton.ac.ke). MKU 200K/yr. Kabarak 334K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. UNDP and World Bank may provide research grants. CODESRIA provides research grants for social science research in Africa.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
UNDP Research Grant
CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

4 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
UNDP Research Grant
Grant
Development researchers
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Social science researchers in Africa

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN IDS: Prospective applicants must submit a concept note and be cleared by IDS before formal application to Graduate School. Application fee KSh 5,000. Masters degree in relevant field from UoN or recognised institution.

MA/MSc in Development Studies, Economics, Sociology, Political Science or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, policy analysis projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Institute of Development Studies, application fee KSh 5,000). IDS is a leading development research institute in Eastern Africa. Prospective applicants must be cleared by IDS before formal application.

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

Development Researcher
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Research at IDS and KIPPRA
Development Consultant
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Consulting at UNDP, World Bank and NGOs
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in development studies
Policy Analyst
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Policy analysis at Ministry of Planning

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, development researchers, policy analysts and development consultants. They work at IDS, Ministry of Planning, UNDP, World Bank, KIPPRA and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Development studies is just about charity work.
The field covers development theory, economics, governance, poverty analysis and policy research.
There is no demand for development studies PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's development challenges and Vision 2030 create strong demand.
Development research is purely qualitative.
The programme uses economic analysis, statistical methods and empirical research.
Only social workers study development PhDs.
The programme attracts economists, political scientists and planners.