Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Distance Education

The Doctor of Philosophy in Distance Education is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Educational Studies and the Faculty of Education. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in distance education, open learning and e-learning. The programme addresses Kenya's growing distance education sector and the need for quality online and open learning research.

Students engage with advanced topics in distance education theory, instructional design for distance learning, e-learning technologies, open educational resources, distance education policy, quality assurance in distance education, learner support systems, assessment in distance education, comparative distance education and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops distance education insights for Kenya's education sector.

Kenya's growing online learning sector, the expansion of open and distance learning (ODL) programmes, the need for quality assurance in e-learning, digital transformation in education and the Open University of Kenya create demand for doctoral-level distance education expertise. The programme supports Kenya's education sector digital transformation goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research at UoN. The programme is offered through the Department of Educational Studies with code L80, duration 3 years. Tuition is KSh 108,700/year with Year 1 total KSh 158,700, Year 2 and 3 KSh 141,700/year, total approximately KSh 442,100 over 3 years. Statutory charges of KSh 29,000 are payable on acceptance of provisional registration.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, distance education researchers, e-learning specialists, instructional designers and educational technology consultants. They work in universities, Open University of Kenya, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Ministry of Education and e-learning organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in education, educational technology, distance learning or related fields who wish to contribute original research to distance education.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 310,200
Job market: Moderate

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: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Distance Education Theory and Practice
Instructional Design for Distance Learning
E-Learning Technologies and Platforms
Open Educational Resources
Distance Education Policy and Governance
Quality Assurance in Distance Education
Learner Support Systems in ODL
Assessment and Evaluation in Distance Education
Comparative Distance Education
Research Methods in Distance Education

Modules

8 in the programme

Distance Education Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theory and practice of distance education, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Instructional Design for Distance Learning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Design of distance learning instruction, covering design principles, methodologies, and practical approaches to creating effective solutions in professional contexts.
E-Learning Technologies and Platforms
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Technologies for e-learning, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Quality Assurance in Distance Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Quality assurance in ODL, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Learner Support Systems in ODL
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Support systems for distance learners, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Distance Education
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

Instructional Design
Research on instructional design for ODL
Quality Assurance
Research on quality assurance in distance education
Open Educational Resources
Research on open educational resources
E-Learning
Research on e-learning technologies

A day as a student

A typical day involves designing and testing e-learning materials, analysing distance education data, reviewing ODL literature, attending seminars on distance education, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Open University of Kenya, KICD and e-learning platforms for research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's growing ODL sector and Open University create demand
Access to KICD, OUK and KENET for research
Research contributes to digital transformation in education

Against it

Requires understanding of both education and technology
E-learning platforms and tools can be expensive
Rapidly evolving technology requires continuous learning

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public159k to 245k

159k at University of Nairobi245k at Kenyatta University

Private250k to 310k

250k at Mount Kenya University310k 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 ~158,700/yr thesis-only (edustudies.uonbi.ac.ke). KU ~244,800/yr. Kabarak ~310,200, MKU ~250,000/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. UNESCO provides research grants for education research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
UNESCO Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
UNESCO Research Grant
Grant
Education researchers
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: Masters degree in Education or related field from UoN or recognised institution. Application through Department of Educational Studies. Duration 3 years. Statutory charges KSh 29,000 on acceptance.

MEd/Masters in Education, Distance Education, Educational Technology 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
Assignments, instructional design projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Educational Studies, code L80, 3 years). Tuition KSh 108,700/year, total approximately KSh 442,100. Statutory charges KSh 29,000 on acceptance.

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

University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in education departments
Instructional Designer
High demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Design at e-learning organisations
E-Learning Specialist
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
E-learning at universities and OUK
Distance Education Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research on distance education

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, distance education researchers, e-learning specialists and instructional designers. They work at universities, Open University of Kenya, KICD, Ministry of Education and e-learning organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Distance education is just about online courses.
The field covers instructional design, e-learning technologies, quality assurance, learner support and policy.
There is no demand for distance education PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's growing ODL sector and Open University create demand.
Distance education research is purely practical.
The programme includes theory, policy analysis and empirical research.
Only IT professionals study distance education PhDs.
The programme attracts educators, administrators and instructional designers.