Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

The Doctor of Philosophy in Education is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Education, at Kenyatta University through the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, at Maseno University, at Moi University, and at Mount Kenya University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research across the broad field of education. The programme addresses Kenya's education sector development needs including quality, access, equity and management.

Students engage with advanced topics in educational theory, research methods in education, educational philosophy, sociology of education, comparative education, education policy, curriculum studies, educational psychology, educational measurement and evaluation, and educational technology. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops education insights for Kenya's education sector.

Kenya's education reforms including the CBC, the expansion of education access, teacher professional development, education quality improvement and the need for evidence-based education policy create demand for doctoral-level education expertise. The programme supports Kenya's education sector development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, the Faculty of Education offers PhD in Education with tuition at KSh 288,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 320,000, total programme KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years. At KU, the School of Education offers PhD with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans. At MKU, PhD in Education costs KSh 250,000/year. At Maseno, the School of Education offers multiple PhD specialisations.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, educational researchers, education policy analysts, teacher educators and education consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Education, KICD, TSC, KNEC and international education organisations.

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

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 320,000
Private, up to: Ksh 310,200
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Evening, Weekend
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 8 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Theory and Philosophy
Research Methods in Education
Sociology of Education
Comparative and International Education
Education Policy and Reform
Curriculum Studies and Development
Educational Psychology
Educational Measurement and Evaluation
Educational Technology and Innovation
Education and Development

Modules

8 in the programme

Educational Theory and Philosophy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theory and philosophy of education, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Research Methods in Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Sociology of Education
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Sociological perspectives on education, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Comparative and International Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Comparative education studies, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Education Policy and Reform
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Policy and reform in education, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Educational Measurement and Evaluation
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Measurement and evaluation in education, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.
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

Curriculum Studies
Research on curriculum studies
Educational Psychology
Research on educational psychology
Comparative Education
Research on comparative education
Education Policy
Research on education policy

A day as a student

A typical day involves analysing education data, reviewing education literature, designing research instruments, attending seminars on education theory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Education, KICD, schools and TSC for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's education reforms create strong demand
Access to KICD, TSC, KNEC and UNESCO for research
Research directly impacts education quality and policy

Against it

School-based research requires coordination with schools
Education research can be politically sensitive
Broad field requires choosing a specific specialisation

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

Public245k to 320k

245k at Kenyatta University320k at University of Nairobi

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 ~320,000/yr (education.uonbi.ac.ke). KU ~244,800, Egerton ~251,900/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

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

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: Masters in Education from UoN or recognised institution. Total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000. At MKU: Masters degree recognised by MKU Senate. KSh 250,000/year. At Maseno: Masters degree from Maseno or recognised institution.

MEd/Masters in Education 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, research 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 (Faculty of Education, total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years), Kenyatta University (KSh 244,800/year), Maseno University, Moi University and Mount Kenya University (KSh 250,000/year).

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

Teacher Educator
High demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Training teachers at universities and colleges
Education Policy Analyst
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Policy at Ministry of Education
Educational Researcher
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at education research institutes
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in education departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, educational researchers, education policy analysts and teacher educators. They work at universities, Ministry of Education, KICD, TSC, KNEC and international education organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

PhD in Education is just about teaching.
The field covers philosophy, sociology, policy, curriculum, psychology, measurement and comparative education.
There is no demand for education PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's education reforms and sector development create strong demand.
Education research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses empirical research, statistics and policy analysis.
Only teachers study education PhDs.
The programme attracts administrators, policymakers and researchers.