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Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Planning

The Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Planning is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Educational Administration and Planning, at Kenyatta University, and at Maseno University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in educational administration, leadership and planning. The programme addresses Kenya's education sector management and planning challenges.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 320,000
Ksh 960,000 to Ksh 1,600,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 310,200
Ksh 930,600 to Ksh 1,551,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 320,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 960,000 to Ksh 1,600,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 310,200 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, evening, weekend, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 6 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Early Childhood Strategist, at 10 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

Students engage with advanced topics in educational administration theory, educational leadership, education planning, education policy analysis, human resource management in education, financial management in education, strategic planning in education, education governance, comparative educational administration and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops administration and planning insights for Kenya's education sector.

Kenya's education sector management needs, school leadership development, education planning for expanding access, county-level education management and the demand for evidence-based education administration create demand for doctoral-level educational administration and planning expertise. The programme supports Kenya's education sector management goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Educational Administration and Planning offers PhD with tuition at KSh 288,000/year, total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years. Applicants must have at least 3 years working experience. At KU, the programme is offered through the School of Education with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans. At Maseno, PhD in Educational Administration is offered.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, education administrators, school inspectors, education planners and policy analysts. They work in universities, Ministry of Education, TSC, county governments and international education organisations.

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

What you study

10 subjects
  • Educational Administration Theory
  • Educational Leadership and Management
  • Education Planning and Policy
  • Human Resource Management in Education
  • Financial Management in Education
  • Strategic Planning in Education
  • Education Governance and Accountability
  • Comparative Educational Administration
  • School Effectiveness and Improvement
  • Research Methods in Educational Administration

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Educational Administration Theory

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Theory of educational administration, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.

  • Educational Leadership and Management

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Leadership and management in education, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.

  • Education Planning and Policy

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Planning and policy in education, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.

  • Human Resource Management in Education

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    HR management in education, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.

  • Strategic Planning in Education

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Strategic planning for education, covering planning theories, methodologies, and practical approaches to strategic and spatial planning in professional contexts.

  • Research Methods in Educational Administration

    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

  • Educational Leadership

    Research on educational leadership

  • Education Governance

    Research on education governance

  • Education Planning

    Research on education planning

  • School Improvement

    Research on school effectiveness and improvement

A day as a student

A typical day involves analysing education management data, reviewing administration literature, conducting school leadership research, attending seminars on educational management, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Education, TSC, KEMI and schools for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's education sector management needs create strong demandRequires work experience (3 years at UoN)
Access to KEMI, TSC and Ministry of Education for researchSchool-based research requires coordination with schools
Research directly impacts education management and qualityAdministration 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 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

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

At UoN: Masters degree from UoN in areas relevant to Department of Educational Administration and Planning or recognised institution. At least 3 years working experience required. 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 Maseno: Masters degree from Maseno or recognised institution.

Subject requirements
MEd/Masters in Education, Educational Administration, Educational Management or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 6 institutions
January 20276 institutions

Including Kaimosi Friends University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Maseno University.

May 20276 institutions

Including Kaimosi Friends University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Maseno University.

September 20276 institutions

Including Kaimosi Friends University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Maseno University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, management projects and seminar presentations

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Educational Administration and Planning, total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years, 3 years working experience required), Kenyatta University (KSh 244,800/year) and Maseno University.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • School Inspector

    Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Inspection at Ministry of Education

  • Education Administrator

    High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Administration at Ministry of Education

  • Education Planner

    High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Planning at Ministry of Education

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in education departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, education administrators, education planners and policy analysts. They work at Ministry of Education, TSC, KEMI, county governments and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Educational administration is just about being a headteacher.

    The field covers leadership theory, planning, HR management, finance, governance and policy.

  • There is no demand for educational administration PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's education sector management needs create strong demand.

  • Administration research is purely practical.

    The programme uses organisational theory, policy analysis and empirical research.

  • Only headteachers study administration PhDs.

    The programme attracts education officers, planners and policymakers.

Further reading

Read next