Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Guidance and Counselling

The Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Guidance and Counselling is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, and at the University of Nairobi. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in educational guidance, counselling psychology and student support services. The programme addresses Kenya's growing need for mental health support in schools and counselling expertise in the education system.

Students engage with advanced topics in counselling theory, career guidance and development, mental health in education, counselling psychology, group counselling, family counselling in educational contexts, crisis intervention in schools, research methods in counselling, assessment in guidance and counselling, and counselling ethics. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops guidance and counselling insights for Kenya's education system.

Kenya's increasing focus on student mental health, the rise of school-based counselling needs, career guidance demands under CBC and the growing recognition of psychological support in education create demand for doctoral-level guidance and counselling expertise. The programme supports Kenya's student wellbeing and mental health goals in education.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At KU, the programme is offered through the School of Education with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans and KSh 306,000 for non-East Africans. Application fee is KSh 3,000. At UoN, the programme is offered through the School of Education at Kikuyu Campus.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, counselling researchers, school counsellors, guidance programme coordinators and mental health consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Education, schools, Teachers Service Commission and counselling organisations.

The programme is ideal for experienced counsellors and educators with backgrounds in guidance and counselling, psychology or education who wish to contribute original research to educational guidance and counselling.

Duration: 3-4 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: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Counselling Theory and Practice
Career Guidance and Development
Mental Health in Education
Counselling Psychology
Group Counselling in Educational Settings
Family Counselling in Educational Contexts
Crisis Intervention in Schools
Assessment in Guidance and Counselling
Research Methods in Counselling
Counselling Ethics and Professional Practice

Modules

8 in the programme

Counselling Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of counselling, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Career Guidance and Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Career guidance theory and practice, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Mental Health in Education
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Mental health issues in educational settings, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Counselling Psychology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Psychological foundations of counselling, covering psychological theories, assessment methods, and their application in clinical and research settings.
Crisis Intervention in Schools
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Crisis intervention and management, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Counselling
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for counselling, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the.
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

Crisis Intervention
Research on crisis intervention in schools
Counselling Psychology
Research on counselling psychology in education
Mental Health in Schools
Research on mental health in educational settings
Career Guidance
Research on career guidance and development

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing counselling literature, conducting counselling research in schools, analysing mental health data, attending seminars on counselling psychology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KCPA and schools for counselling research and practice.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing mental health awareness creates demand for counselling expertise
KCPA provides professional network and recognition
Research directly impacts student wellbeing

Against it

Career opportunities outside education are limited
Research on sensitive topics requires ethical clearance
Limited funding for counselling research in Kenya

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 (uonbi.ac.ke). KU ~244,800/yr. Kabarak ~310,200, MKU ~250,000/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. African Union provides research grants for education and health research in Africa.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
African Union Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
African Union Research Grant
Grant
Education and health 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 KU: Masters degree in relevant area from KU or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution with evidence of counselling training.

Masters degree in Education (Guidance and Counselling), Counselling Psychology 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
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, counselling case studies and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Education and Lifelong Learning) with fees KSh 244,800/year. Also at University of Nairobi (School of Education, Kikuyu Campus). Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association is the professional body for counsellors.

Accredited by

Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association
Professional
Professional body for counsellors and psychologists in Kenya
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 and counselling departments
Counselling Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Research on counselling in educational settings
School Counsellor
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 350,000
Counselling in schools and educational institutions
Guidance Programme Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Coordinating guidance programmes at Ministry of Education

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, counselling researchers, school counsellors and guidance programme coordinators. They work at universities, Ministry of Education, schools and KCPA.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Guidance and counselling is just about giving advice.
The field covers counselling theory, psychology, mental health, crisis intervention and career guidance.
There is no demand for counselling PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's growing mental health awareness creates demand for counselling expertise in schools.
Counselling research is purely qualitative.
The programme uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods including outcome studies.
Only teachers study guidance and counselling PhDs.
The programme attracts psychologists, social workers and mental health practitioners.