Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management and Policy

The Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management and Policy is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the Department of Educational Management and Policy in the School of Education. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in educational management, policy analysis and institutional leadership. The programme addresses Kenya's need for evidence-based educational management and policy research.

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

Kenya's education sector management challenges, the need for efficient resource utilisation in schools and universities, and the demand for evidence-based education policy create demand for doctoral-level educational management and policy expertise. The programme supports Kenya's education sector management and governance goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, examination and thesis at Kenyatta University. The programme is a three-year full-time or four-year part-time programme. Annual fees are KSh 244,800 for East Africans and KSh 306,000 for non-East Africans. Application fee is KSh 3,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, education managers, policy analysts, school administrators and education consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission, Kenya Education Management Institute and educational institutions.

The programme is ideal for experienced education administrators and managers who wish to contribute original research to educational management and policy.

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 320,000
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: 8 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Management Theory
Education Policy Analysis
Financial Management in Education
Human Resource Management in Education
Institutional Leadership and Governance
Education Planning and Development
Quality Assurance in Education
Research Methods in Educational Management
Comparative Education Management
Education Governance and Accountability

Modules

8 in the programme

Educational Management Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of educational management, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Education Policy Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Analysis of education policy, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Financial Management in Education
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Financial management of educational institutions, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
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.
Quality Assurance in Education
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Quality assurance in educational institutions, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Research Methods in Educational Management
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

Education Policy
Research on education policy
Financial Management in Education
Research on financial management
Quality Assurance
Research on quality assurance in education
Education Governance
Research on education governance

A day as a student

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

The trade offs

In its favour

KU Department of Educational Management and Policy is well-established
Kenya's education sector creates demand for management expertise
Research informs education management and policy

Against it

Career opportunities outside education are limited
Limited funding for education management research
Requires experience in education administration

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. African Union provides research grants for education 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 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. The PhD programme is 3-year full-time or 4-year part-time. Application fee KSh 3,000.

Masters degree in Education, Educational Management or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

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
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, management projects and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (Department of Educational Management and Policy, School of Education) as a 3-year full-time or 4-year part-time programme. KU fees KSh 244,800/year. Also available at Egerton University (KSh 200,000/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

Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Policy analysis at Ministry of Education
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in education departments
School Administrator
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 350,000
Administration in schools and colleges
Education Manager
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Management at educational institutions

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, education managers, policy analysts and school administrators. They work at KU, Ministry of Education, TSC, KEMI and educational institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Educational management is just about being a principal.
The field covers policy analysis, financial management, HR management, governance and quality assurance.
There is no demand for educational management PhDs.
Kenya's education sector management challenges create demand for management expertise.
Educational management research is purely practical.
The programme uses policy analysis, comparative research and empirical methods.
Only school administrators study educational management PhDs.
The programme attracts education officers, policy analysts and university administrators.