Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Planning and Management

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

Students engage with advanced topics in educational planning theory, education sector analysis, resource allocation in education, educational project management, education finance, strategic planning, institutional management, education policy implementation, research methods in educational planning and comparative education planning. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops planning and management insights for Kenya's education system.

Kenya's education sector planning challenges, the need for efficient resource allocation, education finance and the demand for strategic planning in educational institutions create demand for doctoral-level educational planning and management expertise. The programme supports Kenya's education sector planning and resource management 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 offered through the Department of Educational Management and Policy. 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, educational planners, education finance specialists, project managers and education consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Education, county education offices, educational institutions and international education organisations.

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

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: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Planning Theory
Education Sector Analysis
Resource Allocation in Education
Educational Project Management
Education Finance and Economics
Strategic Planning in Education
Institutional Management and Leadership
Education Policy Implementation
Research Methods in Educational Planning
Comparative Education Planning

Modules

8 in the programme

Educational Planning Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of educational planning, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Education Sector Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Analysis of education sector performance, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Resource Allocation in Education
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Resource allocation and budgeting, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Educational Project Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Management of education projects, requiring students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, conduct independent research, and present findings in a scholarly format.
Education Finance and Economics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Economics of education, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Research Methods in Educational Planning
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 Finance
Research on education finance and economics
Strategic Planning
Research on strategic planning in education
Resource Allocation
Research on resource allocation in education
Project Management
Research on education project management

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing educational planning literature, analysing education sector data, conducting research on resource allocation, attending seminars on educational planning, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Education and UNESCO IIEP for planning research.

The trade offs

In its favour

KU Department of Educational Management and Policy is well-established
Access to UNESCO IIEP and World Bank for research
Research informs education sector planning and resource management

Against it

Career opportunities outside education are limited
Requires knowledge of economics and finance
Limited funding for education planning research

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. World Bank provides scholarships for education planning and development research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
World Bank Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
World Bank Scholarship
Scholarship
Education and development researchers

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 Planning, 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
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, planning projects and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

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. Related programmes at UoN and Egerton University.

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

Education Finance Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Finance management in education
Education Project Manager
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Managing education development projects
Educational Planner
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Planning at Ministry of Education
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in education departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, educational planners, education finance specialists and project managers. They work at Ministry of Education, county education offices, universities and international organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Educational planning is just about timetabling.
The field covers sector analysis, resource allocation, finance, project management and strategic planning.
There is no demand for educational planning PhDs.
Kenya's education sector planning and resource management create demand for planning expertise.
Educational planning research is purely administrative.
The programme uses economic analysis, statistical modelling and policy research.
Only education officers study educational planning PhDs.
The programme attracts economists, project managers and policy analysts.