Business

Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship

The Doctor of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Business, Economics and Tourism, and at JKUAT through the School of Business and Economics. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in entrepreneurship, innovation and enterprise development. The programme addresses Kenya's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the need for evidence-based enterprise development policy.

Students engage with advanced topics in entrepreneurship theory, innovation management, venture creation, enterprise growth, entrepreneurial finance, social entrepreneurship, corporate entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems, family business and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops entrepreneurship innovations and insights for Kenya's enterprise development.

Kenya's position as a startup hub, the growth of SMEs, the M-Pesa innovation ecosystem and government support for entrepreneurship create demand for doctoral-level entrepreneurship expertise. The programme supports Kenya's enterprise development and innovation agenda under Vision 2030.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, examination and thesis. At Kenyatta University, the programme is offered through the School of Business, Economics and Tourism in Regular and Part-Time (evening and weekend) modes. Annual fees are KSh 244,800 for East Africans and KSh 306,000 for non-East Africans. At JKUAT, application fee is KSh 1,500.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, entrepreneurship researchers, enterprise development consultants, innovation managers and policy analysts. They work in universities, business schools, entrepreneurship hubs, government agencies, NGOs and international development organisations.

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

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
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

Entrepreneurship Theory
Innovation Management
Venture Creation and Growth
Entrepreneurial Finance
Social Entrepreneurship
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Family Business Research
Research Methods in Business
Enterprise Development Policy

Modules

8 in the programme

Entrepreneurship Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of entrepreneurship, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Innovation Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Management of innovation in organisations, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Venture Creation and Growth
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Research on venture creation and scaling, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Entrepreneurial Finance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Financing of entrepreneurial ventures, covering financial theories, analytical tools, and their application in investment and risk management.
Social Entrepreneurship
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Entrepreneurship for social impact, examining social theories, cultural dynamics, and their implications for research and professional practice.
Research Methods in Business
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for business research, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research.
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

Entrepreneurial Finance
Research on financing entrepreneurial ventures
Social Entrepreneurship
Research on social enterprise and impact
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Research on entrepreneurship in corporations
Family Business
Research on family business dynamics

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing entrepreneurship literature, analysing enterprise data, developing research frameworks, attending seminars on entrepreneurship theory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with startup hubs, SMEs and business associations for field research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's startup ecosystem creates strong research and career opportunities
Evening and weekend modes provide flexibility
Research directly informs enterprise development policy

Against it

Balancing research with business or work commitments
Access to enterprise data can be challenging
Entrepreneurship research is still developing in Kenya

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public205k to 245k

205k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology245k at Kenyatta University

Private200k to 310k

200k 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

KU 244.8K/yr(ku.ac.ke); JKUAT 205K self-spon(kenyaeducationguide); Kabarak 310.2K; MKU 200K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. African Development Bank may provide grants for enterprise development research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
African Development Bank Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
African Development Bank Grant
Grant
Enterprise development researchers in Africa
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At KU: Holder of non-executive MBA or equivalent in Business from KU or recognised institution; or Masters degree from KU in areas relevant to Business disciplines. At JKUAT: Masters degree in relevant field from recognised university. Application fee KSh 1,500.

MBA or Masters degree in Business, Entrepreneurship 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 school panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, case studies and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Business, Economics and Tourism) as a specialisation within PhD in Business, and at JKUAT (School of Business and Economics, Karen Campus). KU programme offers Regular and Part-Time (evening & weekend) modes. Application fee at JKUAT KSh 1,500.

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

University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in business schools
Enterprise Development Consultant
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 450,000
Consulting on enterprise development
Innovation Manager
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Managing innovation at companies and hubs
Entrepreneurship Researcher
High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research on entrepreneurship and innovation

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, entrepreneurship researchers, enterprise development consultants and innovation managers. They work in universities, business schools, entrepreneurship hubs and government agencies.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Entrepreneurship is just about starting businesses.
The field covers innovation theory, venture finance, social entrepreneurship, ecosystems and policy.
There is no demand for entrepreneurship PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's startup ecosystem and SME growth create demand for entrepreneurship research.
Entrepreneurship research is not rigorous.
The programme uses empirical methods, case study research and quantitative analysis.
Only entrepreneurs study entrepreneurship PhDs.
The programme attracts business researchers, policy analysts and innovation managers.