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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.

Duration
3-4 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 244,800
Ksh 734,400 to Ksh 979,200 total
Private tuition
Ksh 310,200
Ksh 930,600 to Ksh 1,240,800 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 244,800 a year at a public institution, Ksh 734,400 to Ksh 979,200 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 3-4 years, full-time, part-time, evening, weekend, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 7 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Adolescent Mentorship Officer, at 14 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 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.

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 favourAgainst it
Kenya's startup ecosystem creates strong research and career opportunitiesBalancing research with business or work commitments
Evening and weekend modes provide flexibilityAccess to enterprise data can be challenging
Research directly informs enterprise development policyEntrepreneurship 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

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 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.

Subject requirements
MBA or Masters degree in Business, Entrepreneurship or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 7 institutions
January 20277 institutions

Including Maseno University, Moi University, Karatina University.

May 20277 institutions

Including Maseno University, Moi University, Karatina University.

September 20277 institutions

Including Maseno University, Moi University, Karatina 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

  • 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 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.

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

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.

Further reading

Read next