Art and Design

Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Art

The Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Art is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Visual and Performing Arts. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in fine art, visual arts and artistic practice. The programme addresses Kenya's growing creative economy and the need for advanced artistic research and scholarship.

Students engage with advanced topics in art theory and criticism, visual culture studies, contemporary art practices, African art history, studio research methods, art and technology, curatorial studies, public art, art entrepreneurship and research methods in fine art. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops artistic and scholarly insights for Kenya's creative economy.

Kenya's growing creative economy, the expansion of the Nairobi art scene, the international recognition of Kenyan artists and the need for art education and research create demand for doctoral-level fine art expertise. The programme supports Kenya's creative economy development and cultural expression goals.

Teaching is delivered through studio practice, coursework and supervised research at Kenyatta University. The School of Visual and Performing Arts offers the programme with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans. Application fee is KSh 3,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, art researchers, curators, art critics and creative entrepreneurs. They work in universities, museums, galleries, cultural institutions and creative industries.

The programme is ideal for practising artists and scholars with backgrounds in fine art, visual arts, art history or related fields who wish to contribute original research to fine art.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 512,000
Private, up to: Ksh 317,200
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: 3 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Art Theory and Criticism
Visual Culture Studies
Contemporary Art Practices
African Art History
Studio Research Methods
Art and Technology
Curatorial Studies
Public Art and Community Engagement
Art Entrepreneurship
Research Methods in Fine Art

Modules

8 in the programme

Art Theory and Criticism
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical approaches to art criticism, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Visual Culture Studies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Study of visual culture, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Contemporary Art Practices
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Current practices in contemporary art, covering artistic principles, creative methodologies, and their application in cultural production and research.
African Art History
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
History of African art, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
Curatorial Studies
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Theory and practice of curating, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Fine Art
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

Sculpture
Research on sculpture and three-dimensional art
Curatorial Studies
Research on curatorial practice
Painting and Drawing
Research on painting and drawing practices
Art History
Research on art history

A day as a student

A typical day involves studio practice and art production, reviewing art theory and criticism, curating exhibitions, attending seminars on visual culture, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with galleries, museums and art collectives for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's growing creative economy creates opportunities
Access to Nairobi's vibrant art scene and galleries
Research contributes to African art scholarship

Against it

Career opportunities outside academia are limited
Limited funding for art research in Kenya
Studio space and materials can be expensive

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 73 art and design courses

Public275k to 512k

275k at Kenyatta University512k at University of Nairobi

Private170k to 317k

170k at Kenya Methodist University317k 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 512K arts-design.uonbi.ac.ke. KU 275K ku.ac.ke. KeMU 170K eafinder, Kabarak 317K kabarak.ac.ke

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. CODESRIA provides research grants for humanities research in Africa.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Humanities researchers in Africa
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
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: Masters degree in relevant area from KU or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 3,000. The School of Visual and Performing Arts offers the programme.

MA/MFA in Fine Art, Visual Arts, Art History or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

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

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Visual and Performing Arts). KU fees KSh 244,800/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

Art Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Research on art and visual culture
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in art departments
Art Critic
Low demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 320,000
Art criticism for publications
Curator
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 350,000
Curating at museums and galleries

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, art researchers, curators and art critics. They work at universities, National Museums of Kenya, galleries and cultural institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Fine art PhD is just about painting.
The field covers art theory, visual culture, curatorial studies, art history and research methods.
There is no demand for fine art PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's growing creative economy creates demand for art scholarship.
Art research is purely practical.
The programme includes theoretical research, criticism and cultural studies.
Only artists study fine art PhDs.
The programme attracts curators, critics, historians and cultural entrepreneurs.