Arts & Humanities

Doctor of Philosophy in History

The Doctor of Philosophy in History is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of History and Archaeology, at Kenyatta University, at Maseno University, and at Karatina University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in historical studies, historiography and historical methodology. The programme addresses Kenya's historical research and heritage documentation needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in historiography, historical methodology, African history, Kenyan history, economic history, social history, political history, oral history, archival studies and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops historical insights for Kenya's heritage and understanding.

Kenya's rich historical heritage, the need for documented national history, post-colonial historiography, oral tradition preservation, archaeological research and the growth of heritage studies create demand for doctoral-level history expertise. The programme supports Kenya's heritage preservation and historical scholarship goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of History and Archaeology offers PhD in History (C807) as a taught PhD with coursework and thesis. Tuition is KSh 192,000/year, total KSh 712,000 over 3 years. Minimum 6 semesters, maximum 10 semesters full-time.

At KU, PhD in History is offered at KSh 244,800/year. At Maseno, application fee KSh 2,000. At Karatina, Masters degree in History plus one publication required.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, history researchers, archivists, heritage consultants and policy analysts. They work in universities, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya National Archives, Ministry of Culture and research organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 155,100
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: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Historiography and Historical Theory
Historical Research Methodology
African History and Historiography
Kenyan History and Nationalism
Economic History of Africa
Social and Cultural History
Political History and Governance
Oral History and Memory Studies
Archival Studies and Documentation
Research Methods in History

Modules

8 in the programme

Historiography and Historical Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Historiography and theory, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
African History and Historiography
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
African history, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
Economic History of Africa
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Economic history, covering economic theories, analytical frameworks, and their application to policy and decision-making in the field.
Social and Cultural History
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Social and cultural history, examining social theories, cultural dynamics, and their implications for research and professional practice.
Oral History and Memory Studies
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Oral history, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
Research Methods in History
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

Economic History
Research on economic history
African History
Research on African history
Political History
Research on political history
Oral History
Research on oral history and memory

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting archival research, collecting oral histories, analysing historical documents, reviewing historiography, attending seminars on historical research, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting Kenya National Archives, NMK and field sites for research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's rich heritage provides research opportunities
Access to Kenya National Archives and NMK
Research contributes to national heritage preservation

Against it

Career opportunities outside academia are limited
Funding for humanities research is limited
Archival access can be restricted

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public219k to 245k

219k at Chuka University245k at Kenyatta University

Private124k to 155k

124k at Mount Kenya University155k at Kenya Methodist 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, Chuka 218.5K/yr (chuka.ac.ke). KeMU, MKU unverified.

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

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Social science 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 UoN: MA in History from UoN or recognised institution. Taught PhD with coursework and thesis. C807. Total KSh 712,000. Minimum 6 semesters. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area. KSh 244,800/year. At Maseno: Masters degree. Application fee KSh 2,000. At Karatina: Masters in History plus one publication. At Chuka: Masters degree from recognised institution. KSh 119,250/semester.

MA in History or related discipline from recognised university
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, research papers and seminar presentations
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 University of Nairobi (Department of History and Archaeology, C807, taught PhD, total KSh 712,000), Kenyatta University (KSh 244,800/year), Maseno University (application fee KSh 2,000), Karatina University (requires one publication) and Chuka University (KSh 119,250/semester).

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

History Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Research on historical topics
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in history departments
Heritage Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Heritage at NMK and Ministry of Culture
Archivist
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Archives at Kenya National Archives

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, history researchers, archivists and heritage consultants. They work at Kenya National Archives, National Museums of Kenya, Ministry of Culture and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

History is just about memorising dates.
The field covers historiography, economic history, social history, oral history and archival studies.
There is no demand for history PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's heritage preservation and national documentation needs create demand.
History research is purely archival.
The programme uses oral history, archaeology, digital humanities and interdisciplinary methods.
Only history teachers study this PhD.
The programme attracts archaeologists, cultural heritage specialists and policy analysts.