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Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities & Social Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Arts and at Kenyatta University through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research across humanities disciplines including literature, philosophy, linguistics, cultural studies and history.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 244,800
Ksh 734,400 to Ksh 1,224,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 288,000
Ksh 864,000 to Ksh 1,440,000 total
Job market
Moderate
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 1,224,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 288,000 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 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 4 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Early Childhood Strategist, at 10 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

The programme addresses Kenya's humanities research and cultural scholarship development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in humanities theory, interdisciplinary research methods, literary studies, philosophical inquiry, linguistic analysis, cultural studies, African studies, postcolonial studies, digital humanities and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original interdisciplinary research that develops humanities insights for Kenya's cultural and intellectual development.

Kenya's cultural heritage preservation, literary production growth, language policy development, philosophical discourse needs, cultural identity formation and the role of humanities in national development create demand for doctoral-level humanities expertise. The programme supports Kenya's cultural and intellectual development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, the Faculty of Arts offers PhD by thesis. At KU, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences offers PhD at KSh 244,800/year for East Africans.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, humanities researchers, cultural consultants, policy analysts and writers. They work in universities, Ministry of Culture, National Museums of Kenya, media organisations and research institutes.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Humanities Theory and Interdisciplinary Methods
  • Advanced Literary Studies
  • Philosophical Inquiry and Ethics
  • Linguistic Analysis and Language Studies
  • Cultural Studies and Critical Theory
  • African Studies and Postcolonial Discourse
  • Digital Humanities and Computational Methods
  • Heritage Studies and Cultural Preservation
  • Gender Studies in Humanities
  • Research Methods in Humanities

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Humanities Theory and Interdisciplinary Methods

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Theory and methods in humanities, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.

  • Advanced Literary Studies

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Advanced literary studies, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Philosophical Inquiry and Ethics

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Philosophy and ethics, examining ethical principles, professional conduct, regulatory frameworks, and their application in research and practice.

  • Cultural Studies and Critical Theory

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Cultural studies, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.

  • Digital Humanities and Computational Methods

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Digital humanities, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Research Methods in Humanities

    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

  • Digital Humanities

    Research on digital humanities

  • Cultural Studies

    Research on cultural studies

  • Philosophy

    Research on philosophical inquiry

  • Literary Studies

    Research on literary studies

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting interdisciplinary research, analysing cultural texts, reviewing humanities literature, attending seminars on critical theory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with National Museums, cultural organisations and communities for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Interdisciplinary field with broad research scopeCareer opportunities outside academia are limited
Research contributes to cultural preservation and identityFunding for humanities research is limited
Access to NMK, CODESRIA and cultural organisationsInterdisciplinary research can lack focus

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses
Public192k to 245k
192k at University of Nairobi245k at Kenyatta University
Private170k to 288k
170k at Kenya Methodist University288k 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 (ku.ac.ke). UoN 192K (uonbi.ac.ke). KeMU 170K, Kabarak 288K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. CODESRIA provides research grants. African Humanities Programme offers fellowships.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • CODESRIA Research Grant

  • African Humanities Programme Fellowship

Scholarships

4 recorded

  • African Humanities Programme Fellowship

    Fellowship

    African humanities scholars

  • 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

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 UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution. Faculty of Arts. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

Subject requirements
MA in Humanities, Literature, Philosophy, Linguistics, Cultural Studies or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 4 institutions
January 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

May 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

September 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, research papers 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 University of Nairobi (Faculty of Arts) and Kenyatta University (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, KSh 244,800/year).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • University Professor

    Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in humanities departments

  • Humanities Researcher

    Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Research on humanities topics

  • Cultural Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Consulting on cultural projects

  • Writer and Author

    Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Literary and scholarly writing

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, humanities researchers, cultural consultants and writers. They work at National Museums of Kenya, Ministry of Culture, universities and research institutes.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Humanities is not a real academic discipline.

    The field covers literature, philosophy, linguistics, cultural studies and critical theory with rigorous research methods.

  • There is no demand for humanities PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's cultural development and heritage preservation create demand.

  • Humanities research is purely theoretical.

    The programme uses digital humanities, empirical research and interdisciplinary methods.

  • Only arts graduates study humanities PhDs.

    The programme attracts social scientists, educators and cultural practitioners.

Further reading

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