Media & Communication

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Communication Technology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information and Communication Technology is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT through the School of Computing and Information Technology, at Kenyatta University, and at Maseno University.

It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in ICT, computing and digital technology. The programme addresses Kenya's ICT research and digital economy development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in ICT theory, computer networks, software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, mobile computing, ICT policy and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops ICT innovations for Kenya's digital economy.

Kenya's digital economy growth, Silicon Savannah development, mobile technology innovation, ICT policy development, cybersecurity challenges, AI adoption and the need for computing research create demand for doctoral-level ICT expertise. The programme supports Kenya's digital economy and ICT development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research. At JKUAT, the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT) offers PhD with total cost KSh 681,250 over 3 years. At KU, PhD in ICT-related areas is offered at approximately KSh 281,398/year. At Maseno, ICT is offered through the School of Computing and Informatics.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, ICT researchers, software architects, data scientists and ICT consultants. They work in universities, ICT Authority, technology companies, research institutes and international tech organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 281,398
Private, up to: Ksh 310,000
Job market: High

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

Advanced ICT Theory and Applications
Computer Networks and Distributed Systems
Software Engineering and Architecture
Data Science and Big Data Analytics
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
Cloud Computing and Virtualisation
Mobile Computing and IoT
ICT Policy and Governance
Research Methods in ICT

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced ICT Theory and Applications
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theory and applications of ICT, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Software Engineering and Architecture
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Software engineering, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.
Data Science and Big Data Analytics
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Data science, covering data collection, analysis techniques, and computational tools for managing and interpreting complex datasets.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
AI and ML, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Cybersecurity, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Research Methods in ICT
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

Cybersecurity
Research on cybersecurity
Data Science
Research on data science and analytics
Software Engineering
Research on software engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Research on AI and machine learning

A day as a student

A typical day involves developing algorithms, running computational experiments, analysing data, reviewing ICT literature, attending seminars on computing research, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with ICT Authority, tech companies and innovation hubs for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's digital economy creates strong demand
Access to ICT Authority, tech companies and innovation hubs
Research contributes to digital transformation

Against it

Requires strong programming and mathematical skills
Computing facilities and software licences are expensive
Rapidly evolving field requires continuous learning

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 106 media & communication courses

Public227k to 281k

227k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology281k at Kenyatta University

Private200k to 310k

200k at Strathmore 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 281K, JKUAT 227K/yr (ku.ac.ke, KE guide). Kabarak ~310K (official PDF). Strathmore unverified.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants. Google offers Africa PhD Fellowships for computing research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant
Google Africa PhD Fellowship

Scholarships

4 recorded

NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
Google Africa PhD Fellowship
Fellowship
African computing researchers

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At JKUAT: MSc from JKUAT or recognised institution. SCIT. Total KSh 681,250 over 3 years. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area. KSh 281,398/year. Application fee KSh 3,000. At Maseno: Masters degree from Maseno or recognised institution. School of Computing and Informatics.

MSc in ICT, Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering 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 faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, programming projects and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (SCIT, total KSh 681,250), Kenyatta University (KSh 281,398/year) and Maseno University (School of Computing and Informatics).

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

Data Scientist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Data science at companies and agencies
ICT Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on ICT
Software Architect
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Architecture at tech companies
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in computing departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, ICT researchers, software architects and data scientists. They work at ICT Authority, technology companies, research institutes and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

ICT is just about programming.
The field covers networks, AI, cybersecurity, data science, cloud computing and ICT policy.
There is no demand for ICT PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's Silicon Savannah and digital economy create strong demand.
ICT research is purely practical.
The programme uses mathematical modelling, algorithm design, statistical analysis and empirical research.
Only computer scientists study ICT PhDs.
The programme attracts engineers, mathematicians and business analysts.