Arts & Humanities

Doctor of Philosophy in Innovation and Sustainable Development

The Doctor of Philosophy in Innovation and Technology Management is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT through the College of Engineering and the School of Business. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in innovation management, technology management and entrepreneurship.

The programme addresses Kenya's innovation ecosystem research and technology management development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in innovation theory, technology management, R&D management, entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, technology transfer, intellectual property management, innovation policy, disruptive technologies and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops innovation management insights for Kenya's technology and enterprise development.

Kenya's Silicon Savannah development, innovation hub growth, technology startup ecosystem, R&D commercialisation needs, intellectual property challenges and the national innovation agenda create demand for doctoral-level innovation and technology management expertise. The programme supports Kenya's innovation-driven development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research at JKUAT. The programme is listed as PhD Innovation and Technology Management with total cost KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Application fee is KSh 1,500. Duration is 3-5 years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, innovation researchers, technology managers, R&D consultants and entrepreneurship educators. They work in universities, Kenya National Innovation Agency, tech companies, research institutes and innovation hubs.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 235,244
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
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: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Innovation Theory and Management
Technology Management and Strategy
R&D Management and Commercialisation
Entrepreneurship and Venture Creation
Innovation Ecosystems and Clusters
Technology Transfer and Diffusion
Intellectual Property Management
Innovation Policy and Governance
Disruptive Technologies and Digital Transformation
Research Methods in Innovation Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

Innovation Theory and Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Innovation theory, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Technology Management and Strategy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Technology management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
R&D Management and Commercialisation
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
R&D management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Technology Transfer and Diffusion
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Technology transfer, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Innovation Policy and Governance
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Innovation policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Research Methods in Innovation Studies
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

Entrepreneurship
Research on entrepreneurship
R&D Management
Research on R&D management
Innovation Policy
Research on innovation policy
Technology Transfer
Research on technology transfer

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting innovation research, analysing technology adoption data, reviewing innovation literature, attending seminars on technology management, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Kenya National Innovation Agency, innovation hubs and tech companies for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's innovation agenda creates strong demand
Access to Kenya National Innovation Agency and innovation hubs
Research contributes to innovation-driven development

Against it

Interdisciplinary field requires business and technology knowledge
Industry access for research can be challenging
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 188 arts & humanities courses

Public170k to 235k

170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology235k at Kenyatta University

Private200k to 314k

200k at Strathmore University314k 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

JKUAT ~170K/yr, KU ~235K (ku.ac.ke). Kabarak 313.7K. Strathmore unverified.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At JKUAT: Masters degree from JKUAT or recognised institution. PhD Innovation and Technology Management. Application fee KSh 1,500. Total KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Duration 3-5 years.

Masters degree in relevant field from recognised university
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, case studies and seminar presentations
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

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (PhD Innovation and Technology Management, total KSh 510,500 over 3 years). Kenya National Innovation Agency supports innovation research.

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

University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in business and engineering
Innovation Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on innovation
R&D Consultant
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consulting on R&D projects
Technology Manager
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Technology at companies and agencies

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, innovation researchers, technology managers and R&D consultants. They work at Kenya National Innovation Agency, tech companies, research institutes and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Innovation management is just about startups.
The field covers R&D management, technology transfer, IP management, innovation policy and ecosystems.
There is no demand for innovation PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's Silicon Savannah and innovation agenda create strong demand.
Innovation research is purely practical.
The programme uses empirical research, case studies, statistical analysis and policy analysis.
Only business graduates study this PhD.
The programme attracts engineers, scientists and policy analysts.