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Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations

The Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Diplomacy and International Studies (IDIS) and at USIU-Africa. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in international relations, diplomacy and global governance. The programme addresses Kenya's international relations research and diplomatic development needs.

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 378,000
Ksh 1,134,000 to Ksh 1,890,000 total
Job market
High
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 378,000 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 5 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Adolescent Mentorship Officer, at 14 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

Students engage with advanced topics in international relations theory, diplomatic studies, international law, international political economy, global governance, foreign policy analysis, conflict and security studies, regional integration, international development and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops IR insights for Kenya's foreign policy and diplomatic engagement.

Kenya's diplomatic engagement, regional leadership in East Africa, UN headquarters in Nairobi, peacekeeping contributions, regional integration through EAC and the need for foreign policy research create demand for doctoral-level international relations expertise. The programme supports Kenya's diplomatic and foreign policy goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, IDIS offers PhD in International Studies with specialisation in Diplomacy, International Relations, International Law, International Economics and International Politics. Total fees for PhD by thesis is KSh 450,000.

Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. At USIU-Africa, PhD in International Relations is offered through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, IR researchers, diplomatic advisors, foreign policy analysts and international consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN agencies, think tanks and international organisations.

What you study

10 subjects
  • International Relations Theory
  • Diplomatic Studies and Practice
  • International Law and Organisations
  • International Political Economy
  • Global Governance and Multilateralism
  • Foreign Policy Analysis
  • Conflict, Security and Peace Studies
  • Regional Integration and African Diplomacy
  • International Development Cooperation
  • Research Methods in International Relations

Modules

8 in the programme

  • International Relations Theory

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Diplomatic Studies and Practice

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • International Political Economy

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    International political economy, covering political theories, governance frameworks, and their application in public administration.

  • Global Governance and Multilateralism

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Global governance, covering political theories, governance frameworks, and their application in public administration.

  • Regional Integration and African Diplomacy

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • Research Methods in International Relations

    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

  • Diplomacy

    Research on diplomatic studies

  • Regional Integration

    Research on regional integration

  • Security Studies

    Research on conflict and security

  • International Law

    Research on international law

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting IR research, analysing foreign policy data, reviewing international relations literature, attending seminars on diplomacy, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN agencies and think tanks for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's diplomatic engagement and UN presence create strong demandPolitical research can be sensitive
Access to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN and EACFunding for IR research can be limited
Research contributes to foreign policy and diplomacyAccessing diplomatic data can be challenging

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
Public150k to 245k
150k at University of Nairobi245k at Kenyatta University
Private288k to 378k
288k at Kabarak University378k at United States International University Africa

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

USIU PhD IR 378K/yr (eafinder). Kabarak 288K/yr. KU 244.8K (ku.ac.ke). UoN unverified.

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

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • CODESRIA Research Grant

  • AU Research Grant

Scholarships

4 recorded

  • CODESRIA Research Grant

    Grant

    Social science researchers in Africa

  • AU Research Grant

    Grant

    African researchers

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

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 with specialisation in Diplomacy, IR, International Law, International Economics or International Politics. IDIS. Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. Total KSh 450,000. At USIU-Africa: Masters degree from USIU or recognised institution.

Subject requirements
MA in International Relations, Diplomacy, International Studies, Political Science or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 5 institutions
January 20275 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

May 20275 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

September 20275 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

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, policy 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 (IDIS, PhD in International Studies, total KSh 450,000) and USIU-Africa (PhD in International Relations). IDIS offers specialisations in Diplomacy, IR, International Law, International Economics and International Politics.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Diplomatic Advisor

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Advisor at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  • Foreign Policy Analyst

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Analysis at think tanks and government

  • IR Researcher

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Research on international relations

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in IR departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, IR researchers, diplomatic advisors and foreign policy analysts. They work at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN agencies, EAC, AU and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • International relations is just about diplomacy.

    The field covers IR theory, international law, political economy, security studies and global governance.

  • There is no demand for IR PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's diplomatic engagement and UN presence create strong demand.

  • IR research is purely theoretical.

    The programme uses empirical research, case studies, policy analysis and comparative methods.

  • Only political scientists study IR PhDs.

    The programme attracts lawyers, economists, historians and development practitioners.

Further reading

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