Social Sciences

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.

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.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 378,000
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

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 favour

Kenya's diplomatic engagement and UN presence create strong demand
Access to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN and EAC
Research contributes to foreign policy and diplomacy

Against it

Political research can be sensitive
Funding for IR research can be limited
Accessing 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

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
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.

MA in International Relations, Diplomacy, International Studies, Political Science or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

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

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.

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

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

Industry links

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.