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Doctor of Philosophy in Journalism

The Doctor of Philosophy in Journalism is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and at Kenyatta University through the School of Creative and Performing Arts, Film and Media Studies.

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 310,000
Ksh 930,000 to Ksh 1,550,000 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 310,000 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 2 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

It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in journalism, media studies and mass communication. The programme addresses Kenya's journalism research and media development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in journalism theory, media and society, communication research, digital journalism, media ethics, media law, development communication, political communication, media economics and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops journalism insights for Kenya's media landscape.

Kenya's vibrant media sector, digital media transformation, press freedom challenges, media regulation needs, development communication demands and the growth of media research create demand for doctoral-level journalism expertise. The programme supports Kenya's media development and communication goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At UoN, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication offers PhD in Communication and Information Studies by thesis. Total fees KSh 450,000. Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. At KU, media studies PhD is offered at KSh 244,800/year for East Africans.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, journalism researchers, media consultants, communication directors and policy analysts. They work in universities, Media Council of Kenya, media houses, Ministry of Information and Communication and international media organisations.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Journalism Theory and Practice
  • Media and Society
  • Communication Research Methods
  • Digital Journalism and New Media
  • Media Ethics and Professional Standards
  • Media Law and Regulation
  • Development Communication
  • Political Communication and Public Opinion
  • Media Economics and Management
  • Comparative Media Systems

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Journalism Theory and Practice

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Media and Society

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Media and society, covering communication theories, media analysis, and their application in contemporary information environments.

  • Digital Journalism and New Media

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Digital journalism, covering communication theories, media analysis, and their application in contemporary information environments.

  • Media Ethics and Professional Standards

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Development Communication

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Development communication, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.

  • Research Methods in Communication

    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 Journalism

    Research on digital journalism and new media

  • Media Law and Ethics

    Research on media law and ethics

  • Development Communication

    Research on development communication

  • Political Communication

    Research on political communication

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting journalism research, analysing media content, reviewing communication literature, attending seminars on media studies, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Media Council, media houses and Ministry of Information for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's vibrant media sector creates demandMedia research can be politically sensitive
Access to Media Council, media houses and MinistryFunding for media research is limited
Research contributes to media development and press freedomAccessing media organisations for research 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 106 media & communication courses
Public150k to 245k
150k at Maseno University245k at Kenyatta University
Private200k to 310k
200k at Mount Kenya 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 244,800/yr (ku.ac.ke). Maseno 150K (partially verified). Kabarak ~310K (official PDF), MKU ~200K.

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

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • CODESRIA Research Grant

    Grant

    Social science researchers in Africa

  • 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 in communication or information studies from UoN or recognised institution. School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. Total KSh 450,000. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

Subject requirements
MA in Communication, Journalism, Media Studies, Mass Communication or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 2 institutions
January 20272 institutions

Including Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

May 20272 institutions

Including Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

September 20272 institutions

Including Chuka University, University of Nairobi.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, research papers and seminar presentations

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

  • Media Council of Kenya

    Professional

    Regulates media practice and accredits journalists in Kenya

  • 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 (School of Journalism and Mass Communication, PhD in Communication and Information Studies, total KSh 450,000) and Kenyatta University (KSh 244,800/year). Media Council of Kenya regulates media practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Media Consultant

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Consulting for media organisations

  • Communication Director

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Communication at organisations

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in journalism schools

  • Journalism Researcher

    High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Research on journalism and media

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, journalism researchers, media consultants and communication directors. They work at Media Council, media houses, Ministry of Information and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Journalism PhD is just about news writing.

    The field covers media theory, digital journalism, media law, ethics, political communication and development communication.

  • There is no demand for journalism PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's vibrant media sector and digital transformation create demand.

  • Journalism research is purely qualitative.

    The programme uses content analysis, surveys, experiments and mixed methods.

  • Only journalists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts communication professionals, sociologists and political scientists.

Further reading

Read next