Media & Communication

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.

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.

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

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 favour

Kenya's vibrant media sector creates demand
Access to Media Council, media houses and Ministry
Research contributes to media development and press freedom

Against it

Media research can be politically sensitive
Funding for media research is limited
Accessing 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

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 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.

MA in Communication, Journalism, Media Studies, Mass Communication 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
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

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.

Accredited by

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

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

Industry links

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.