Doctor of Philosophy in Law
The Doctor of Philosophy in Law is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the School of Law and at Strathmore University through the Law School. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in law, jurisprudence and legal systems. The programme addresses Kenya's legal research and jurisprudence development needs.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 315,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 945,000 to Ksh 1,575,000 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 4 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 legal theory, jurisprudence, comparative law, international law, constitutional law, commercial law, environmental law, intellectual property law, human rights law and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops legal insights for Kenya's legal system and governance challenges.
Kenya's constitutional transformation, legal system reforms, emerging legal issues in technology, environmental governance, commercial law development, human rights enforcement and the need for legal scholarship create demand for doctoral-level legal expertise. The programme supports Kenya's legal system and governance development goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At UoN, the School of Law offers PhD in Law (G80) by thesis. Tuition is KSh 288,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 320,000, Year 2 KSh 315,000, Year 3 KSh 365,000, total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years.
Application fee is KSh 4,000 for PhD. Specialisations include Law Governance and Democracy, Public International Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, Intellectual Property Law, Law Science and Technology, Corporate Governance and the Law.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, legal researchers, judicial officers, policy analysts and legal consultants. They work in universities, Judiciary, Law Society of Kenya, Attorney General's Office, international organisations and law firms.
What you study
10 subjects- Legal Theory and Jurisprudence
- Comparative Law and Legal Systems
- Public International Law
- Constitutional Law and Governance
- Commercial and Financial Services Law
- Environmental and Natural Resources Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Human Rights Law
- Law, Science and Technology
- Research Methods in Law
Modules
8 in the programmeLegal Theory and Jurisprudence
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Legal theory, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Comparative Law and Legal Systems
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Comparative law, examining legal frameworks, regulatory regimes, and their practical implications for professional practice in Kenya.
Constitutional Law and Governance
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Constitutional law, examining legal frameworks, regulatory regimes, and their practical implications for professional practice in Kenya.
Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Environmental law, examining legal frameworks, regulatory regimes, and their practical implications for professional practice in Kenya.
Human Rights Law
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Human rights, examining legal frameworks, regulatory regimes, and their practical implications for professional practice in Kenya.
Research Methods in Law
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
Public International Law
Research on international law
Intellectual Property Law
Research on IP law
Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Research on environmental law
Human Rights Law
Research on human rights
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting legal research, analysing case law and statutes, reviewing legal scholarship, attending seminars on jurisprudence, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Judiciary, LSK, Kenya Law and international legal bodies for research collaboration.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's constitutional transformation creates demand | Legal research requires extensive document analysis |
| Access to Judiciary, LSK and Kenya Law | UoN PhD in Law is expensive (KSh 1,000,000 total) |
| Research contributes to legal system development | Accessing case data and judicial records 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 12 law coursesAnnual 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
UoN ~315K/yr (official law page). KU 232K (fixusjobs). Kabarak ~310K (official PDF). Strathmore unverified.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. ICJ Kenya provides research grants for legal research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ICJ Kenya Research Grant
Scholarships
3 recordedHELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
ICJ Kenya Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Legal researchers in Kenya
Scholarships you could apply for
2 usable where it is taught- Chevening Scholarships Kenya
Closes 30 November 2026FullUK Government
Full masters in UK
- AfDB Japan Scholarship Program
Closes 28 February 2027FullAfrican Development Bank
Full graduate study abroad
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
At UoN: LLM from UoN or recognised institution. School of Law. G80. Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. Total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years. Also offered at Kisumu Campus. Must submit research proposal. At Strathmore: LLM from Strathmore or recognised institution. Law School.
When it next starts
Taught at 4 institutionsIncluding Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenyatta University, University of Eldoret.
Including Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenyatta University, University of Eldoret.
Including Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenyatta University, University of Eldoret.
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework/Seminars
Continuous assessment20% of the mark
Seminar presentations and research papers
Accreditation
Law Society of Kenya
Professional
Professional body for lawyers 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 Law, G80, total KSh 1,000,000 over 3 years) and Strathmore University (Law School). UoN specialisations include Law Governance and Democracy, Public International Law, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, IP Law, Law Science and Technology, Corporate Governance and the Law.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesJudicial Officer
Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Judicial service
Legal Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on law and jurisprudence
Legal Consultant
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Consulting on legal projects
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in law schools
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, legal researchers, judicial officers, policy analysts and legal consultants. They work at Judiciary, LSK, Attorney General's Office, international organisations and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Adolescent Mentorship OfficerSocial Sciences14Low exposure
- Correctional CounselorSocial Sciences15Low exposure
- Child Protection OfficerSocial Sciences16Low exposure
- CriminologistSocial Sciences16Low exposure
- Human Rights InvestigatorSocial Sciences16Low exposure
- Social GerontologistSocial Sciences16Low exposure
- Community Resilience SpecialistSocial Sciences17Low exposure
- Gender Integration SpecialistSocial Sciences17Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
PhD in Law is just for becoming a law professor.
The degree opens careers in judiciary, policy, international organisations and legal consultancy.
There is no demand for law PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's constitutional transformation and legal reforms create demand.
Legal research is purely doctrinal.
The programme uses comparative, empirical, socio-legal and interdisciplinary methods.
Only practising lawyers study this PhD.
The programme attracts judges, policy analysts, human rights advocates and academics.