Social Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in National Security and Strategy

The Doctor of Philosophy in National Security and Strategy is a doctoral programme offered at the National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K) through the National Defence College (NDC) and the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC). NDU-K is headquartered in Lanet, Nakuru, and is a chartered institution comprising specialised constituent colleges.

The programme is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in national security, strategic studies and defence policy.

Students engage with advanced topics in national security, strategic studies, defence policy, security sector governance, conflict analysis, peace support operations, counter-terrorism, intelligence studies, cybersecurity policy, regional security and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops security and strategic insights for Kenya's national security challenges.

Kenya's security challenges including terrorism, border security, cyber threats, regional instability, transnational crime, maritime security, internal conflicts and the demand for security research create demand for doctoral-level national security expertise. The programme supports Kenya's national security and defence development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At NDU-K, the National Defence College trains senior military officers and civil servants in national security and strategy. IPSTC conducts postgraduate programmes including Master of Arts in Crisis Response and Disaster Management. NDU-K provides a unique platform to blend theory and practice in security and strategy.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, security analysts, defence consultants, policy researchers and intelligence analysts. They work in universities, Ministry of Defence, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Defence Forces, security think tanks and international organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 450,000
Private, up to: Ksh 288,000
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

Advanced National Security and Strategic Studies
Defence Policy and Security Sector Governance
Conflict Analysis and Peace Support Operations
Counter-Terrorism and Asymmetric Warfare
Intelligence Studies and Security Analysis
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy
Regional Security and Geopolitics
Maritime Security and Border Management
Security Sector Reform and Governance
Research Methods in Security Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced National Security and Strategic Studies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
National security, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Defence Policy and Security Sector Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Defence policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Counter-Terrorism and Asymmetric Warfare
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Counter-terrorism, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Intelligence Studies and Security Analysis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Intelligence studies, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Cybersecurity, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Research Methods in Security Studies
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

Counter-Terrorism
Research on counter-terrorism
Cybersecurity Policy
Research on cybersecurity policy
Peace Support Operations
Research on peace support
Intelligence Studies
Research on intelligence

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting security research, analysing security policies, reviewing intelligence literature, attending strategic studies seminars, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Defence, NDU-K and security think tanks for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's security challenges create strong demand
Access to NDU-K, IPSTC and Ministry of Defence
Research contributes to national security

Against it

Security research may require security clearance
Access to classified information is restricted
Programme may be primarily for military/government personnel

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

Public245k to 450k

245k at National Defence University-Kenya450k at University of Nairobi

Private170k to 288k

170k at Kenya Methodist University288k 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

Kabarak 288K/yr (kabarak.ac.ke). KeMU 170K (eafinder). NDU-K/UoN unverified.

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
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Social science researchers in Africa

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At NDU-K: Masters degree from NDU-K or recognised institution. National Defence College and IPSTC. Programme may require security clearance. Military and government personnel may have priority.

MA/MSc in Security Studies, Strategic Studies, International Relations, Political Science or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, policy briefs and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% 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

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K, Lanet, Nakuru, chartered institution). National Defence College trains senior military officers and civil servants. IPSTC conducts postgraduate programmes. NDU-K provides a unique platform to blend theory and practice in security and strategy.

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

Defence Consultant
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Consulting on defence and security
Policy Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Policy research at government and NGOs
Security Analyst
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Security analysis at think tanks
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in security studies

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, security analysts, defence consultants and policy researchers. They work at Ministry of Defence, NDU-K, security think tanks and international organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

National security PhD is only for military officers.
The programme is open to civil servants, security analysts and researchers.
There is no demand for security PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's security challenges create strong demand.
Security studies is purely military.
The field covers cybersecurity, intelligence, governance, peace support and regional security.
Only NDU-K offers security programmes.
UoN also offers PhD in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies.