Arts & Humanities

Doctor of Philosophy of Arts in Archaeology

The Doctor of Philosophy of Arts in Archaeology is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of History and Archaeology. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in archaeology, prehistory and cultural heritage. The programme addresses Kenya's archaeological research and cultural heritage preservation needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in archaeology, African prehistory, archaeological theory, field methods, cultural heritage management, ethnoarchaeology, zooarchaeology, paleoanthropology, historical archaeology, archaeological dating methods and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops archaeological insights for Kenya's rich prehistoric and cultural heritage.

Kenya's rich archaeological heritage including early hominid sites at Koobi Fora, Olorgesailie and Kariandusi, cultural tourism, heritage management, museum development, community archaeology, archaeological conservation and the demand for archaeological research create demand for doctoral-level archaeology expertise.

The programme supports Kenya's cultural heritage preservation and archaeological research goals.

Teaching is delivered through research and supervised thesis work. At UoN, the Department of History and Archaeology offers PhD in Archaeology by research only. Duration 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time. PhD by thesis total KSh 450,000. Application fee KSh 4,000. The department also offers Postgraduate Diploma in History and Archaeology.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, archaeology researchers, heritage managers, museum curators and cultural consultants. They work in universities, National Museums of Kenya, Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage and international archaeological organisations.

Duration: 4-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 288,000
Job market: Moderate

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: 3 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Archaeological Theory and Methods
African Prehistory and Hominid Evolution
Cultural Heritage Management and Conservation
Field Archaeology and Excavation Methods
Ethnoarchaeology and Anthropological Archaeology
Zooarchaeology and Archaeobotany
Paleoanthropology and Human Origins
Historical Archaeology of East Africa
Archaeological Dating and Analytical Methods
Research Methods in Archaeology

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Archaeological Theory and Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Archaeological theory, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
African Prehistory and Hominid Evolution
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
African prehistory, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
Cultural Heritage Management and Conservation
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Heritage management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Field Archaeology and Excavation Methods
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Field archaeology, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
Paleoanthropology and Human Origins
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Paleoanthropology, covering anthropological theories, ethnographic methods, and their application in cultural analysis.
Research Methods in Archaeology
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

Historical Archaeology
Research on historical archaeology
Paleoanthropology
Research on paleoanthropology
Cultural Heritage Management
Research on heritage management
African Prehistory
Research on African prehistory

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting archaeological research, analysing artefacts, reviewing archaeological literature, attending seminars on prehistory, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with National Museums of Kenya, British Institute in Eastern Africa and Koobi Fora for research collaboration. Fieldwork at archaeological sites is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's rich archaeological heritage creates opportunities
Access to NMK, Koobi Fora and BIEA
Research contributes to cultural heritage preservation

Against it

Limited career opportunities outside academia and museums
Fieldwork in remote areas can be challenging
Funding for archaeological research is limited

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public109k to 245k

109k at University of Nairobi245k at Kenyatta University

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

UoN 108.7K research PhD (uonbi.ac.ke). KU 244,800. KeMU 170K, Kabarak 288K.

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

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Social science and cultural researchers in Africa
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

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 equivalent from recognised institution. Submit research proposal showing capability for original research. Department of History and Archaeology. PhD by research only. Duration 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time. Total KSh 450,000. Application fee KSh 4,000.

MA in Archaeology, History, Anthropology or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Research Seminars
Continuous assessment20% of the mark
Seminar presentations and research progress reports
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of History and Archaeology, PhD in Archaeology by research only, 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time, total KSh 450,000). National Museums of Kenya manages archaeological heritage.

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

Archaeology Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at NMK and research institutes
Museum Curator
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Curation at National Museums of Kenya
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in archaeology departments
Heritage Manager
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Heritage management at NMK and Ministry

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, archaeology researchers, heritage managers and museum curators. They work at National Museums of Kenya, Ministry of Culture and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Archaeology is just about digging.
The field covers archaeological theory, heritage management, paleoanthropology, dating methods and cultural conservation.
There is no demand for archaeology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's rich archaeological heritage creates research and heritage management demand.
Archaeology research is purely fieldwork.
The programme uses laboratory analysis, dating methods, GIS, statistical analysis and archival research.
Only historians study this PhD.
The programme attracts anthropologists, geologists and museum professionals.