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Doctor of Philosphy in Communication and Media

The Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Media is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, at Maseno University through the School of Information Sciences, and at Moi University through the Department of Communication 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 5 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 communication, media studies and journalism. The programme addresses Kenya's communication research and media development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in communication theory, media studies, journalism research, communication governance, digital media, public relations, development communication, media ethics, political communication and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops communication insights for Kenya's media and communication challenges.

Kenya's vibrant media sector, digital media transformation, communication governance, press freedom, development communication, political communication, public relations industry, media ethics debates and the demand for communication research create demand for doctoral-level communication and media expertise. The programme supports Kenya's media and communication sector development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication offers PhD in Communication and Information Studies, 4 years full-time, 5 years part-time. Application fee KSh 4,000. At Maseno, PhD in Communication and Media Studies. Application fee KSh 2,000. At Moi, DPhil in Communication Studies, 3 years, application fee KSh 2,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, communication researchers, media analysts, communications directors and journalism educators. They work in universities, media houses, government communication departments, PR firms and international organisations.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Communication Theory and Research
  • Media Studies and Digital Media Transformation
  • Journalism Research and Practice
  • Communication Governance and Human Rights
  • Development Communication and Social Change
  • Public Relations and Corporate Communication
  • Media Ethics and Regulation
  • Political Communication and Democracy
  • Contemporary Perspectives in Communication
  • Research Methods in Communication Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Communication Theory and Research

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Communication theory, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Media Studies and Digital Media Transformation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • Communication Governance and Human Rights

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

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

  • Development Communication and Social Change

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Contemporary Perspectives in Communication and PR

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Contemporary perspectives, covering communication theories, media analysis, and their application in contemporary information environments.

  • Research Methods in Communication Studies

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research methods, 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, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.

  • 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

  • Political Communication

    Research on political communication

  • Digital Media

    Research on digital media

  • Corporate Communication

    Research on corporate communication

  • Development Communication

    Research on development communication

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting communication research, analysing media content, reviewing communication literature, attending seminars on media studies, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Media Council of Kenya, media houses and CA for research collaboration. Fieldwork at media organisations is common.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's vibrant media sector creates demandUoN PhD is expensive and long (4-5 years)
Access to Media Council, CA and media housesAccess to media organisations for research can be difficult
Research contributes to media development and democracyMedia industry volatility affects research relevance

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. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

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: MA from UoN or recognised institution in communication or information studies. Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. PhD in Communication and Information Studies, 4 years FT/5 years PT. Application fee KSh 4,000. At Maseno: MA from Maseno or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 2,000. At Moi: MA from Moi or recognised institution. DPhil in Communication Studies, 3 years. Application fee KSh 2,000.

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

When it next starts

Taught at 5 institutions
January 20275 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi, Moi University.

May 20275 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi, Moi University.

September 20275 institutions

Including Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi, Moi University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • 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

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, essays and seminar presentations

Accreditation

  • Media Council of Kenya

    Professional

    Regulates media practice 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 (Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, PhD in Communication and Information Studies, 4 years FT/5 years PT, application fee KSh 4,000), Maseno University (PhD in Communication and Media Studies, application fee KSh 2,000) and Moi University (DPhil in Communication Studies, 3 years, application fee KSh 2,000). Media Council of Kenya regulates media practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Communications Director

    High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Communications at government and corporate

  • Media Analyst

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Analysis at media houses

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in communication departments

  • Communication Researcher

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Research at media research organisations

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, communication researchers, media analysts and communications directors. They work at media houses, government communication departments and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Communication PhD is just about journalism.

    The field covers communication theory, digital media, governance, development communication and political communication.

  • There is no demand for communication PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's vibrant media sector creates demand.

  • Communication research is purely descriptive.

    The programme uses content analysis, surveys, ethnography, discourse analysis and digital methods.

  • Only journalists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts PR professionals, development communicators and policy analysts.

Further reading

Read next