Media & Communication

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.

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.

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: 6 students
Award: PhD

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 favour

Kenya's vibrant media sector creates demand
Access to Media Council, CA and media houses
Research contributes to media development and democracy

Against it

UoN PhD is expensive and long (4-5 years)
Access to media organisations for research can be difficult
Media 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

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
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.

MA/MSc in Communication, Journalism, Media Studies 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
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

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.

Accredited by

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

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

Industry links

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.