Social Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Security Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy in Security Studies is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University and at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in security studies, conflict resolution and peace building.

The programme addresses Kenya's security research and national security development needs.

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

Kenya's terrorism threats, Al-Shabaab insurgency, border security, internal conflicts, radicalisation, election violence, cybersecurity threats, regional instability, transnational crime, refugees and security and the demand for security research create demand for doctoral-level security studies expertise. The programme supports Kenya's national security and peace building goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At KU, the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences offers PhD in Security Studies. KSh 244,800/year for East Africans, KSh 306,000/year for non-East Africans. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers security studies research. Application fee KSh 4,000.

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

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 432,000
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 Security Studies and Strategic Studies
Conflict Analysis and Resolution
Peace Building and Post-Conflict Reconstruction
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies
Intelligence Studies and Security Analysis
Security Governance and Policy
Border Security and Regional Security
Cybersecurity Policy and Governance
Radicalisation and Violent Extremism
Research Methods in Security Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Security Studies and Strategic Studies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Security studies, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Conflict Analysis and Resolution
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Conflict analysis, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
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, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Security Governance and Policy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Governance, 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 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

Conflict Resolution
Research on conflict resolution
Cybersecurity Policy
Research on cybersecurity policy
Intelligence Studies
Research on intelligence
Counter-Terrorism
Research on counter-terrorism

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting security research, analysing conflict data, reviewing security studies literature, attending seminars on terrorism and conflict, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with NIS, NCTC and ACCORD for research collaboration. Fieldwork in conflict-affected areas is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's security challenges create demand
Access to NIS, NCTC and ACCORD
Research contributes to peace and security

Against it

Access to classified security data is restricted
Fieldwork in conflict areas is risky
Security sensitivities can limit publication

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

Public200k to 432k

200k at Egerton University432k 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

Egerton 200K/yr (egerton.ac.ke). UoN 432K unverified. KeMU 170K, Kabarak 288K/yr.

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

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At KU: MA from KU or recognised institution. School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences. PhD in Security Studies. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN: MA from UoN or recognised institution. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Application fee KSh 4,000.

MA/MSc in Security Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Peace 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, policy briefs and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences, PhD in Security Studies, KSh 244,800/year, application fee KSh 3,000) and University of Nairobi (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, application fee KSh 4,000).

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

Intelligence Analyst
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Analysis at NIS and security agencies
Security Policy Analyst
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Policy at Ministry of Interior
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in security studies
Security Researcher
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Research at think tanks and institutes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, security researchers, intelligence analysts and security policy analysts. They work at NIS, Ministry of Interior, NCTC and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Security studies is just about military strategy.
The field covers conflict resolution, peace building, intelligence, cybersecurity policy and radicalisation.
There is no demand for security studies PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's terrorism threats and regional instability create demand.
Security research is purely strategic.
The programme uses qualitative research, case studies, policy analysis and field research.
Only military personnel study this PhD.
The programme attracts political scientists, lawyers, journalists and diplomats.