Social Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work

The Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and at Kenyatta University through the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences.

It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in social work, social welfare and community development. The programme addresses Kenya's social work research and social welfare development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in social work theory, social welfare policy, community development, social work practice research, vulnerable populations, child protection, social justice, humanitarian assistance, social work ethics and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops social work insights for Kenya's social challenges.

Kenya's poverty, vulnerable children, gender-based violence, refugees, internally displaced persons, substance abuse, ageing population, disability, street families, social protection programmes and the demand for social work research create demand for doctoral-level social work expertise. The programme supports Kenya's social welfare and community development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field practicum and supervised research. At UoN, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers PhD in Social Work. Application fee KSh 4,000. At KU, the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences offers PhD in Social Work. KSh 244,800/year for East Africans. Application fee KSh 3,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, social work researchers, social policy analysts, community development consultants and humanitarian programme coordinators. They work in universities, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, UNICEF, UNHCR, NGOs and international organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 251,900
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
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 Social Work Theory and Practice
Social Welfare Policy and Analysis
Community Development and Social Mobilisation
Social Work Research Methods
Child Protection and Family Welfare
Gender-Based Violence and Social Work Response
Humanitarian Assistance and Refugee Social Work
Social Justice and Human Rights
Social Work Ethics and Professional Practice
Social Protection and Vulnerable Populations

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Social Work Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Social work theory, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Social Welfare Policy and Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Welfare policy, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Community Development and Social Mobilisation
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Community development, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Child Protection and Family Welfare
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Child protection, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Humanitarian Assistance and Refugee Social Work
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Humanitarian assistance, examining social theories, cultural dynamics, and their implications for research and professional practice.
Research Methods in Social Work
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

Humanitarian Assistance
Research on humanitarian assistance
Community Development
Research on community development
Child Protection
Research on child protection
Social Policy
Research on social policy

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting social work research, analysing social data, reviewing social work literature, attending seminars on community development, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Labour, UNICEF, UNHCR and NGOs for research collaboration. Fieldwork in communities and with vulnerable populations is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's social challenges and NGO sector create demand
Access to UNICEF, UNHCR and Ministry of Labour
Research contributes to social welfare

Against it

Fieldwork with vulnerable populations is emotionally demanding
Funding for social work research is limited
Access to social services data can be restricted

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

Public224k to 252k

224k at University of Nairobi252k at Egerton University

Private170k to 314k

170k at Kenya Methodist University314k 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 SW unverified(Sociology proxy 224K). Egerton 251.9K. KeMU 170K(eafinder). Kabarak 313.7K(kabarak.ac.ke)

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 UoN: MA/MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. PhD in Social Work. Application fee KSh 4,000. At KU: MA/MSc from KU or recognised institution. School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences. PhD in Social Work. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

MA/MSc in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Development Studies or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, field projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

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

Accredited by

Kenya National Association of Social Workers
Professional
Professional association for social workers 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

Social Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Policy at Ministry of Labour
Social Work Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at NGOs and research institutes
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in social work departments
Humanitarian Programme Coordinator
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Programmes at UNHCR and NGOs

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, social work researchers, social policy analysts and humanitarian programme coordinators. They work at Ministry of Labour, UNICEF, UNHCR, NGOs and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Social work PhD is just about helping people.
The field covers social welfare policy, community development, child protection, humanitarian assistance and social justice.
There is no demand for social work PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's social challenges and NGO sector create demand.
Social work research is purely qualitative.
The programme uses mixed methods, programme evaluation, policy analysis and quantitative research.
Only social workers study this PhD.
The programme attracts sociologists, psychologists and development professionals.