Skip to content
Pathrel
Start free
All courses
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.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 251,900
Ksh 755,700 to Ksh 1,259,500 total
Private tuition
Ksh 313,700
Ksh 941,100 to Ksh 1,568,500 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 251,900 a year at a public institution, Ksh 755,700 to Ksh 1,259,500 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 313,700 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 4 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 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.

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 favourAgainst it
Kenya's social challenges and NGO sector create demandFieldwork with vulnerable populations is emotionally demanding
Access to UNICEF, UNHCR and Ministry of LabourFunding for social work research is limited
Research contributes to social welfareAccess 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

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/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.

Subject requirements
MA/MSc in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Development Studies or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 4 institutions
January 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Kenyatta University, Multimedia University of Kenya.

May 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Kenyatta University, Multimedia University of Kenya.

September 20274 institutions

Including Maseno University, Kenyatta University, Multimedia University of Kenya.

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

  • 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

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.

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

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.

Further reading

Read next