Arts & Humanities

Doctor of Philosophy in Theology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Theology is a doctoral programme offered at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa through the Faculty of Theology and at Tangaza University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in theology, doctrinal studies and religious scholarship.

The programme addresses Kenya's theological research and religious education development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in dogmatic theology, moral theology, sacred scripture, church history, liturgical theology, pastoral theology, canon law, ecumenism, African Christian theology, interreligious dialogue and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops theological insights for Kenya's religious and cultural challenges.

Kenya's Christian heritage, Catholic theological tradition, pastoral leadership, religious education, church governance, moral theology, social teaching of the church, ecumenism and the demand for theological research create demand for doctoral-level theology expertise. The programme supports Kenya's religious scholarship and theological education goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. At CUEA, the Faculty of Theology offers PhD in Theology. Doctorate programmes approximately KSh 637,500. Application fee KSh 2,000. At Tangaza University, PhD/STD in Theology. Application fee KSh 3,000. For STD, holder of STL or Master's degree in Theology from a recognised Theological Institute.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, theologians, church leaders, theological educators and pastoral consultants. They work in universities, seminaries, Catholic and Protestant churches, and religious organisations.

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 244,800
Private, up to: Ksh 212,500
Job market: Moderate

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 Dogmatic Theology
Moral Theology and Christian Ethics
Sacred Scripture and Exegesis
Church History and Patristics
Liturgical Theology and Sacraments
Pastoral Theology and Ministry
Canon Law and Church Governance
African Christian Theology
Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue
Theological Research Methods

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Dogmatic Theology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Dogmatic theology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Moral Theology and Christian Ethics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Moral theology, examining ethical principles, professional conduct, regulatory frameworks, and their application in research and practice.
Sacred Scripture and Exegesis
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Scripture, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Church History and Patristics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Church history, covering historical methods, archaeological techniques, and their application in understanding past societies.
African Christian Theology
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
African theology, covering theological principles, hermeneutical methods, and their application in religious scholarship.
Theological Research Methods
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

Sacred Scripture
Research on scripture
African Christian Theology
Research on African theology
Dogmatic Theology
Research on dogmatic theology
Moral Theology
Research on moral theology

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting theological research, analysing doctrinal texts, reviewing theological literature, attending seminars on dogmatic theology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with churches, seminaries and religious bodies for research collaboration. Library research and pastoral fieldwork is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's Christian heritage creates research opportunities
Access to CUEA, Tangaza and KCCB
Research contributes to African Christian theology

Against it

Limited secular career opportunities
CUEA doctorate is expensive (KSh 637,500)
Research funding for theology is limited

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public192k to 245k

192k at Egerton University245k at Kenyatta University

Private210k to 213k

210k at Tangaza University213k at Catholic University of Eastern Africa

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; Egerton 192K. CUEA 212.5K (cuea.edu). Tangaza 210K (tangaza.ac.ke).

HELB provides postgraduate loans. Church and diocesan scholarships are available. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
Church and Diocesan Scholarships
DAAD Kenya Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
Church and Diocesan Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Theology students with church sponsorship

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At CUEA: MA/MDiv from CUEA or recognised institution. Faculty of Theology. PhD in Theology. Application fee KSh 2,000. At Tangaza: STL or Master's in Theology from recognised Theological Institute. PhD/STD in Theology. Application fee KSh 3,000.

MA/MDiv/STL in Theology, Religious Studies, Divinity or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised institution

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, exegetical papers and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at CUEA (Faculty of Theology, PhD in Theology, approximately KSh 637,500, application fee KSh 2,000) and Tangaza University (PhD/STD in Theology, application fee KSh 3,000). ACTEA also accredits theological programmes.

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

University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in theology departments
Theological Educator
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching at seminaries
Church Leader
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 400,000
Leadership in church hierarchies
Theologian
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Theological research and writing

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, theologians, church leaders and theological educators. They work at seminaries, churches, CUEA and Tangaza University.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Theology PhD is just about preaching.
The field covers dogmatic theology, moral theology, scripture, church history, canon law and ecumenism.
There is no demand for theology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's Christian heritage and theological education create demand.
Theology research is purely devotional.
The programme uses historical criticism, exegetical methods, doctrinal analysis and pastoral research.
Only priests study this PhD.
The programme attracts lay scholars, educators and religious professionals.