Doctor of Philosophy (Kiswahili Studies)

Print , Email

Kiswahili Studies Doctoral Degree Programme

Introduction

Kiswahili is increasingly becoming an important language in Kenya and the world over. Its significance and function in communication, governance, education, advocacy, awareness

creation and especially culture and identity are all recognized and importance emphasized through the legislation of Kiswahili as first official language alongside English and recognized national language in Kenya’s constitution (2010). It therefore behooves the education system, especially higher education to train professionals at tertiary levels. Professionals who will facilitate the implantation and actualization of the vision enshrined in the constitutional articulation.

The department of Kiswahili and other African Languages therefore reviews the existing Doctoral programme to capture the new trends and emerging issues that will ensure the development of Kiswahili as a science and discipline of study; and enhance quality in the use and application of Kiswahili in national, regional and global development.

The Doctor of Philosophy Programme in Kiswahili at Moi University was offered as a research and thesis only programme since 1990. It however was restructured and developed into a taught programme in 1997. The programme has since then been offered through Course Work, Examination and Thesis (CET Programme).

It attracts Kiswahili professionals and students from the academia and/or field of practice including researchers, media practitioners, NGO professionals and others that meet the required qualifications and conditions. The programme is taught in Kiswahili except where the courses are drawn from other complementing disciplines; and the Thesis also should be written in Kiswahili.

Year 1

Semester I

Literature and Literacy Courses in Kiswahili

Code	Title	Units
KIS 901	Kiswahili Literature and Emerging Issues	3
KIS 902	Oral Literature and Emerging Issues	3
KIS 998A	Research Proposal	2

Electives

Code	Title	Units
KIS 905	The Art of Writing for Media in Kiswahili	3
KIS 906	Kiswahili Literature in World Literature	3
KIS 908	Radio, Television and Film Studies in Kiswahili	3
KIS 909	Philosophy of Language in Kiswahili	3
KIS 911	Seminar in Onomastics of Kiswahili and other African languages	3

Semester II

Code	Title	Units
KIS 903	Classical and Modern Kiswahili Poetry	3
KIS 904	Development of the Kiswahili Novel and Novella	3
KIS 907	Play writing and Modern Theatre Arts in Kiswahili	3
KIS 998B	Redearch Proposal	2
	Total Units	15

Core

Code	Title	Units
KIS 917	Special Study	3

Electives

Code	Title	Units
KIS 914	Instrumental and Computational Linguistics	3
KIS 918	Language Description and Typology	3
KIS 919	Language and emerging issues in Africa	3
KIS 920	Translation and Communication for Development	3
KIS 921	Language, Media and Technology	3

Year 2

Semester I

Kiswahili Language and Linguistic Courses

Code	Title	Units
KIS 910	Morphosyntax in Kiswahili	3
KIS 912	Lexicography and Terminography in Kiswahili	3
KIS 998C	Research	15

Semester II

Code	Title	Units
KIS 913	Contact Linguistics in Kiswahili	3
KIS 915	Seminar in Phonetic and Phonological Issues	3
KIS 916	Research in Kiswahili Syntax	3
KIS 998C	Research	15
	Total Units

Objectives

Objectives

To produce scholars in Kiswahili who are capable of teaching, initiating and supervising academic programs and carrying out research in institutions of higher learning and elsewhere. To produce specialists who may be called upon to fill key positions and offer consultancy and other services at tertiary levels, in government and other circles related to language in general and Kiswahili in particular.

To generate scholarly and well-researched academic documents that will assist students and researchers at various levels of the educational system in their day to day scholarly pursuits.

To further the frontiers of knowledge in language and Kiswahili scholarship worldwide.

Course Structure

Course structure

The Programme is offered under two main tracks which draw electives from a cross-cutting category or courses. The tracks are:

Track I: Literature and Literary Studies in Kiswahili Track II: Language and Linguistics in Kiswahili The programme shall normally take 3 academic years of study pursued across 6 semesters of study including the periods for data collection and Thesis development. The student will be required to successfully take a minimum of 34 and maximum of 46 units of course work and research methods before commencing field research and ultimately Thesis development.

The second and third year of study shall be devoted to a required weighting of 30 units distributed as follows: 15 units of Field Research in the Second year; and 15 units of Thesis development in the Third year.

At the end of the programme, the student should therefore have covered a Minimum of 64 and Maximum of 76 units. Students under the two categories are required to take the courses designated as core in the Tracks of their choice, Track I Literature in Kiswahili; or Track II Language and Linguistics in Kiswahili. They should select the required courses from the Cross-cutting category and all the Research courses. All students must also take KIS 917: Special Study course besides

the elective courses as shall be required.

Depending on the student’s research preference, they shall normally be guided to appropriately select courses from the two main clusters, Linguistics and Literature, with a relevant blend from the third category of common courses in order to fulfill the relevant unit requirements. All students shall be expected to take all courses under the compulsory category. The unit requirement for a student in anyone of the two tracksshall therefore be as follows:

Year I: Minimum of 30 units Coursework + 4 units Research methods/Proposal = 34 Maximum of 42 units Coursework + 4 units Research methods/proposal = 46

Year II: 15 Units Research

Year III: 15 Units Thesis Development

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements

An applicant must have Masters degree in Kiswahili of Moi University or its equivalent from other recognized universities. Holders of Masters degrees in Linguistics, Literature or other related disciplines with required background in Kiswahili may also apply.

An applicant may be required to attend an interview organized by the department in order to ascertain competence in the use of Kiswahili and other goals as shall be set for the interview.
An applicant shall be required to present a comprehensive C.V. and an abstract on the topic intended for research.