Research Activities Postgraduate research areas are: Evaluation of English for Specific purposes, Code Switching, Evaluation of English Language Testing,Teaching of Spoken English in Kenya SecondarySchools and Evaluation of Grammar Teaching. Academic staff are currently carrying out research in the following areas:
Development of English literacy in Kenya.
Research in English language texts
Additional languages acquisition.
Language and gender.
Mother tongue education.
Department of Foreign Languages
Research Activities Our Postgraduate students are involved in research in Didactics, Literature and Linguistics. Staff have in the recent past carried out research and presented papers on a wide variety of topics including:
Language Development in the Region
The Teaching of French
The training of teachers of French.
The role of competition in the learning of the German language
On-going Research: These include: Translation of folktales from the rest of the region. similarities and differences.
Interaction of Languages along the Borders in the East African Region.
"Difficulties in oral expression - the case of future teachers of French."
Languages of Tour Operators along the Kenyan Coast.
"La sagesse du peuple exprimeè dans les inscriptions sur les matatu."
The evolving role of the woman in the african novel written in French.
Department of History, Archeology And Political Studies
Research Activities
Our postgraduate students conduct research in the three special areas of history, archeology and political studies. Among the areas of research include history of International Relations, history of community relations, Museum studies, Cultural tourism and Resource Management, Gender Studies and Agricultural History. Our students and staff actively participate and competitively obtain research funding from renowned international research bodies such as DAAD (Germany), FORD Foundation, CODESRIA and the Organization of Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA). This research funding enables our students to complete their studies and research in good time and also get an international research exposure through seminars and conferences.
Department Of Philosophy And Religious Studies
Research Activities Postgraduate students are engaged in various research activities which include: Human rights, corruption, gender philosophy, biomedical ethics, Logic and law, management ethics, methodology of science, and conflict management.
Staff Members are presently engaged in research in the following areas: • Critical and Creative thinking skills • Decision analysis and problem solving • Leadership studies • Gender philosophy • African philosophy • Logic and Law • Philosophy of development • Environmental ethics • Professional practice and ethics • Religion and Conflicts • Religion and HIV/ AIDs • Religion and Substance abuse • Challenge of Interfaith dialogue • Religion and Science • Religion and Environmental Management • Religion and Globalisation • Religion, Politics and Public Morality
Department of Kiswahili And African Languages
Research Activities
Our members of the academic staff have engaged and continue to engage in research Linguistics, African Languages and Literatures, Theatre and Performing Arts and Translation and Interpretation.
Our department has been conducting a series of workshops and seminars. Distinguished guests speakers are normally invited to give seminar papers e.g. The distinguished Ghanaian novelist Ayi Kwei Armah, the renowned Tanzanian writer Shafi Adam Shafi, and the internationally known Kenyan Kiswahili expert Ahmed Nabhany among others. Both the lecturers and postgraduate students present seminar papers regularly. The workshops and seminars focus mainly on Linguistics, Literature in Kiswahili and other African Languages.
The School through her Departments has linkages with other Institutions of higher learning, e.g. Kangwon University (South Korea), University of Ottawa (Canada), University of Siegen (Germany), Ohio state University (U.S.A), among others.
Specialised organisations, industries and related government and private agencies e.g. German Academics Exchange programme (DAAD), Japan Society for promotion of services (JSPS), Aga Khan Foundation (Nairobi), Alliance Francaise (Nairobi), Henrich Boll Foundation, among others. The School through its travel grants has facilitated several members of its Faculty to pursue research, attend seminars and conferences and disseminate the same.
Department of English
Internal Links We are part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and also offer units to students from the School of Education. Students taking units in English and Linguistics have an opportunity to combine them with units from other Departments in the School.
External Links The Department has established an active link with University, South Korea. This Link has facilitated a staff and student exchange programme.
Department of Foreign Languages
Internal Links We are part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and offer courses to students mainly from the School of Education. We also teach the beginners course in French for the department of Hospitality and Institutional Management. External Links We have links with former BCLE (now Alliance Française), Goethe Institute, DAAD, Japan Foundation and the Japan International Co-operation System. Because of these links;
A Masters student in French was sent to the Réunion for a Language course August 2006..
Two students went to Germany for one month Language training.
The department has started offering a Certificate course in Japanese and established links with the Japanese Cultural Centre.
LINKAGES AND COLLABORATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
Active Linkages/Collaborations
The Department of Geography has established a Network for Integrated Watershed Management in Eastern Africa (IWMNet) (www.iwmnet.eu). This network is supported by the European Union under project number 9 ACP RPR 50/11. The network comprises the following universities: Siegen (Germany), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Arba Minch (Ethiopia) and Makerere (Uganda). Under this network, an International Masters Programme (MSc.) in Integrated Watershed management (IWM) started in the Department of Geography, Kenyatta University in January 2007. The programme lays emphasis on combining knowledge from various disciplines in a practical oriented setting to achieve sustainable socio-economic and ecological development of watersheds through a multi-disciplinary approach.
The programme focuses on developing concepts and solutions for sustainable development of limited water and soil resources in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The main focus of the Programme is the Watershed as a tool for training, research and planning, leading to sustainable utilization of available resources for the benefit of all stakeholders. read more
Department of Kiswahili And African Languages
Internal Links Administratively, the Department falls under the Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. We work closely with the School of Education, Directorate of Self-Sponsored Programmes (SSP), Institute of Open Learning (IOL), The Teaching Practice (TP) Centre, The departments of English and Linguistics, Literature, Foreign Languages and the Creative and Performing Arts Centre.
External Links
We have established and continue to nurture links with Kiswahili and other Language Departments in Kenyan Universities, the East African Universities such as Makerere University and the University of Dar-es-Salaam. We also have links with International institutions teaching and researching on Kiswahili and other African Languages.
Department of History, Archeology And Political Studies
Internal Links We are part of the school of Humanities and Social Sciences and offer courses leading to Bachelor of Arts (B.A), Master of Arts (M.A) and Ph.D. degrees in History, Archeology and Political Studies. Our department also services the subject combination required for the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree. All our courses are available during the regular, trimester, Summer, open learning and school-based programmes within the University Calendar. Our teaching programs are multidisciplinary and prospective students will have the opportunity to study courses in other humanities and social science disciplines.
External Links
Our department has active links with various educational and research institutes throughout the world. Among these include the Council for the Development of Social Science research in Africa (CODESRIA), Kuztown University in Pennsylvania State,USA, The Institute of Research and Development (IRD), Paris France. Through these linkages, the department has engaged in joint activities such as conferences, publications, Staff/Student exchange and publications. Prospective students stand to benefit immensely from this vibrant linkage tradition that has facilitated numerous publications, seminars and joint research activities among students and staff.
All departments within the school are aggressively targeting various clientele by developing new programmes, some of which are highlighted below:
The Institute of Policing and Security Sciences is developing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Criminal Law and Justice, Forensic Science, Management Sciences and other related areas.
Fine Art Department is working on a proposal for a Ph.D programme
Kiswahili Department is developing courses in African languages including Lingala, Gikuyu, Dholuo and other indigenous African languages.
The recently introduced Certificate in Japanese course run by Foreign Languages department continues to attract a large clientele.
Music and Dance Department is developing an undergraduate programme in dance
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences came to being as a result of the restructuring process that transformed it from The Faculty of Arts in 2002.The school is located at the western side of the main campus, opposite the Post Office and is adjacent to The Kenyatta University Conference Centre Annex.
The School is well equipped with qualified academic staff committed to teaching as well as undertaking research and consultancy services. It also has competent and experienced support staff.
Currently, the school hosts ten teaching departments each offering an array of courses that are market driven. Over the years the School of Humanities and Social Sciences has expanded and diversified existing programs in departments in a bid to offer more opportunities for relevant academic and professional development , thus remaining socially relevant
The programs designed and developed are based on regional and global demands and challenges. Among the most recently developed is the program for Media and Communication Studies .The School hopes to enroll their first batch of students in the near future. The School also houses the Institute of Peace and Security Services, having developed an academic and professional programme that will contribute immensely in changing the face of our country‘ s security forces by developing professionalism of the same.
Seminars, Conferences and Workshops The School has consistently participated, encouraged and supported departments towards this endeavor. A few highlights of what has transpired in the last academic year, and ongoing ventures, include the following:
The Department of Gender and Development Studies held a Seminar on Gender Policy and Gender Based Violence and sexual Harassment policy for employees in Schools.
The School participated in a workshop on Education For Sustainable Development in Africa organized by United Nations University .This provided a forum for dialogue on themes where leading experts in ESDA participated in making presentations.
The School also participated in the Biennial Conference of the International Society and comparative Physical Education and Sports (ISCPES).The conference provided an important platform for scholars ,researchers managers and professionals in the broad areas of Physical Education, Health , Exercise , Sports and Recreation to share knowledge.
The School also participated in the seminar on Poverty reduction and Environmental Education in urban communities organized by the Yokohama University.
Chemichemi The School of Humanities and Social Sciences publishes a journal entitled Chemchemi. Five issues have been released since its inception. Academic staff continues to carry out research and publish extensively. With the designing of market relevant courses and the review of existing programmes, the School endeavors to remain relevant to society, and positively impact the community.
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