HISTORICAL BACK GROUND
The Department is one of the largest in the Faculty. It offers a wide range of market-oriented programmes which have proved to be quite popular among students in the Faculty. Candidates wishing to enrol in the Department must meet the minimum University of Nairobi and Faculty of Arts admission requirements.
The Department of Sociology was established as a full fledged department of the University of Nairobi in the 1968/69 academic year. Initially, it operated as a sub-department of Economics. Since then, the department has grown to become one of the biggest departments in the University of Nairobi. To fill the gap in the social development sector, a social work program was started in 1976.
To date, sociology, defined as the "Scientific Study of Social relationships" has attracted a lot of interest among those who are keen to understand the dynamics that govern human societies. In the Department of Sociology, we have kept the spirit of analyzing the emerging forms, structures and functions of modern societies. Further, we are keen to uncover and understand factors that explain "Why human beings behave the way they do" - whether in small groups or in complex formal organizations. As in the past, our struggle continues to formulate imaginative sociological perspectives that can inform us about the "social realities" in human societies.
Previous Chairpersons: 1970 2013
Prof. Kivuitu Ndeti (1970 – 1973)
Prof. Philip Mbithi (1973 - 1981)
Prof. Shem Migot-Adhola (1984-1986)
Prof. Roberta Mutiso (1986-1987)
Prof. Edward K. Mburugu (1987-1990)
Prof. Mauri Yambo (1990 – 1993)
Prof. Judith Mbula Bahemuka (1993-1998)
Prof. Octavian Gakuru (1998-2004)
Prof. Charles B.K. Nzioka (2004)
Prof. Paul Mbatia (2004 – 2010)
As new "social issues" emerge, our department has continued to modify its Programmes and to formulate new ones so as to retain its relevance. Currently, the Department of Sociology hosts a range of Programmes (Module I & Module II), drawn from the fields of Sociology and Social Work Programme distributed as follows:
Module I (Regular Degree) Programme
This Programme admits students who attend classes during the normal working hours – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. At the undergraduate level, this programme largely admits students direct from high schools through the Joint Admission Board (JAB).
The degrees offered under this programme are:
B.A. in Sociology)
Students are expected to take a total of 44 units
B.A. in Social Work)
M.A. in Sociology – Done through Coursework, Research & Thesis
Module II (Parallel Degree and Diploma) Programme
This Programme admits students who attend classes during the weekdays (Monday-Friday) from 5:30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The programme is therefore very popular among those who are currently working but would still wish to further their studies.
The Module II Programme include two diploma-level programmes, two undergraduate programmes and three postgraduate programmes as specified here:
Diploma level Programmes
Diploma in Social Work & Social Development
Diploma in Criminology & Social Order
The two diploma-level programmes take 3 semesters; students are required to take 10 taught units and a fieldwork that is equivalent to 2 units.
Undergraduate Degree Programmes
B.A. in Sociology)
Students are expected to take a total of 44 units
B.A. in Social Work)
Those taking B.A. Social Work are required to do fieldwork attachment in recommended local institutions
Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology
Students taking this degree are required to take 8 taught courses
M.A. in Sociology
Students are required to take 12 taught units and write a Project Paper. Students can specialize in any one of the following Clusters:
Advanced Disaster Management, Counseling, Criminology and Social Order, Entrepreneurship, Development, Labour Management Relations, Medical Sociology and Rural Sociology and Community Development
Ph.D. in Sociology
Students are required to do this degree by Research and Thesis.
You are most welcome to obtain more details on these programmes from the Department of Sociology and Social Work. Our office is located at the University of Nairobi Main Campus, Gandhi wing, 4th Floor, Room 407.