Former presidential candidate and renowned scholar Prof James Ole Kiyiapi has explained what it takes to get a PhD.

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Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, Monday, Prof Kiyiapi shed light on the mechanics of being bestowed with the honour. 

He said that it is a rigorous process that can take up to a decade.

"A PhD comprises, you must have an undergraduate, you must have a masters, and then you must have minimum four years, people take five years, people take six years and if you are doing part-time, you can even take ten years, " Ole Kiyiapi said. (1:32-1:50)

One must also come up with a proposal which must be an original work of study for consideration before undertaking the study.

His words came in the wake of a move by the Commission of University Education (CUE) to review PhDs awarded by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

The commission observed that supervisors were carrying a supervision load that was heavier than recommended.

CUE contended that the supervision load was way beyond the recommended 3 PhDs and 5 masters in an academic year as stipulated in the Universities Standards and Guidelines.

A single lecturer is alleged to have supervised 41 students.

"Honestly, no one, the maximum number you can supervise PhD, Masters, whatever, is not more than 7, " Prof Kiyiapi said. (2:26-2:40)