Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Studies is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in clinical veterinary studies, clinical medicine, diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions, addressing Kenya's veterinary clinical research and education needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in clinical veterinary studies, diagnostic techniques, therapeutic research, clinical pathology, pharmacology and research methodology. The curriculum emphasises original research on clinical studies relevant to Kenya's veterinary and biomedical research sector.

Kenya's veterinary sector, including livestock health, companion animal medicine and wildlife health, requires advanced clinical research expertise. This creates demand for doctoral-level clinical studies research.

Teaching is delivered through research, clinical case studies and supervised thesis writing at university veterinary hospitals and clinical research facilities.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, clinical researchers, veterinary specialists and biomedical consultants. They work in universities, veterinary schools, research institutes and clinical practice.

The programme is ideal for holders of master's degrees in clinical studies, veterinary medicine, clinical pathology or related fields who wish to advance to doctoral-level research in clinical studies, contributing to Kenya's veterinary and biomedical research through research on clinical techniques, diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions to support veterinary education, livestock health and biomedical innovation for Kenya's agricultural and health sector development.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 428,000
Private, up to: Ksh 200,000
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: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

8 subjects

Clinical Veterinary Studies
Diagnostic Techniques
Therapeutic Research
Clinical Pathology
Pharmacology
Research Methods in Clinical Science
Epidemiology
Thesis Research

Modules

10 in the programme

Clinical Veterinary Studies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced clinical veterinary research, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Diagnostic Techniques
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Research on diagnostic methods, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Therapeutic Research
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Research on therapeutic interventions, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Clinical Pathology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced clinical pathology, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Pharmacology
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Research on clinical pharmacology, covering pharmacological principles, drug development processes, and their application in therapeutic practice.
Research Methods in Clinical Science
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research methodology for clinical science, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Epidemiology
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research on clinical epidemiology, covering epidemiological methods, disease surveillance, and their application in public health research.
Clinical Case Studies
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Analysis of clinical cases, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Original doctoral research in clinical studies, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.
Research Seminars
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Presentation and discussion of clinical research, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.

Specialisations

Veterinary Specialisation
Advanced veterinary clinical practice
Clinical Epidemiology
Research on clinical epidemiology
Clinical Pathology
Research on clinical pathology
Clinical Pharmacology
Research on clinical pharmacology
Therapeutic Research
Research on therapeutics
Diagnostic Techniques
Research on diagnostic methods

A day as a student

A typical day involves morning clinical case studies at the veterinary hospital, afternoon laboratory research on clinical pathology and diagnostics, literature review on therapeutic research, and meetings with thesis supervisors on clinical studies research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's veterinary sector creates research opportunities
Access to KEMRI and KALRO for research collaboration
Direct contribution to veterinary education and clinical practice

Against it

Clinical research requires access to veterinary hospitals
Career opportunities may be concentrated in academia
Research funding for clinical veterinary studies can be limited

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public245k to 428k

245k at Egerton University428k at University of Nairobi

Private144k to 200k

144k at Kenya Methodist University200k at Kabarak University

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

Egerton 245K/yr (egerton.ac.ke). KeMU 144K/yr (eafinder). UoN & Kabarak unverified

HELB postgraduate loans are available. NACOSTI grants support clinical research. KALRO may offer livestock health research grants.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
NACOSTI Research Grant
KALRO Research Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Researchers in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizens in postgraduate programmes
KALRO Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Agricultural researchers in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Master's degree in Clinical Studies, Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Pathology or related field
Alternative entry: Bachelor's and Master's degrees from recognised institutions; draft research proposal

How you are assessed

3 components

Research Proposal Defence
Practical20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal
Thesis Defence
Thesis60% of the mark
Final oral defence of doctoral thesis
Clinical Case Assessment
Practical20% of the mark
Assessment of clinical case analysis

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body for university accreditation

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

University Lecturer in Clinical Studies
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Teaching and research in university veterinary departments
Veterinary Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 250,000
Specialised clinical practice
Clinical Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Research on clinical veterinary studies
Biomedical Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Consulting on biomedical applications

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers in academia, clinical research, veterinary specialisation and biomedical consulting with moderate demand for clinical studies expertise in Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Clinical studies is just about treating animals
The programme covers diagnostic techniques, therapeutic research, clinical pathology and pharmacology.
The programme has limited career prospects
Kenya's veterinary and biomedical research sector creates demand for clinical expertise.
Only veterinary surgeons can study this programme
The programme accepts holders of master's degrees in clinical studies, veterinary medicine, clinical pathology or related fields.
Clinical studies research is not relevant to Kenya
Kenya's livestock and wildlife health needs make clinical research important.
The programme is purely clinical practice
The programme includes rigorous research methodology and scholarly analysis.