Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health and Development

The Doctor of Philosophy in Community Health and Development is a research-intensive programme that produces independent scholars and leaders in public health research. Students undertake advanced coursework in research methodology, epidemiology, health systems, and community health, then conduct original research culminating in a doctoral thesis.

The programme is offered at Kenyatta University and other accredited Kenyan universities, with accreditation from the Commission for University Education. Admission requires a relevant Master's degree in public health, community health, or a closely related field, along with a research proposal.

Students develop expertise in epidemiological methods, health systems research, community-based participatory research, programme evaluation, and health policy analysis. Research areas include infectious disease epidemiology, maternal and child health, health equity, and community health interventions in Kenyan and African contexts.

Kenya's health sector faces significant challenges in community health delivery, disease prevention, and health equity, creating strong demand for doctoral-level researchers. Graduates contribute to KEMRI, the Ministry of Health, universities, WHO, and international health organisations operating in Kenya.

The programme combines coursework in the first year with independent research and thesis writing over subsequent years. Full-time and part-time study modes are available. Assessment includes coursework examinations, research proposal defence, and thesis examination by internal and external examiners.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, research scientists at KEMRI and other research institutions, public health consultants, policy analysts, and programme directors in health organisations. The programme suits public health professionals seeking to lead independent research.

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 428,000
Private, up to: Ksh 300,000
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: 15 students
Award: PhD

What you study

6 subjects

Advanced Research Methods
Epidemiology
Health Systems Research
Biostatistics
Thesis Research
Policy Analysis

Modules

12 in the programme

Clinical Research
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced study of clinical research, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.
Community & Public Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Epidemiology, health promotion, disease prevention and community health practice.
Research Methods in Health
Year 1Semester 12 creditsElective
Health research design, data collection, biostatistics and evidence-based practice.
Epidemiology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced study of epidemiology, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.
Clinical Attachment / Practicum
Year 1Semester 26 creditsCore
Supervised clinical placement in hospital or community health setting, providing hands-on experience through laboratory work, field exercises, and practical applications of theoretical concepts.
Health Systems
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Advanced study of health systems, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.
Biostatistics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced study of biostatistics, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.
Healthcare Management & Ethics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Health systems, healthcare administration, medical ethics and legal issues, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional.
Research Project / Dissertation
Year 2Semester 24 creditsElective
Independent health research project under supervision, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to.
Research Methods
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced study of research methods, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.
Advanced Clinical Practice
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Advanced clinical rotations, patient management and transition to professional practice.
Public Health
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Advanced study of public health, covering theoretical foundations, current research trends, and practical applications relevant to the Kenyan and East African context.

Specialisations

Clinical Practice
Hands-on patient care in hospitals, clinics and community health settings. Students develop diagnostic, treatment and patient management skills.
Public Health & Epidemiology
Focuses on disease prevention, health promotion, community health surveillance and health policy. Prepares students for roles in public health agencies and NGOs.
Nursing & Midwifery
Patient care, maternal health, newborn care and community nursing. Students gain clinical skills for hospital and community practice.
Medical Laboratory & Diagnostics
Laboratory techniques, diagnostic testing, pathology and biomedical analysis. Students learn to operate lab equipment and interpret results.
Pharmacy & Pharmacology
Drug development, dispensing, pharmacotherapy and pharmaceutical research. Students learn pharmacology, therapeutics and patient counselling.
Health Systems
Specialization in Health Systems, preparing graduates for careers such as epidemiologist.
Clinical Specialisation
Specialization in Clinical Specialisation, preparing graduates for careers such as medical-doctor-general-practitioner.
Epidemiology
Specialization in Epidemiology, preparing graduates for careers such as public-health-officer.
Public Health
Specialization in Public Health, preparing graduates for careers such as medical-laboratory-scientist.
Biostatistics
Specialization in Biostatistics, preparing graduates for careers such as health-policy-analyst.

A day as a student

A typical day blends lectures, practicals and group work, with attachment/internship in the field.

The trade offs

In its favour

Advanced research skills open doors to academic and research careers in Kenya and internationally
Meaningful, society-impacting work.
Strong professional network through university and research collaborations
Graduates are well-positioned for leadership roles in their respective sectors

Against it

Long, intensive training.
Emotionally demanding.
Requires significant time commitment, typically 3-4 years for PhD and 2 years for Masters
Job market for highly specialised roles may be concentrated in a few institutions

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

Public180k to 428k

180k at Moi University428k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 300k

200k at Mount Kenya University300k 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

UoN 428K/yr (sphun.uonbi.ac.ke). MKU 200K/yr. Moi & Kabarak unverified

HELB loans, county scholarships and university bursaries available.

Funding options

HELB Loan
Government Bursary
CDF Scholarship
County Government Scholarship

Scholarships

5 recorded

Afya Foundation Health Scholarship
FullKsh 800,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizen; B+ in KCSE; Enrolled in health sciences; From underserved community
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
FullKsh 8,000,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizen; Academic excellence; Financial need; Leadership potential
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship
FullKsh 6,000,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizen; Excellent academic record; Leadership; Community service
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities
DAAD Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
African graduates meeting academic criteria for postgraduate study in relevant fields

Getting in

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

What you need

Alternative entry: A relevant Master's degree and a research proposal.

How you are assessed

5 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat20% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests for this programme.
Clinical Practicum
Practical30% of the mark
Clinical Practicum for this programme.
Research Project
Project20% of the mark
Research Project for this programme.
Thesis Defence
Coursework100% of the mark
Coursework Examinations
Coursework30% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by CUE (Commission for University Education) and the relevant professional body.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
NationalRequired
Accredits university-level programmes.
Clinical Officers Council / NCK / KMPDC
ProfessionalRequired
Professional licensure for health practice.
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya
Relevant Professional Body
Professional certification
Professional registration may be required depending on the field of specialisation

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

Clinical Officer
High demandKsh 48,000 to Ksh 150,000
Graduates can work as clinical officer in Kenya's health sciences sector.
Clinical Data Analyst
High demandKsh 72,000 to Ksh 200,000
Graduates can work as clinical data analyst in Kenya's health sciences sector.
Biomedical Engineer
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 250,000
Graduates can work as biomedical engineer in Kenya's health sciences sector.
Biotechnology Researcher
High demandKsh 72,000 to Ksh 250,000
Graduates can work as biotechnology researcher in Kenya's health sciences sector.
Clinical Pharmacist
High demandKsh 48,000 to Ksh 250,000
Graduates can work as clinical pharmacist in Kenya's health sciences sector.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 200,000
Provides research-based policy advice to government, NGOs, and international organisations.
Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 75,000 to Ksh 240,000
Offers specialised expertise to organisations, drawing on advanced training and research experience.
University Lecturer
High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 250,000
Teaches and conducts research in a university department, contributing to knowledge generation and student mentorship.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates find opportunities across health sciences in Kenya's public, private and entrepreneurship sectors.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Excel
SpreadsheetPrimary
DHIS2
DatabasePrimary
KenyaEMR
Medical
Google Workspace
Cloud
SPSS
Analytics
ChatGPT / Claude
Ai

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This course has limited career prospects.
Graduates find opportunities across the public service, private industry, entrepreneurship, and further academic study.
The course is too theoretical with no practical value.
Programmes incorporate practical training, internships, and industry attachment to ensure graduates are job-ready.
You must have a related background to enrol.
Most programmes accept students from diverse academic backgrounds, with bridging support where needed.
Graduates of this course earn very little.
Earnings grow steadily with experience, specialisation, and professional certification.