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Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Biotechnology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Biotechnology is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on plant molecular biology, genetic engineering, tissue culture, and biotechnological approaches to crop improvement, contributing to food security and agricultural innovation in Kenya and globally.

Students engage with advanced plant molecular biology, genetic transformation, plant tissue culture, genomics, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent laboratory and field research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to plant biotechnology.

Kenya faces agricultural challenges including climate change, pests, diseases, and low crop productivity. The programme addresses national priorities under Vision 2030 and the Big Four Agenda by training researchers who can develop drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and high-yielding crop varieties through biotechnology.

Teaching methods include lectures, molecular biology laboratory sessions, tissue culture practicals, greenhouse research, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to UoN's Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection and JKUAT's biotechnology facilities, and collaborate with KALRO, ILRI, and international agricultural research centres.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, plant biotechnology researchers, agricultural biotechnologists, and crop improvement scientists in universities, KALRO, ILRI, seed companies, and agricultural biotechnology firms.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in plant biotechnology, biotechnology, plant sciences, or related fields who are committed to advancing knowledge in plant biotechnology.

Duration
3-4 years
Public, up to
Ksh 470,000
Private, up to
Ksh 150,000
Job market
High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode
Full-time
Attachment
0 months
Average class
5 students
Award
PhD

What you study

10 subjects
  • Plant Molecular Biology
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Plant Tissue Culture
  • Genomics and Bioinformatics
  • Crop Improvement
  • Research Methodology
  • Plant Transformation
  • Thesis Research
  • Biostatistics
  • Biosafety and Regulation

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Advanced Plant Molecular Biology

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Advanced plant molecular biology including gene expression, regulation, and molecular techniques in plant research

  • Advanced Plant Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Plant biotechnology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Plant Genetic Engineering

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Genetic transformation of plants including vectors, transformation methods, and analysis of transgenic plants

  • Molecular Biology and Plant Genomics

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Molecular biology, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.

  • Plant Tissue Culture and Micropropagation

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Plant tissue culture techniques including micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, and cryopreservation

  • Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Plant genomics including sequencing, genome assembly, functional genomics, and bioinformatics tools for crop improvement

  • Molecular Markers and Molecular Breeding

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Molecular breeding, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Crop Improvement and Molecular Breeding

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Molecular breeding including marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and QTL mapping for crop improvement

  • Biosafety and Regulatory Frameworks

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Biosafety, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Biosafety and Biotechnology Regulation

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Biosafety principles, regulatory frameworks, and ethical considerations in plant biotechnology research in Kenya

  • Research Methods in Plant Biotechnology

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research methods, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.

  • Research Methodology and Biostatistics

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research design, data analysis methods, and statistical techniques for plant biotechnology research

Specialisations

  • Agricultural Science Research

    Specialization in Agricultural Science Research, preparing graduates for careers such as agricultural-scientist-junior.

  • Botany Research

    Specialization in Botany Research, preparing graduates for careers such as botanist.

  • Academic Research in Science

    Specialization in Academic Research in Science, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.

  • Agricultural Biotechnology Research

    Specialization in Agricultural Biotechnology Research, preparing graduates for careers such as agricultural-biotechnologist.

  • Genomics Data Science

    Specialization in Genomics Data Science, preparing graduates for careers such as genomics-data-scientist.

  • Agronomy Research

    Specialization in Agronomy Research, preparing graduates for careers such as agronomist-kenya.

  • Plant Genomics

    Research on plant genomics

  • Molecular Breeding

    Research on molecular breeding

  • Genetic Engineering

    Research on genetic engineering

  • Tissue Culture

    Research on tissue culture

A day as a student

A typical day combines molecular biology laboratory work with tissue culture, greenhouse experiments, field trials, data analysis, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend biotechnology research seminars, present findings at colloquia, and collaborate with KALRO and ILRI for crop research.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Kenya's food security creates demand for crop improvement
  • Access to KALRO, NBA, KEPHIS and AATF
  • Research contributes to food security
  • Diverse career paths in academia, research, seed industry, and regulation

Against it

  • Molecular biology equipment and reagents are expensive
  • Biotechnology research is regulated and requires biosafety compliance
  • Biosafety regulatory approvals are time-consuming
  • Public debate about GMOs can affect research priorities

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 science courses
Public170k to 470k
170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology470k at University of Nairobi
Private150k to 150k
150k at Mount Kenya University150k at Mount Kenya 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 Plant Sci ~470K/yr (uonbi.ac.ke), JKUAT ~170K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). MKU 150K/yr.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and AATF research fellowships for plant biotechnology research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000

  • DAAD Scholarship

    Scholarship

  • NRF Research Grant

    Grant

  • AATF Research Fellowship

    Fellowship

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

  • DAAD Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities

  • NRF Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Researchers at Kenyan institutions conducting research relevant to national development

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C+
Alternative entry
Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

  • Master's Degree

    MSc in Plant Biotechnology, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, or related field from a recognised university

  • Undergraduate qualification

    Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Agriculture, or related field

  • Research capability

    Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

How you are assessed

5 components

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, laboratory projects and seminar presentations

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)

    Coursework30% of the mark

  • Laboratory and Greenhouse Reports

    Coursework20% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Biosafety and biotechnology research in Kenya is regulated by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA).

Accredited by

  • National Biosafety Authority (NBA)

    Regulatory bodyRequired

    Regulates biotechnology research and GMOs in Kenya

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya

  • National Biosafety Authority

    Professional

    Regulates biosafety and GMOs in Kenya

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

  • Molecular Breeder

    High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Molecular breeding at seed companies

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Teaching and research in biotechnology departments

  • Plant Biotechnology Researcher

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Research at KALRO and research institutes

  • Biosafety Regulator

    Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Regulation at National Biosafety Authority

  • Agricultural Biotechnologist

    High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Develops biotechnological solutions for crop improvement at KALRO, ILRI, or seed companies

  • Agricultural Scientist (Junior)

    High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000

    Conducts agricultural research at research institutions or agribusiness companies

  • University Lecturer (Biotechnology)

    High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Teaches plant biotechnology and conducts research in university science departments

  • Genomics Data Scientist

    High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 250,000

    Analyses plant genomic data for breeding and biotechnology applications

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, plant biotechnology researchers, agricultural biotechnologists, and crop improvement scientists in universities, KALRO, ILRI, seed companies, and agricultural biotechnology firms.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

  • Plant biotechnology is just about genetically modified organisms

    Plant biotechnology includes tissue culture, molecular breeding, genomics, marker-assisted selection, and genetic engineering, with many applications beyond GMOs.

  • A PhD in plant biotechnology has limited career prospects

    Agricultural biotechnology is critical for Kenya's food security, creating demand for researchers at KALRO, ILRI, seed companies, and universities.

  • Biotechnology research is not safe

    Biotechnology research is regulated by the National Biosafety Authority to ensure safety, ethical conduct, and environmental protection.

  • Plant biotechnology is only for laboratory work

    Graduates work in field research, policy, regulation, seed industry, and international agricultural development, not only in laboratories.

Related courses

Further reading

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