Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Nutrition

The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Nutrition is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology. The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on nutrition as a public health issue, including malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, and food security, contributing to nutrition policy and practice in Kenya and globally.

Students engage with advanced nutrition science, public health nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, food policy, community nutrition, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent field and laboratory research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to public health nutrition.

Kenya faces a triple burden of malnutrition including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and rising obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. The programme addresses national nutrition priorities under the Kenya Health Policy Framework and Vision 2030 by training researchers who can inform nutrition policy, programme design, and interventions for vulnerable populations.

Teaching methods include lectures, laboratory sessions, field research in communities, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to UoN's nutrition laboratories and conduct field research in diverse Kenyan communities facing different nutrition challenges.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, nutrition researchers, public health nutrition consultants, food policy analysts, and programme managers in universities, research institutions, Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, and NGOs working on nutrition and food security.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in nutrition, food science, public health, or related health sciences who are committed to advancing knowledge in public health nutrition and food policy.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 428,000
Private, up to: Ksh 400,000
Job market: High

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: 8 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Public Health Nutrition
Nutritional Epidemiology
Food Policy and Security
Community Nutrition
Research Methodology
Malnutrition Assessment
Nutrition Programmes and Policy
Thesis Research
Biostatistics
Food Science and Technology

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Public Health Nutrition
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced study of nutrition as a public health issue including assessment methods, intervention strategies, and programme evaluation
Nutritional Epidemiology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Epidemiological methods for studying diet-disease relationships including dietary assessment, nutritional surveillance, and cohort studies
Food Policy and Food Security
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Analysis of food policy frameworks, food security assessment, and the role of policy in shaping nutrition outcomes
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Maternal and child nutrition, covering nutritional science principles, dietary assessment methods, and their application in public health.
Community Nutrition and Behaviour Change
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Community-based nutrition interventions, behaviour change communication, and participatory nutrition programme design
Nutrition Policy and Programmes
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Nutrition policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Malnutrition Assessment and Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Methods for assessing and managing acute and chronic malnutrition including anthropometry, biochemical assessment, and clinical evaluation
Micronutrient Deficiencies and Fortification
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Micronutrients, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Nutrition-Related Non-Communicable Diseases
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research on the relationship between diet and NCDs including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in African populations
Research Methods in Public Health Nutrition
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, ethical considerations, and statistical methods for nutrition research including survey design and dietary data analysis
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.

Specialisations

Health Policy Analysis
Specialization in Health Policy Analysis, preparing graduates for careers such as health-policy-analyst.
Nutrition and Dietetics Practice
Specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as nutritionist-dietitian.
Epidemiology Research
Specialization in Epidemiology Research, preparing graduates for careers such as epidemiologist.
Academic Research
Specialization in Academic Research, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.
Food Science Research
Specialization in Food Science Research, preparing graduates for careers such as food-scientist.
Public Health Practice
Specialization in Public Health Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as public-health-specialist.
Micronutrient Fortification
Research on micronutrient fortification
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Research on maternal and child nutrition
Nutrition Policy
Research on nutrition policy
Nutritional Epidemiology
Research on nutritional epidemiology

A day as a student

A typical day combines laboratory analysis of nutritional biomarkers with field research in communities, data analysis on nutritional surveys, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend nutrition seminars, present findings at departmental colloquia, and engage with public health nutrition programmes.

The trade offs

In its favour

Addresses Kenya's triple burden of malnutrition with strong policy relevance
Access to UNICEF, WHO, FAO and GAIN
Growing recognition of nutrition's role in sustainable development
Opportunities for international collaboration through FAO, WHO, and UNICEF

Against it

Requires multidisciplinary knowledge
Fieldwork in remote communities is challenging
Research funding for nutrition is competitive
Nutrition research requires interdisciplinary skills spanning health, social science, and food science

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

Public367k to 428k

367k at Kenyatta University428k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 400k

200k at Mount Kenya University400k at Aga Khan 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, KU 367K/yr verified (sphun.uonbi.ac.ke, ku.ac.ke). MKU 200K. AKU unverified.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and FAO/WHO nutrition fellowships.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000
DAAD Scholarship
Scholarship
NRF Research Grant
Grant
FAO/WHO Nutrition Fellowship
Fellowship

Scholarships

5 recorded

NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities
DAAD Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

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 Nutrition, Food Science, Public Health, or related health science from a recognised university
Undergraduate qualification
Bachelor's degree in nutrition, food science, health, or related field
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

How you are assessed

5 components

Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Field and Laboratory Reports
Coursework20% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework30% of the mark
Oral Viva Voce
Coursework100% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Graduates may register with the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya
Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute
Professional
Regulates nutrition and dietetics professionals 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

University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in nutrition departments
Nutrition Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Policy at Ministry of Health
Nutrition Programme Manager
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Programme management at UNICEF and WHO
Public Health Nutrition Researcher
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Research at KEMRI and research institutes
Food Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 160,000
Analyses and advises on food and nutrition policy for government and international organisations
Nutrition Research Scientist
High demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 160,000
Conducts nutrition research at KEMRI, research institutions, or international health organisations
University Lecturer (Nutrition)
High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000
Teaches nutrition and conducts research in university food science and nutrition departments
Public Health Nutrition Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000
Advises government, UNICEF, WHO, and NGOs on nutrition policy and programme design

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, nutrition researchers, public health nutrition consultants, and food policy analysts in universities, Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, and NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Public health nutrition is just about telling people what to eat
Public health nutrition encompasses nutritional epidemiology, food policy analysis, programme design and evaluation, food security assessment, and research on the relationship between diet and disease at population level.
Nutrition research is not relevant to Kenya's development
Kenya faces a triple burden of malnutrition affecting productivity, health, and economic development, making nutrition research critical for national development under Vision 2030.
A PhD in nutrition has limited career prospects
There is strong demand for nutrition researchers at universities, Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, and NGOs working on malnutrition, food security, and diet-related diseases.
Nutrition is only about treating malnutrition
Public health nutrition addresses undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, food safety, and food systems, requiring diverse research approaches.