Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy in Transport Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy in Transport Engineering is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi. The programme trains engineers to conduct advanced research on transportation systems, traffic engineering, highway design, public transport, and logistics, contributing to efficient and safe mobility in Kenya and globally.

Students engage with advanced transport planning, traffic engineering, highway and pavement design, transportation economics, public transport systems, and research methodology. The programme is by thesis and research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to transport engineering.

Kenya's rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development require efficient transport systems to support economic growth and social connectivity. The programme addresses national priorities under Vision 2030 and the Big Four Agenda by training researchers who can design sustainable transport systems, manage traffic, and improve road safety.

Teaching methods include lectures, traffic simulation, transport modelling, field studies, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to UoN's Department of Civil and Construction Engineering and collaborate with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and international transport bodies.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, transport engineers, traffic engineers, transport planners, and infrastructure consultants in universities, government agencies, consulting firms, and international development organisations.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in civil engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering fields who are committed to advancing knowledge in transport engineering.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 572,000
Private, up to: Ksh 575,000
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

Transport Planning
Traffic Engineering
Highway Design
Pavement Engineering
Transportation Economics
Research Methodology
Public Transport Systems
Thesis Research
Road Safety
Logistics and Freight

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Transport Planning
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced transport planning including demand modelling, forecasting, and land use transport integration
Advanced Transport Engineering and Planning
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Transport engineering, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Highway Design and Pavement Engineering
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Highway design, covering design principles, methodologies, and practical approaches to creating effective solutions in professional contexts.
Traffic Engineering and Operations
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Traffic flow theory, signal design, intersection analysis, and traffic management strategies
Traffic Engineering and Flow Theory
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Traffic engineering, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Highway and Pavement Design
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Geometric design of highways, pavement design, and maintenance planning for road infrastructure
Transportation Economics and Policy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Economic appraisal of transport projects, pricing, financing, and transport policy in Kenya
Public Transport Systems and BRT
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Public transport, covering exercise science principles, performance analysis, and their application in sports and health.
Intelligent Transport Systems
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
ITS, covering exercise science principles, performance analysis, and their application in sports and health.
Public Transport and Non-Motorised Transport
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Planning and management of public transport, walking, cycling, and integrated mobility systems
Research Methods in Transport Engineering
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.
Freight and Logistics Systems
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Freight transport, logistics, supply chain, and port and rail transport planning

Specialisations

Academic Research in Engineering
Specialization in Academic Research in Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.
Construction Project Management
Specialization in Construction Project Management, preparing graduates for careers such as construction-project-manager.
Civil Engineering
Specialization in Civil Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as civil-engineer.
Transportation and Traffic Engineering
Specialization in Transportation and Traffic Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as transportation-traffic-engineer.
Traffic and Transportation Engineering
Specialization in Traffic and Transportation Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as traffic-engineer.
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Specialization in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, preparing graduates for careers such as logistics-supply-chain-manager.
Highway Engineering
Research on highway engineering
Transport Planning
Research on transport planning
Intelligent Transport Systems
Research on ITS
Traffic Engineering
Research on traffic engineering

A day as a student

A typical day combines transport modelling and traffic simulation with data analysis, field studies on road networks, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend engineering research seminars, present findings at colloquia, and collaborate with KeNHA and NTSA for transport research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Access to KeNHA, NaMATA and Ministry of Transport
Direct relevance to urban mobility, road safety, and logistics
Research contributes to transport development
Diverse career paths in academia, government, and consulting

Against it

UoN engineering PhD is very expensive (KSh 540,000/year)
Tuition fees are high at KES 540,000 per year
Professional registration with EBK is required for practice
Transport data collection can be time-consuming

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public459k to 572k

459k at Kenyatta University572k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 575k

200k at Mount Kenya University575k at Strathmore 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 572K (engineering.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 459K (ku.ac.ke). Strathmore 575K. MKU 200K/yr.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and IRF research grants for transport engineering research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000
DAAD Scholarship
Scholarship
NRF Research Grant
Grant
IRF Research Grant
Grant

Scholarships

5 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities
DAAD Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study
NRF Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Researchers at Kenyan institutions conducting research relevant to national development
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

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 Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or related engineering field from a recognised university
Professional registration
Eligible for registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or engineering projects

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, design projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Examination
Coursework100% of the mark
Oral Viva Voce
Coursework100% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework30% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Professional registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) is required for engineering practice in Kenya.

Accredited by

Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK)
Professional registrationRequired
Professional registration required for engineering practice in Kenya
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya
Engineers Board of Kenya
ProfessionalRequired
Registers and regulates engineers 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

Traffic & Transportation Engineer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 350,000
Designs and manages traffic and transport systems at consulting firms or government agencies
Civil Engineer
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 300,000
Manages civil engineering projects including transport infrastructure
Transportation & Traffic Engineer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 350,000
Plans and analyses transportation networks and traffic operations
University Lecturer (Engineering)
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 250,000
Teaches transport engineering and conducts research in university engineering departments
Highway Engineer
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Highway design at KeNHA and firms
Transport Engineering Researcher
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Research at transport research institutes
University Professor
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Teaching and research in engineering departments
Transport Planner
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Planning at NaMATA and Ministry of Transport

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, transport engineers, traffic engineers, and transport planners in universities, government agencies, consulting firms, and international development organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Transport engineering is just about building roads
Transport engineering involves planning, traffic analysis, safety, public transport, logistics, and sustainable mobility systems, not only road construction.
A PhD in transport engineering has limited career prospects
Governments, urban planners, and infrastructure firms need transport engineers for transport planning, traffic management, and road safety.
Transport engineering is not relevant to Kenya
Kenya's urban congestion, road safety challenges, and infrastructure development make transport engineering highly relevant for national development.
Transport engineering is the same as civil engineering
Transport engineering is a specialisation within civil engineering focused on the movement of people and goods, traffic systems, and transport infrastructure.