Environmental Science

Master of Arts (Climatology)

The Master of Arts in Climatology at the University of Nairobi is a postgraduate research programme that examines climate systems, climate variability, climate change, and their impacts on human and natural systems. The programme prepares graduates for careers in climate research, meteorology, environmental planning, climate adaptation, and academia.

The curriculum covers climatology theory, climate dynamics, atmospheric science, climate change science, climate modelling, applied climatology, climate and agriculture, urban climate, research methods, and statistical analysis of climate data. Students develop analytical skills for understanding climate processes, analysing climate data, and assessing climate impacts.

Admission requires a bachelor's degree with at least a Lower Second Class Honours in geography, meteorology, environmental science, or a related discipline from the University of Nairobi or a recognised institution. A Pass degree with a relevant postgraduate diploma is also acceptable. The programme is offered by research and thesis.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and delivered through the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi. The programme is research-based, allowing students to focus on specific climatology topics relevant to Kenya and East Africa.

Career prospects include roles in climate research, meteorological services, environmental planning, climate change adaptation, agriculture, disaster management, and academia. Graduates work in meteorological departments, research institutions, government ministries, international climate organisations, NGOs, and universities.

The programme addresses Kenya's critical need for climate expertise, given the country's vulnerability to climate variability, droughts, floods, and climate change impacts on agriculture, water resources, and disaster risk. With growing national and international focus on climate action, demand for qualified climatologists and climate adaptation specialists continues to increase across public and private sectors.

Skills Required

Climate data analysis
Climate variability assessment
Climate change impact analysis
Statistical climatology
Climate modelling
Applied climatology
Atmospheric science
Climate adaptation planning
GIS for climate analysis
Research methodology in climatology

Key Subjects

Climatology Theory
Climate Dynamics
Climate Change Science
Applied Climatology
Statistical Analysis of Climate Data
Climate Modelling
Agroclimatology
Urban Climate
Research Methods in Geography
Climate Adaptation

Certifications

WMO Professional Certification
ESRI GIS Certification
IPCC Affiliation
ICPAC Research Affiliation

Specializations

Climate Change Science

Focuses on climate change mechanisms, detection and attribution, paleoclimatology, and future climate projections.

Applied Climatology

Examines application of climate knowledge to agriculture, water resources, energy, health, and urban planning.

Climate Variability and Extremes

Covers climate variability patterns including ENSO, drought cycles, extreme events, and their impacts in East Africa.

Urban Climatology

Focuses on urban climate systems, heat islands, urban atmospheric pollution, and climate-sensitive urban planning.

Agroclimatology

Examines climate-agriculture relationships, crop-climate modelling, growing season analysis, and climate services for agriculture.

Climate Adaptation and Policy

Covers climate adaptation strategies, vulnerability assessment, climate policy frameworks, and climate-resilient development planning.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 295,800
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: 10 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Climatology Theory
Climate Dynamics
Climate Change Science
Applied Climatology
Statistical Analysis of Climate Data
Climate Modelling
Agroclimatology
Urban Climate
Research Methods in Geography
Climate Adaptation

Modules

11 in the programme

Climatology Theory and Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of climatology, including climate system components, energy balance, atmospheric circulation, and climate classification.
Research Methods in Geography
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Research methodology for geographical and climate research, including statistical methods, data analysis, and academic writing.
Climate Dynamics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Dynamics of the climate system, including atmospheric and oceanic circulation, climate feedbacks, and teleconnection patterns.
Statistical Analysis of Climate Data
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Statistical methods for climate data analysis, including time series analysis, trend detection, and extreme value analysis.
Climate Change Science
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Science of climate change, including greenhouse effect, detection and attribution, paleoclimate, and future climate projections.
Applied Climatology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Application of climate knowledge to agriculture, water resources, energy, health, and urban planning in Kenya and East Africa.
Climate Variability in East Africa
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Climate variability patterns in East Africa, including ENSO, IOD, drought cycles, and their impacts on regional climate.
Climate Modelling
Year 1Semester 23 creditsElective
Principles of climate modelling, including global climate models, regional climate models, and downscaling techniques.
Agroclimatology
Year 2Semester 33 creditsElective
Climate-agriculture relationships, crop-climate modelling, growing season analysis, and climate services for agriculture.
Climate Adaptation and Policy
Year 2Semester 33 creditsElective
Climate adaptation strategies, vulnerability assessment, climate policy frameworks, and climate-resilient development planning.
Thesis / Research Project
Year 2Semester 412 creditsCore
Independent research thesis on a climatology topic, conducted under faculty supervision and assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Climate Change Science
Focuses on climate change mechanisms, detection and attribution, paleoclimatology, and future climate projections.
Applied Climatology
Examines application of climate knowledge to agriculture, water resources, energy, health, and urban planning.
Climate Variability and Extremes
Covers climate variability patterns including ENSO, drought cycles, extreme events, and their impacts in East Africa.
Urban Climatology
Focuses on urban climate systems, heat islands, urban atmospheric pollution, and climate-sensitive urban planning.
Agroclimatology
Examines climate-agriculture relationships, crop-climate modelling, growing season analysis, and climate services for agriculture.
Climate Adaptation and Policy
Covers climate adaptation strategies, vulnerability assessment, climate policy frameworks, and climate-resilient development planning.

A day as a student

A typical day centres on independent research and data analysis. Mornings involve literature review, climate data processing, or meetings with thesis supervisors. Students work with climate datasets from KMD, ICPAC, and international climate databases, using statistical software and GIS tools to analyse climate patterns. Fieldwork may involve installing weather stations, collecting climate proxies, or conducting climate impact surveys in agricultural or urban areas. The programme is research-based, so most time is spent on independent study, data analysis, and thesis writing, with access to the university library, computer laboratories, and online climate databases.

The trade offs

In its favour

High career demand driven by Kenya's climate vulnerability and national climate action agenda.
Access to Nairobi's concentration of climate organisations including UNEP, UNFCCC, and ICPAC.
Affordable tuition at KES 281,000 total for the MA programme.
Research-based format allows focus on specific climate topics relevant to Kenya and East Africa.

Against it

Only offered at one institution, limiting choice for prospective students.
Research-based format may lack structured coursework for students preferring taught programmes.
Limited access to advanced climate modelling computing facilities compared to dedicated meteorology programmes.
Niche specialisation within geography may limit broader career options compared to general environmental science programmes.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 181 environmental science courses

Public187k to 296k

187k at Moi University296k at Kenyatta 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

KU KES 295,800/yr (ku.ac.ke). Moi ~KES 187,200/yr (worldscholarshipforum). Private unverified.

HELB offers postgraduate loans for Kenyan students. ICPAC may provide research grants for climate research in East Africa. UoN may offer institutional graduate scholarships based on merit. WMO and UNFCCC may offer fellowship and research collaboration opportunities.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
ICPAC Research Grants
UoN Graduate Scholarships

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizens pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities. Applicants must meet HELB eligibility criteria.
ICPAC Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 350,000
ICPAC may provide research grants for climate research in the East African region, particularly for projects aligned with regional climate prediction needs.
UoN Graduate Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 140,500Kenyan
The University of Nairobi may offer institutional graduate scholarships based on academic merit. Contact the School of Graduate Studies for details.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme is open to graduates from geography, meteorology, environmental science, agriculture, and related disciplines. The programme is research-based, offered full-time and part-time at the University of Nairobi, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies.

How you are assessed

4 components

Research Proposal Defence
Practical100% of the mark
Oral defence of the research proposal before a faculty committee, demonstrating the feasibility and academic merit of the proposed research.
Thesis / Research Project
Project100% of the mark
Independent research thesis on a climatology topic, assessed through written submission and oral defence.
Supervisory Assessment
Coursework100% of the mark
Ongoing assessment by thesis supervisors of research progress, methodology, and academic rigour throughout the programme.
Seminar Presentations
Practical100% of the mark
Research seminar presentations to peers and faculty, demonstrating research progress and receiving feedback on thesis work.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya's statutory body for university quality assurance. The University of Nairobi is a CUE-accredited public university.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation required for all university programmes in Kenya. The University of Nairobi is a CUE-accredited public university.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Professional alignment
UN specialised agency for meteorology and climate. Graduates may access WMO professional development programmes and climate research networks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Climate Research Scientist
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 300,000
Conducts climate research on variability, change, and impacts for research institutions, meteorological departments, and international organisations.
Climate Adaptation Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 320,000
Designs and implements climate adaptation strategies for government, NGOs, and international development organisations.
Meteorological Officer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 240,000
Provides meteorological and climate services for the Kenya Meteorological Department and related agencies.
Environmental Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 300,000
Provides climate and environmental consultancy services for EIA, climate risk assessment, and adaptation planning.
University Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 250,000
Teaches climatology, geography, or environmental science at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, conducts research, and supervises student projects.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers in climate research, meteorological services, environmental planning, climate change adaptation, agriculture, disaster management, and academia across government, research institutions, and international organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

R Studio
Statistical softwarePrimary
Statistical computing environment for climate data analysis, time series modelling, and climate research.
ArcGIS
Gis softwarePrimary
GIS software for spatial analysis of climate data, climate mapping, and climate impact assessment.
Python
Programming language
Programming language for climate data processing, analysis automation, and climate model data handling.
GrADS
Climate data analysis software
Grid Analysis and Display System for climate data visualisation and analysis of gridded climate datasets.
SPSS
Statistical software
Statistical analysis software for quantitative climate research and survey data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Climatology is the same as meteorology.
Meteorology focuses on short-term weather forecasting, while climatology studies long-term climate patterns, variability, and change.
Climate research is purely theoretical.
Climate research involves extensive data analysis, field measurements, statistical modelling, and practical applications to agriculture, water, and disaster management.
There is no career demand for climatologists in Kenya.
Kenya's climate vulnerability, drought management needs, and climate change adaptation agenda create strong demand for climate expertise.
Climate change is not relevant to Kenya.
Kenya is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts including droughts, floods, agricultural disruption, and sea level rise on the coast.
Climatology requires only physics and mathematics.
Climatology is interdisciplinary, requiring understanding of geography, statistics, environmental science, agriculture, and policy.
Climate adaptation is only about reducing emissions.
Climate adaptation focuses on adjusting to climate impacts, while mitigation addresses emissions reduction. Both are needed but are distinct approaches.