Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Extension

The Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Extension is a doctoral programme offered at Egerton University and the University of Eldoret. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research on agricultural extension systems, farmer advisory services and rural communication strategies. The programme focuses on improving how agricultural knowledge and technologies are transferred to farmers and rural communities.

Students engage with advanced topics in extension theory, agricultural innovation systems, farmer participatory research, rural communication, extension programme management, behavioural change in agriculture and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that evaluates and improves extension approaches for Kenya's diverse farming systems.

Kenya's devolution transferred extension services to 47 county governments, creating a need for evidence-based research on effective extension models. The programme supports the modernisation of extension through ICT integration, farmer-led extension, climate-smart advisory services and market-oriented extension approaches.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, seminars and supervised research. Students at the University of Eldoret can study full-time, part-time or through blended learning. At Egerton University, the programme is offered through the Faculty of Agriculture with access to CESAAM resources.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, extension researchers, county extension service directors, agricultural development consultants and NGO programme managers. They work in universities, county governments, KALRO, NGOs and international agricultural development organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in agriculture, extension, rural development or communication who wish to contribute original research to improving agricultural advisory services.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 367,200
Private, up to: Ksh 168,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Blended
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Extension Theory and Practice
Agricultural Innovation Systems
Farmer Participatory Research
Rural Communication Strategies
Extension Programme Management
Behavioural Change in Agriculture
Research Methods in Extension
Agricultural Policy and Extension
ICT in Agricultural Extension
Monitoring and Evaluation of Extension

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Extension Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of agricultural extension and advisory services, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Agricultural Innovation Systems
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Frameworks for understanding innovation in agricultural systems, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Farmer Participatory Research
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Participatory approaches to agricultural research and extension, covering artistic principles, creative methodologies, and their application in cultural production and research.
Rural Communication Strategies
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Communication methods for rural agricultural communities, covering communication theories, media analysis, and their application in contemporary information environments.
Extension Programme Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Planning, implementing and managing extension programmes, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Research Methods in Extension
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design for extension studies, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Doctoral thesis research and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.

Specialisations

ICT in Extension
Digital tools for agricultural advisory services
Extension Methodology
Research on extension approaches and effectiveness
Market-Oriented Extension
Extension for commercialisation and market access
Climate-Smart Extension
Extension for climate adaptation in agriculture

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing extension literature, conducting field research with farmers and extension officers, analysing extension programme data, attending seminars on agricultural innovation, meeting with supervisors to discuss thesis progress, and engaging with county extension departments on research findings.

The trade offs

In its favour

Devolution creates demand for extension experts at county level
Research directly improves farmer livelihoods through better extension
Available at multiple universities with flexible study modes

Against it

Field research requires travel to rural areas across counties
Limited funding for extension research
Few supervisors with extension specialisation

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public252k to 367k

252k at Egerton University367k at Kenyatta University

Private150k to 168k

150k at Mount Kenya University168k at Kenya Methodist 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

Egerton 251,900/yr (egerton.ac.ke). KU 367,200/yr (ku.ac.ke). Private: KeMU 168,000, MKU 150,000/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. RUFORUM offers research grants for doctoral students at member universities. DAAD provides scholarships for postgraduate study in Kenya.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
RUFORUM Research Grant
DAAD Kenya Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
RUFORUM Research Grant
Grant
Doctoral students at RUFORUM member universities
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: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: Holder of relevant Masters degree from a recognised university. Applicants should hold a Master of Science degree or equivalent in a relevant field.

MSc in Agriculture, Extension, Rural Development or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before departmental panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, extension programme design and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Egerton University (Faculty of Agriculture) and University of Eldoret (School of Agriculture and Biotechnology).

Accredited by

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

4 roles

University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in agricultural extension departments
Extension Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Research at KALRO, universities and research organisations
Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 350,000
Consulting for NGOs and international organisations on extension
County Extension Director
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 320,000
Leading county-level agricultural extension services

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, extension researchers, county extension directors and agricultural development consultants. They work in universities, county governments and development organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agricultural extension is just about visiting farms.
Modern extension involves innovation systems, ICT, behavioural change theory and programme management.
Devolution has made extension research irrelevant.
Devolution has increased demand for evidence-based extension models at county level.
Extension research is not academically rigorous.
The programme uses mixed methods research to produce evidence-based scholarship.
Only agriculture graduates study extension.
The programme attracts communicators, educators and development practitioners.