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Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science is a doctoral programme offered at Egerton University and other Kenyan universities. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in livestock production, animal breeding, nutrition, health and product quality. The programme covers the full spectrum of animal science disciplines to support Kenya's livestock sector development.

Duration
3 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 367,200
Ksh 1,101,600 total
Private tuition
Ksh 168,000
Ksh 504,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 367,200 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,101,600 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 168,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 8 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Aquaculture Technologist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

Students engage with advanced topics in animal production systems, breeding and genetics, nutrition, animal health, meat and dairy science, livestock economics, research methods and biostatistics. The curriculum emphasises original research that addresses practical challenges in Kenya's livestock sector, including productivity improvement, disease control and market access.

Kenya's livestock sector is a major contributor to agricultural GDP, with dairy, beef, sheep, goats, poultry and emerging aquaculture enterprises. The need for improved production systems, breed improvement and climate adaptation creates demand for doctoral-level animal science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's food security and livestock commercialisation agenda.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research at Egerton University's Njoro campus. Students conduct livestock experiments, analyse production data and develop management models. The programme is offered full-time and part-time with a minimum duration of three years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, animal science researchers, livestock production consultants, breeding company directors and agricultural policy advisors. They work in universities, KALRO, ILRI, livestock breeding companies and government ministries.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in animal science, agriculture or veterinary medicine who wish to contribute original research to livestock development.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Animal Production Systems
  • Animal Breeding and Genetics
  • Animal Nutrition
  • Animal Health and Disease Management
  • Meat and Dairy Science
  • Livestock Economics
  • Research Methods in Animal Science
  • Biostatistics
  • Livestock Production Systems
  • Animal Welfare and Ethics

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Animal Production Systems

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Analysis of livestock production systems and their optimisation, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Animal Breeding and Genetics

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Genetic principles applied to livestock improvement, covering genetic principles, molecular techniques, and their application in heredity and biotechnology research.

  • Advanced Animal Nutrition

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Nutritional science and feeding strategies for livestock, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Meat and Dairy Science

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Science of animal product quality and processing, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Livestock Economics

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Economic analysis of livestock production systems, covering economic theories, analytical frameworks, and their application to policy and decision-making in the field.

  • Research Methods in Animal Science

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research design and methodology for animal science research, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level.

  • 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

  • Livestock Economics

    Economic analysis of livestock production

  • Dairy Science

    Research on dairy cattle production and milk quality

  • Poultry Science

    Research on poultry production and management

  • Beef Cattle Production

    Research on beef cattle production systems

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting livestock experiments at the university farm, analysing production data, reviewing literature on animal science, attending seminars on livestock production, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting KALRO and ILRI for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's livestock sector is large and growingLivestock experiments require farm facilities and long timeframes
ILRI and CESAAM provide research collaboration in Nairobi and EgertonResearch can be expensive due to animal maintenance costs
Research directly improves livestock productivity and food securityField research requires travel to diverse farming areas

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. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. ILRI provides research grants for livestock research in Africa. CESAAM at Egerton may offer additional support.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • ILRI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • ILRI Research Grant

    Grant

    Livestock researchers in Africa

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

Applicants must hold a Master of Science degree in a relevant discipline with at least B grade or equivalent from a recognised institution. Must include a brief outline of the proposed research project. Applicants whose research project accounted for less than a third of their Masters may be required to take remedial courses.

Subject requirements
MSc in Animal Science, Agriculture or related fieldRelevant Masters with at least B grade from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 8 institutions
January 20278 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, South Eastern Kenya University, University of Eldoret.

May 20278 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, South Eastern Kenya University, University of Eldoret.

September 20278 institutions

Including Kenyatta University, South Eastern Kenya University, University of Eldoret.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Laboratory reports, farm practicals and seminar presentations

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before departmental panel

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Egerton University (Faculty of Agriculture) at the Njoro campus. The programme is supported by CESAAM and ILRI collaboration.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Breeding Company Director

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Leading research and development at breeding companies

  • Animal Science Researcher

    High demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Research at KALRO, ILRI and international research institutes

  • Livestock Production Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Advising farmers and companies on livestock production

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in animal science departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, animal science researchers, livestock production consultants and breeding company directors. They work at KALRO, ILRI, universities and livestock companies.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Animal science is just about rearing animals.

    The field covers genetics, nutrition, health, product science, economics and production systems.

  • There is no demand for animal science PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's livestock sector growth and commercialisation create strong demand for expertise.

  • Animal science research is not rigorous.

    The programme uses experimental design, statistical analysis and scientific methodology.

  • Only veterinarians study animal science.

    The programme attracts agriculturalists, biologists and animal scientists.

Further reading

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