Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Plant Sciences

The Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Plant Sciences is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi and JKUAT. It is designed to produce world-class researchers in plant science, capable of developing innovations, policies and decisions to mitigate crop pests, diseases and weeds for improved food security, human health and nutrition. The programme connects fundamental plant science with agricultural applications.

Students engage with advanced topics in plant breeding, plant biotechnology, plant pathology, plant physiology, molecular genetics, seed science, crop protection and research methods. At the University of Nairobi, the programme includes five compulsory taught course units and a thesis, with each course unit comprising 60 instructional hours. The research and thesis component is equivalent to 18 course units.

Kenya's food security agenda, the need for climate-resilient crop varieties and the threat of emerging crop pests and diseases create demand for doctoral-level plant science expertise. The programme addresses the economic and social pillars of Kenya Vision 2030, anchored on science, technology, innovation and human resources development.

Teaching is delivered through face-to-face, blended learning and ODeL modes at the University of Nairobi's Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection. The programme takes a minimum of three years and maximum of six years. At JKUAT, the programme is offered full-time and part-time over 3-5 years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, plant breeders, plant pathologists, biotechnologists, seed company research directors and agricultural policy advisors. They work in universities, KALRO, seed companies, KEPHIS and international agricultural research institutes.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in agriculture, botany, biotechnology or environmental science who wish to contribute original research to plant science and crop improvement.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 470,000
Private, up to: Ksh 168,000
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Online
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Plant Breeding and Genetics
Plant Biotechnology
Plant Pathology
Plant Physiology
Molecular Genetics of Plants
Seed Science and Technology
Crop Protection
Research Methods in Plant Science
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Plant Genetic Resources Conservation

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Plant Breeding and Genetics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Genetic principles and breeding methods for crop improvement, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Plant Biotechnology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Tissue culture, genetic transformation and molecular markers, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Advanced Plant Pathology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Plant disease diagnosis, epidemiology and management, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Physiological and biochemical processes in plants, covering chemical principles, analytical techniques, and their application in research and industrial contexts.
Molecular Genetics of Plants
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Molecular techniques for plant genetic analysis, covering genetic principles, molecular techniques, and their application in heredity and biotechnology research.
Research Methods in Plant Science
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for plant 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

Plant Breeding
Development of improved crop varieties
Plant Biotechnology
Biotechnological tools for crop improvement
Seed Science
Seed technology and quality management
Plant Pathology
Research on plant diseases and management

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting plant breeding experiments in the field or greenhouse, analysing plant DNA in the molecular laboratory, examining diseased plant specimens under the microscope, reviewing literature on plant science, attending seminars on crop improvement, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting KALRO and KEPHIS for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's food security agenda creates strong demand for plant science expertise
Access to KALRO, KEPHIS and international research centres
Research directly impacts food security and crop productivity

Against it

Field and greenhouse experiments require land and facilities
Plant breeding research requires long timeframes for variety development
Biosafety regulations may limit certain biotechnology experiments

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

Public170k to 470k

170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology470k at University of Nairobi

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

UoN 470,000/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT ~170K/yr. Private: KeMU 168,000, MKU 150,000/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. RUFORUM provides research grants for agricultural research at member universities. CIMMYT and other international research centres may offer research collaboration opportunities.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
RUFORUM Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

RUFORUM Research Grant
Grant
Agricultural researchers at RUFORUM member universities
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: Holders of a Master's degree in Plant Breeding or related sciences from UoN or any recognised institution. Must also hold a BSc in Agriculture, Biotechnology, Botany or related field. Must submit a research concept note including problem statement, objectives, methodology, expected outputs and references.

MSc in Plant Science, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Botany or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university
BSc in Agriculture, Biotechnology, Botany, Environmental Sciences or related field
Relevant Bachelors from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research concept note before departmental panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research (equivalent to 18 course units), submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory reports and seminar presentations across 5 taught units

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at the University of Nairobi (Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture) and JKUAT. The UoN programme consists of 5 compulsory taught units plus thesis, delivered through face-to-face, blended and ODeL modes.

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

Plant Breeder
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Developing new crop varieties at KALRO, seed companies and research institutes
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in plant science and agriculture departments
Plant Pathologist
High demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Research on plant diseases at KALRO, KEPHIS and universities
Seed Company Research Director
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Leading research and development at seed companies

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, plant breeders, plant pathologists and seed company research directors. They work at KALRO, KEPHIS, universities, seed companies and international research institutes.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Plant science is just about growing plants.
The field covers genetics, biotechnology, pathology, physiology and molecular biology of plants.
There is no demand for plant science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's food security agenda and crop pest threats create strong demand for plant science expertise.
Plant science research is not innovative.
Doctoral research develops new varieties, diagnostic tools and biotechnological solutions for agriculture.
Plant science is only for agriculture graduates.
The programme attracts biotechnologists, botanists, environmental scientists and geneticists.