Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Conservation Biology (Research)

The Doctor of Philosophy in Conservation Biology (Research) is a doctoral programme offered at Mount Kenya University through the School of Pure and Applied Sciences and at Maseno University through the School of Arts and Social Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in conservation biology, biodiversity conservation and wildlife management. The programme addresses Kenya's biodiversity conservation challenges and wildlife protection needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in conservation biology, biodiversity assessment, population ecology, habitat management, conservation genetics, wildlife ecology, protected area management, conservation policy, climate change and biodiversity, ecosystem services and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops conservation biology insights for Kenya's biodiversity challenges.

Kenya's rich biodiversity, threatened wildlife populations, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, climate change impacts and the economic importance of wildlife tourism create demand for doctoral-level conservation biology expertise. The programme supports Kenya's biodiversity conservation and wildlife tourism goals.

Teaching is delivered through thesis-only research at MKU with total cost of KSh 450,000 over 3 years (KSh 150,000/year). At Maseno University, the programme is offered through the School of Arts and Social Sciences with conservation biology as a key research area.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, conservation biologists, wildlife researchers, protected area managers and biodiversity consultants. They work in universities, Kenya Wildlife Service, National Museums of Kenya, conservation NGOs and international conservation organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in biology, ecology, wildlife management, environmental science or related fields who wish to contribute original research to conservation biology.

Duration: 3-5 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
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Conservation Biology Theory
Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring
Population Ecology and Viability Analysis
Habitat Management and Restoration
Conservation Genetics
Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour
Protected Area Management
Conservation Policy and Governance
Climate Change and Biodiversity
Research Methods in Conservation Biology

Modules

8 in the programme

Conservation Biology Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theory of conservation biology, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Assessment and monitoring of biodiversity, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.
Population Ecology and Viability Analysis
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Population ecology and viability, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Conservation Genetics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Genetics for conservation, covering ecological principles, conservation strategies, and their application in biodiversity management.
Protected Area Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Management of protected areas, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Research Methods in Conservation Biology
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology, 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

Habitat Restoration
Research on habitat restoration
Wildlife Conservation
Research on wildlife conservation
Conservation Genetics
Research on conservation genetics
Protected Area Management
Research on protected area management

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting biodiversity field surveys, analysing population data, reviewing conservation literature, attending seminars on conservation biology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting KWS, national parks and IUCN for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Access to KWS, IUCN and WWF in Nairobi for research
Kenya's wildlife tourism creates demand for conservation expertise
Research contributes to biodiversity conservation

Against it

Field research in remote areas can be logistically challenging
Conservation funding can be limited
Requires interdisciplinary knowledge of biology and policy

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

Public170k to 367k

170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology367k 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

KU PhD ~367K/yr (mawese.com). JKUAT ~170K. MKU 150K (mku.ac.ke), KeMU ~168K/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. IUCN and WWF provide research grants for conservation biology research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
IUCN Research Grant
WWF Research Grant

Scholarships

4 recorded

IUCN Research Grant
Grant
Conservation researchers
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
WWF Research Grant
Grant
Conservation researchers
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: At MKU: Masters degree in relevant field or equivalent recognised by MKU Senate. Thesis only mode. Total cost KSh 450,000 over 3 years. At Maseno: Masters degree in relevant field from Maseno or recognised institution.

MSc/Masters in Biology, Ecology, Conservation Biology, Wildlife Management or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

2 components

Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis80% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Mount Kenya University (School of Pure and Applied Sciences, thesis only, total KSh 450,000 over 3 years) and Maseno University (School of Arts and Social Sciences).

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

Protected Area Manager
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Management at KWS and KFS
Conservation Biologist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Conservation at KWS and NGOs
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in biology departments
Wildlife Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at KWS and wildlife institutes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, conservation biologists, wildlife researchers and protected area managers. They work at KWS, NMK, KFS, IUCN, WWF and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Conservation biology is just about saving animals.
The field covers biodiversity assessment, population ecology, habitat management, genetics and policy.
There is no demand for conservation biology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's wildlife tourism and biodiversity challenges create demand.
Conservation research is purely field-based.
The programme uses genetics, modelling, GIS and statistical analysis.
Only biologists study conservation PhDs.
The programme attracts ecologists, environmental scientists and policy analysts.