Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering and Management
The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering and Management is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT and the University of Nairobi. At JKUAT, it is offered through the College of Engineering and at UoN through the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in environmental engineering, waste management, water treatment and environmental systems management.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 572,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,716,000 to Ksh 2,860,000 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 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 2 institutions.The detail
- Where it leads
- 8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Overhead Transmission Technician, at 10 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 water and wastewater engineering, solid waste management, air pollution control, environmental impact assessment, environmental systems modelling, water resources engineering, environmental biotechnology, sustainable environmental management, environmental policy and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops engineering solutions for Kenya's environmental challenges.
Kenya's urbanisation, industrialisation, water scarcity, pollution and the need for sustainable waste management create demand for doctoral-level environmental engineering expertise. The programme supports Kenya's environmental management and sustainable development goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At JKUAT, the PhD programme costs KSh 510,500 total over 3 years. At UoN, the programme (F801) has annual tuition of KSh 540,000, with Year 1 total of KSh 572,000 and total programme cost of KSh 1,756,000 over 3 years.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental engineers, water and sanitation specialists, waste management consultants and environmental impact assessors. They work in universities, water companies, NEMA, Ministry of Water, environmental consulting firms and international environmental organisations.
The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in environmental engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering or environmental science who wish to contribute original research to environmental engineering.
What you study
10 subjects- Water and Wastewater Engineering
- Solid Waste Management
- Air Pollution Control Engineering
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Environmental Systems Modelling
- Water Resources Engineering
- Environmental Biotechnology
- Sustainable Environmental Management
- Environmental Policy and Regulation
- Research Methods in Engineering
Modules
8 in the programmeWater and Wastewater Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced water and wastewater treatment systems, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.
Solid Waste Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Engineering and management of solid waste, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Environmental Systems Modelling
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Modelling of environmental systems, covering mathematical and computational modelling techniques, simulation methods, and their application in research and analysis.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Methods for environmental impact assessment, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.
Environmental Biotechnology
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Biotechnology applications in environmental engineering, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Research Methods in Engineering
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for engineering 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
Environmental Systems
Research on environmental systems modelling
Solid Waste Management
Research on waste management systems
Environmental Biotechnology
Research on biotechnology in environmental engineering
Water and Wastewater
Research on water and wastewater treatment
A day as a student
A typical day involves modelling environmental systems using engineering software, conducting laboratory experiments on water and waste treatment, analysing environmental data, reviewing engineering literature, attending seminars on environmental engineering, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting water treatment plants and waste management facilities for industry research.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's urbanisation and water challenges create strong demand | UoN programme is expensive at KSh 1,756,000 total |
| Access to NEMA, WRA and water companies for research | Laboratory research requires expensive equipment |
| Research directly contributes to environmental sustainability | Field research at treatment plants and waste sites |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 332 engineering coursesAnnual 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 572,000/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT 170,167/yr. KeMU 168,000, MKU 150,000/yr.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant
Scholarships
3 recordedNACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
Scholarships you could apply for
2 usable where it is taught- Chevening Scholarships Kenya
Closes 30 November 2026FullUK Government
Full masters in UK
- AfDB Japan Scholarship Program
Closes 28 February 2027FullAfrican Development Bank
Full graduate study abroad
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
At UoN: Holder of MSc in Environmental and Biosystems Engineering or related discipline from UoN or equivalent. At JKUAT: Holder of MSc in relevant engineering discipline. Application fee KSh 1,500.
When it next starts
Taught at 2 institutionsIncluding South Eastern Kenya University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including South Eastern Kenya University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including South Eastern Kenya University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
How you are assessed
3 componentsCoursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory work and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Accreditation
Engineers Board of Kenya
Professional
Regulates engineering practice and education in Kenya
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 JKUAT (College of Engineering) as PhD in Environmental Engineering and Management, and at University of Nairobi (Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, F801) as PhD in Environmental and Biosystems Engineering. UoN total cost KSh 1,756,000. JKUAT total cost KSh 510,500.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesUniversity Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in engineering departments
Environmental Engineer
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Environmental engineering at consulting firms and agencies
Water and Sanitation Specialist
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Water and sanitation at water companies and ministries
Waste Management Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Consulting on waste management systems
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental engineers, water and sanitation specialists and waste management consultants. They work at NEMA, WRA, water companies, universities and environmental consulting firms.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Overhead Transmission TechnicianEngineering10Low exposure
- Cloud Security EngineerTechnology14Low exposure
- Desalination Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- District Cooling EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- HighVoltage Substation EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Hydrogen Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Industrial Robotics ProgrammerTechnology14Low exposure
- Microgrid Control EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Environmental engineering is just about waste management.
The field covers water treatment, air pollution, systems modelling, biotechnology and policy.
There is no demand for environmental engineering PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's urbanisation and water challenges create strong demand for environmental engineering.
Environmental engineering research is purely practical.
The programme includes systems modelling, biotechnology and advanced engineering analysis.
Only civil engineers study environmental engineering PhDs.
The programme attracts chemical, mechanical and environmental engineers.