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Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Health

The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Health is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Health Sciences and at the University of Nairobi through the School of Public Health. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in environmental health, public health and sanitation. The programme addresses Kenya's environmental health challenges including water quality, sanitation, air pollution and vector-borne diseases.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 428,000
Ksh 1,284,000 to Ksh 2,140,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 150,000
Ksh 450,000 to Ksh 750,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 428,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,284,000 to Ksh 2,140,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 150,000 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 3 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, 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 environmental health science, water and sanitation, air quality management, food safety, vector control, waste management, environmental health legislation, environmental health risk assessment, climate and health, and research methods in environmental health. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops environmental health insights for Kenya's public health challenges.

Kenya's water and sanitation challenges, air pollution in urban areas, food safety concerns, climate-sensitive diseases and the need for evidence-based environmental health policy create demand for doctoral-level environmental health expertise. The programme supports Kenya's public health and environmental sanitation goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, fieldwork and supervised research. At KU, the programme is offered through the School of Health Sciences with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans. At UoN, the programme is offered through the School of Public Health at the College of Health Sciences.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental health researchers, public health officers, sanitation specialists and health policy consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Health, NEMA, county governments, WHO and international health organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in public health, environmental health, medicine, nursing or related fields who wish to contribute original research to environmental health.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Environmental Health Science
  • Water and Sanitation Health
  • Air Quality Management
  • Food Safety and Hygiene
  • Vector and Pest Control
  • Solid and Liquid Waste Management
  • Environmental Health Legislation
  • Environmental Health Risk Assessment
  • Climate Change and Health
  • Research Methods in Environmental Health

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Environmental Health Science

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Science of environmental health, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.

  • Water and Sanitation Health

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Water quality and sanitation management, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.

  • Air Quality Management

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Air pollution monitoring and control, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.

  • Food Safety and Hygiene

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Food safety standards and regulation, covering food science principles, safety standards, and their application in production and quality assurance.

  • Environmental Health Risk Assessment

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Risk assessment methods, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.

  • Research Methods in Environmental Health

    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

  • Water and Sanitation

    Research on water and sanitation health

  • Food Safety

    Research on food safety and hygiene

  • Climate and Health

    Research on climate change and health

  • Air Quality

    Research on air quality and health

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting environmental health assessments, analysing water and air quality data, reviewing public health literature, attending seminars on environmental health, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting communities, NEMA and health facilities for field research.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's public health challenges create strong demandField research in informal settlements can be challenging
Access to KEMRI, NEMA and WHO for researchRequires interdisciplinary knowledge of health and environment
Research directly impacts public health outcomesLimited funding for environmental health research

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 428k
170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology428k at University of Nairobi
Private144k to 150k
144k at Kenya Methodist University150k at Mount Kenya 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 PhD Public Health ~428K/yr (sphun.uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT ~170K. KeMU ~144K, MKU 150K/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. WHO provides research grants for public health research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • WHO Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • WHO Research Grant

    Grant

    Public health researchers

  • 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
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

At KU: Masters degree in relevant area from KU or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution in public health or related field.

Subject requirements
MSc/Masters in Public Health, Environmental Health or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 3 institutions
January 20273 institutions

Including Egerton University, University of Eldoret, Kenyatta University.

May 20273 institutions

Including Egerton University, University of Eldoret, Kenyatta University.

September 20273 institutions

Including Egerton University, University of Eldoret, Kenyatta University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, field reports and seminar presentations

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

  • Public Health Officers and Technicians Council

    Professional

    Regulates public health officers and technicians in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Health Sciences) and University of Nairobi (School of Public Health). KU fees KSh 244,800/year. Public Health Officers and Technicians Council regulates the profession.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Public Health Officer

    High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000

    Public health at county governments

  • Sanitation Specialist

    Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Sanitation at NGOs and international organisations

  • Environmental Health Researcher

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Research at KEMRI and health institutes

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in public health departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental health researchers, public health officers and sanitation specialists. They work at Ministry of Health, NEMA, KEMRI, county governments and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Environmental health is just about sanitation.

    The field covers water quality, air pollution, food safety, vector control and climate health.

  • There is no demand for environmental health PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's public health and sanitation challenges create strong demand.

  • Environmental health research is purely descriptive.

    The programme uses epidemiology, risk assessment and statistical analysis.

  • Only public health officers study environmental health PhDs.

    The programme attracts doctors, nurses and environmental scientists.

Further reading

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