Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Policy
The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Policy is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi through their respective departments of environmental studies. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in environmental policy, governance and natural resource management. The programme addresses Kenya's need for evidence-based environmental policy research and analysis.
Students engage with advanced topics in environmental policy analysis, environmental governance, environmental law, natural resource policy, climate change policy, environmental impact assessment, sustainable development policy, environmental economics, comparative environmental policy and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops policy insights for Kenya's environmental management challenges.
Kenya's environmental policy challenges including deforestation, wildlife conservation, climate change adaptation, pollution control and the need for evidence-based environmental governance create demand for doctoral-level environmental policy expertise. The programme supports Kenya's environmental governance and sustainable development goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At KU, the programme is offered through the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences or the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences with annual fees of KSh 244,800 for East Africans. At UoN, the programme is offered through the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences with PhD in Environmental Governance and Management at KSh 474,000/year.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental policy analysts, environmental governance specialists, natural resource managers and environmental consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Environment, NEMA, KFS, KWS, UNEP and international environmental organisations.
The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in environmental science, law, policy studies, public administration or related fields who wish to contribute original research to environmental policy.
- Duration
- 3-5 years
- Public, up to
- Ksh 474,000
- 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- Environmental Policy Analysis
- Environmental Governance
- Environmental Law and Regulation
- Natural Resource Policy
- Climate Change Policy
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Sustainable Development Policy
- Environmental Economics for Policy
- Comparative Environmental Policy
- Research Methods in Environmental Policy
Modules
8 in the programmeEnvironmental Policy Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Analysis of environmental policy, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Environmental Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Governance of environmental resources, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
Environmental Law and Regulation
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Legal frameworks for environment, examining legal frameworks, regulatory regimes, and their practical implications for professional practice in Kenya.
Climate Change Policy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Policy responses to climate change, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
EIA theory and practice, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.
Research Methods in Environmental Policy
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
Climate Change Policy
Research on climate change policy
Environmental Impact Assessment
Research on EIA policy and practice
Natural Resource Policy
Research on natural resource policy
Environmental Governance
Research on environmental governance
A day as a student
A typical day involves analysing environmental policy documents, reviewing environmental governance literature, conducting policy evaluation research, attending seminars on environmental policy, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with NEMA, UNEP and IUCN for policy-relevant research.
The trade offs
In its favour
- Access to NEMA, UNEP and IUCN in Nairobi
- Kenya's environmental governance challenges create demand
- Research informs environmental policy and governance
Against it
- Requires interdisciplinary knowledge of law, economics and environment
- Limited funding for environmental policy research
- Policy research can be politically sensitive
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 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 WMI ~474K/yr, JKUAT ~170K/yr. MKU ~150K, KeMU ~168K/yr.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. UNEP and IUCN may provide research grants for environmental policy research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
UNEP Research Grant
Scholarships
3 recordedHELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
UNEP Research Grant
Grant
Environmental researchers
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
- KCSE mean grade
- Masters Degree
- 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. PhD in Environmental Governance and Management (A82) has 9 course units plus thesis.
MSc/Masters in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Law, Public Administration or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, policy analysis projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Accreditation
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University and University of Nairobi (Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, PhD in Environmental Governance and Management, total KSh 1,442,000 over 3 years). NEMA registers EIA lead experts.
Accredited by
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
National Environment Management Authority
Regulatory
Registers EIA lead experts and regulates environmental compliance
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesEnvironmental Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Policy analysis at Ministry of Environment and NEMA
Environmental Governance Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Governance at UNEP and IUCN
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in environmental policy departments
Natural Resource Manager
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Resource management at KFS and KWS
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental policy analysts, environmental governance specialists and natural resource managers. They work at NEMA, Ministry of Environment, KWS, UNEP, IUCN and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- CriminologistSocial Sciences16Low exposure
- Geographer (Human & Physical)Social Sciences18Low exposure
- Climatologist / MeteorologistSocial Sciences19Low exposure
- Restorative Justice PractitionerSocial Sciences21Low exposure
- Human Rights AnalystSocial Sciences26Low exposure
- Industrial-Organizational PsychologistSocial Sciences26Low exposure
- Diplomat / Foreign Service OfficerSocial Sciences27Low exposure
- Public Administration & Civil ServiceSocial Sciences27Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Environmental policy is just about making rules.
The field covers governance, law, economics, impact assessment and comparative policy analysis.
There is no demand for environmental policy PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's environmental governance challenges create demand for policy expertise.
Environmental policy research is purely qualitative.
The programme uses policy analysis, economic evaluation and empirical research methods.
Only lawyers study environmental policy PhDs.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, economists and public administrators.
Related courses
Further reading
Fees and entry marks for Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Policy are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.