Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Studies and Community Development

The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Studies and Community Development is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development, School of Environmental Studies. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research at the intersection of environmental studies and community development. The programme addresses Kenya's need for sustainable community development that balances environmental conservation with livelihood improvement.

Students engage with advanced topics in environmental studies, community development theory, sustainable development, environmental sociology, natural resource governance, community-based conservation, participatory research methods, environmental education, climate change and community resilience and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops insights into the relationship between environmental management and community development in Kenya.

Kenya's community-based natural resource management, devolution of environmental governance to communities, climate change impacts on livelihoods and the need for sustainable development create demand for doctoral-level expertise. The programme supports Kenya's community development and environmental management goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research at Kenyatta University. The programme is offered through the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Annual fees are KSh 367,200 for East Africans and KSh 459,000 for non-East Africans, consistent with other environmental science PhD programmes at KU.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, community development researchers, environmental sociologists, natural resource governance specialists and development consultants. They work in universities, NGOs, county governments, Ministry of Environment, international development organisations and community-based organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in environmental studies, community development, sociology, geography or related fields who wish to contribute original research to environmental studies and community development.

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

Environmental Studies Theory
Community Development Theory
Sustainable Development
Environmental Sociology
Natural Resource Governance
Community-Based Conservation
Participatory Research Methods
Environmental Education
Climate Change and Community Resilience
Research Methods in Environmental Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

Environmental Studies Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theoretical foundations of environmental studies, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Community Development Theory
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Theories of community development, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Natural Resource Governance
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Governance of natural resources at community level, covering political theories, governance frameworks, and their application in public administration.
Community-Based Conservation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Conservation involving local communities, covering ecological principles, conservation strategies, and their application in biodiversity management.
Participatory Research Methods
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Participatory approaches to research, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Research Methods in Environmental Studies
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

Environmental Education
Research on environmental education in communities
Natural Resource Governance
Research on community resource governance
Climate Change and Communities
Research on climate resilience of communities
Community-Based Conservation
Research on conservation with communities

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing environmental and community development literature, conducting participatory research with communities, analysing socio-environmental data, attending seminars on environmental studies, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with NGOs and community-based organisations for field research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Combines environmental science with community development
Kenya's devolution creates demand for community development expertise
Research directly impacts communities and environment

Against it

Interdisciplinary programme requires broad knowledge base
Community research requires building trust and relationships
Limited funding for community development 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

Public312k to 367k

312k at University of Nairobi367k 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 ~367K/yr verified. UoN unverified. MKU ~150K, KeMU ~168K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. CODESRIA provides research grants for social science research in Africa.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
CODESRIA Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

CODESRIA Research Grant
Grant
Social science researchers in Africa
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: Holder of Master's degree in relevant area from Kenyatta University or recognised institution. KU and School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences admission regulations apply.

MSc/MA in Environmental Studies, Community Development, Sociology, Geography or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, community research projects and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before school panel
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development, School of Environmental Studies, School of Agriculture and Environmental 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

Community Development Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Research on community development at NGOs and institutes
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in environmental studies departments
Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Consulting on development and environment
Environmental Sociologist
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Sociological research on environment and society

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, community development researchers, environmental sociologists and development consultants. They work at NGOs, county governments, universities and international development organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Community development is just about social work.
The field covers environmental governance, natural resource management, sustainable development and participatory research.
There is no demand for environmental community development PhDs.
Kenya's devolution and community-based resource management create demand.
Community development research is not rigorous.
The programme uses participatory research methods, social science analysis and environmental assessment.
Only social workers study this programme.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, geographers and development practitioners.