Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Exercise and Sports Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Exercise and Sports Science is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the Department of Physical Education, Exercise and Sport Science, School of Health Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in exercise science, sports performance and physical activity for health. The programme addresses Kenya's growing interest in sports science, athlete performance and physical activity for public health.

Students engage with advanced topics in exercise physiology, sports biomechanics, sports medicine, exercise psychology, motor control and learning, sports nutrition, physical activity epidemiology, sports performance analysis, rehabilitation science and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops exercise and sports science innovations for Kenya's athletic population and public health.

Kenya's position as a world-leading athletics nation, the growth of professional sports, the need for sports medicine expertise and the increasing focus on physical activity for health create demand for doctoral-level exercise and sports science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's sports development and public health goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research at Kenyatta University. The programme is offered in Regular Full-Time mode through the School of Health Sciences. Annual tuition fees are KSh 336,600 for East Africans and KSh 420,750 for non-East Africans, with additional charges of KSh 22,000-25,000 for registration, medical, ID and internet. Application fee is KSh 3,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, exercise physiologists, sports scientists, sports medicine specialists and physical activity researchers. They work in universities, sports institutes, Ministry of Sports, sports federations, hospitals and fitness organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in exercise science, sports medicine, kinesiology, physical education or biomedical science who wish to contribute original research to exercise and sports science.

Duration: 3-4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 361,600
Private, up to: Ksh 250,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Exercise Physiology
Sports Biomechanics
Sports Medicine
Exercise Psychology
Motor Control and Learning
Sports Nutrition
Physical Activity Epidemiology
Sports Performance Analysis
Rehabilitation Science
Research Methods in Exercise Science

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Exercise Physiology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Physiological responses to exercise, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Sports Biomechanics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Biomechanical analysis of sports performance, covering exercise science principles, performance analysis, and their application in sports and health.
Sports Medicine
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Medical aspects of sports and exercise, covering exercise science principles, performance analysis, and their application in sports and health.
Motor Control and Learning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Control and learning of motor skills, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Sports Nutrition
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Nutrition for athletic performance, covering nutritional science principles, dietary assessment methods, and their application in public health.
Research Methods in Exercise Science
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for exercise science, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in.
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

Physical Activity Epidemiology
Research on physical activity and health
Sports Biomechanics
Research on biomechanics of sports
Exercise Physiology
Research on physiological responses to exercise
Sports Medicine
Research on medical aspects of sports

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting physiological tests on athletes in the laboratory, analysing biomechanical data, reviewing exercise science literature, attending seminars on sports science, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with sports federations and training camps for field research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's world athletics leadership creates unique research opportunities
Leading institution for exercise science training in Kenya
Research directly supports athlete performance and public health

Against it

Career opportunities outside academia and sports are limited
Laboratory research requires specialised equipment
Limited funding for sports science research in Kenya

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public320k to 362k

320k at University of Nairobi362k at Kenyatta University

Private170k to 250k

170k at Kenya Methodist University250k 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

KU ~361,600/yr incl. charges (healthsciences.ku.ac.ke). UoN ~320,000/yr. KeMU ~170,000, MKU ~250,000/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. Olympic Solidarity may provide scholarships for sports-related research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
Olympic Solidarity Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

Olympic Solidarity Scholarship
Scholarship
Sports researchers and athletes
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: Applicants should have attained a minimum academic qualification of a Master's degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Medicine, Medicine, Biomedical Science or equivalent from a recognised university. Application fee KSh 3,000 for East Africans.

Masters in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Medicine, Medicine, Biomedical Science or equivalent
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

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 departmental panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory reports and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (Department of Physical Education, Exercise and Sport Science, School of Health Sciences). Regular Full-Time mode. Application fee KSh 3,000. The department is the leading institution offering training in Exercise and Sport Science in Kenya.

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

University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in health sciences departments
Exercise Physiologist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Physiological testing and research at sports institutes
Sports Medicine Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Sports medicine at hospitals and sports teams
Sports Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Sports science at federations and training centres

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, exercise physiologists, sports scientists and sports medicine specialists. They work at universities, sports institutes, Athletics Kenya, Ministry of Sports and hospitals.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Exercise and sports science is just about coaching.
The field covers exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports medicine, nutrition and epidemiology.
There is no demand for sports science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's position as a world athletics leader creates demand for sports science research.
Sports science research is not rigorous.
The programme uses physiological testing, biomechanical analysis and empirical research methods.
Only athletes study sports science PhDs.
The programme attracts medical professionals, physiologists and physical educators.