Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry

The Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry is a doctoral programme offered at Egerton University through the Faculty of Agriculture and at Kenyatta University through the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in forestry, forest management and forest resources conservation. The programme addresses Kenya's forestry sector development and conservation challenges.

Students engage with advanced topics in forest management, silviculture, forest ecology, agroforestry, forest genetics and tree improvement, forest biometrics, watershed management, forest economics, climate change and forestry, and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops forestry insights for Kenya's forest sector.

Kenya's forest cover targets under Vision 2030, deforestation challenges, the importance of forests for water towers, climate change mitigation through REDD+, agroforestry expansion and community forestry create demand for doctoral-level forestry expertise. The programme supports Kenya's forest conservation and management goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, fieldwork and supervised research. At Egerton University, PhD programmes cost KSh 200,000/year tuition, total KSh 742,700 over 3 years. Application fee is KSh 2,000. At KU, the School of Agriculture offers PhD in Forestry at KSh 367,200/year for East Africans.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, forestry researchers, forest managers, agroforestry specialists and environmental consultants. They work in universities, Kenya Forest Service, KALRO, conservation NGOs and international forestry organisations.

The programme is ideal for individuals with backgrounds in forestry, environmental science, agriculture, biology or related fields who wish to contribute original research to forestry.

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

Forest Management and Silviculture
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity
Agroforestry Systems and Practices
Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement
Forest Biometrics and Inventory
Watershed Management and Hydrology
Forest Economics and Policy
Climate Change and Forestry
Community Forestry and Livelihoods
Research Methods in Forestry

Modules

8 in the programme

Forest Management and Silviculture
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Management and silviculture of forests, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Forest Ecology and Biodiversity
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Ecology and biodiversity of forests, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
Agroforestry Systems and Practices
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Agroforestry systems, covering silvicultural principles, forest management, and their application in sustainable resource use.
Forest Genetics and Tree Improvement
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Genetics and improvement of trees, covering silvicultural principles, forest management, and their application in sustainable resource use.
Forest Biometrics and Inventory
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Biometrics and inventory of forests, covering silvicultural principles, forest management, and their application in sustainable resource use.
Research Methods in Forestry
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 Forestry
Research on climate change and forestry
Agroforestry
Research on agroforestry systems
Silviculture
Research on silviculture and forest management
Forest Genetics
Research on forest genetics and tree improvement

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting forest surveys, analysing forest inventory data, running growth models, reviewing forestry literature, attending seminars on forest management, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting KFS, KEFRI and ICRAF for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Access to KFS, KEFRI and ICRAF for research
Kenya's forest cover targets create research demand
Research contributes to climate change mitigation

Against it

Field research in remote forest areas is challenging
Forestry funding can be limited
Career opportunities outside research are limited

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

Public252k to 367k

252k at Egerton University367k 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

Egerton ~252K, KU ~367K/yr. MKU ~150K, KeMU ~168K/yr.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. FAO and ICRAF provide research grants for forestry research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
FAO Research Grant
World Agroforestry Centre Grant

Scholarships

4 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
FAO Research Grant
Grant
Forestry and agriculture researchers
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
ICRAF Research Grant
Grant
Agroforestry researchers

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At Egerton: Masters degree from Egerton or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 2,000. Total KSh 742,700 over 3 years. At KU: Masters degree in relevant area from KU or recognised institution. KSh 367,200/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

MSc in Forestry, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Biology or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, field reports 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

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Egerton University (KSh 200,000/year, total KSh 742,700) and Kenyatta University (School of Agriculture, KSh 367,200/year).

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

Forestry Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at KEFRI and ICRAF
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in forestry departments
Forest Manager
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Management at KFS
Agroforestry Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Agroforestry at ICRAF and NGOs

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, forestry researchers, forest managers and agroforestry specialists. They work at KFS, KEFRI, ICRAF, Ministry of Environment and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Forestry is just about planting trees.
The field covers silviculture, ecology, genetics, biometrics, watershed management and forest economics.
There is no demand for forestry PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's forest cover targets and climate change mitigation create demand.
Forestry research is purely field-based.
The programme uses GIS, biometrics, molecular biology and economic modelling.
Only foresters study forestry PhDs.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, biologists and agricultural scientists.