Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy in Geospatial Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Geospatial Science is a doctoral programme offered at Maseno University and at the Technical University of Kenya. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in geospatial science, spatial analysis and earth observation. The programme addresses Kenya's spatial science research and geospatial technology application needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in spatial analysis, remote sensing, GIS, geospatial modelling, earth observation, cartography, spatial statistics, geospatial data management, environmental geospatial applications and research methods.

The curriculum emphasises original research that develops geospatial science insights for Kenya's environmental, agricultural and urban development challenges.

Kenya's environmental monitoring needs, agricultural mapping, urban planning, natural resource management, disaster risk reduction and climate change monitoring create demand for doctoral-level geospatial science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's spatial science and environmental monitoring goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research. At Maseno University, geospatial science is offered through the School of Environment and Earth Sciences. At TUK, the programme is offered with application fee KSh 3,000 for postgraduate programmes.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, geospatial science researchers, remote sensing specialists, spatial analysts and environmental consultants. They work in universities, RCMRD, NEMA, KFS and geospatial companies.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 367,200
Private, up to: Ksh 168,000
Job market: High

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

Spatial Analysis and Geostatistics
Remote Sensing and Earth Observation
GIS and Geospatial Modelling
Cartographic Science and Visualisation
Spatial Statistics and Uncertainty
Geospatial Data Management
Environmental Geospatial Applications
Urban and Regional Geospatial Analysis
Climate Change Geospatial Monitoring
Research Methods in Geospatial Science

Modules

8 in the programme

Spatial Analysis and Geostatistics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Spatial analysis and geostatistics, including probability theory, hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and statistical software applications for doctoral research.
Remote Sensing and Earth Observation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Remote sensing and earth observation, covering artistic principles, creative methodologies, and their application in cultural production and research.
GIS and Geospatial Modelling
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
GIS and modelling, covering mathematical and computational modelling techniques, simulation methods, and their application in research and analysis.
Environmental Geospatial Applications
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Environmental applications of geospatial science, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
Climate Change Geospatial Monitoring
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Climate change monitoring using geospatial tools, covering geospatial principles, mapping technologies, and their application in spatial analysis and research.
Research Methods in Geospatial Science
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

Remote Sensing
Research on remote sensing and earth observation
Spatial Analysis
Research on spatial analysis and geostatistics
Environmental Geospatial
Research on environmental geospatial applications
Climate Monitoring
Research on climate change geospatial monitoring

A day as a student

A typical day involves processing satellite imagery, running spatial analyses, developing geospatial models, reviewing geospatial science literature, attending seminars on spatial research, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and visiting RCMRD, NEMA and field sites for research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's environmental monitoring creates strong demand
Access to RCMRD, NEMA and KFS for research
Research contributes to environmental management

Against it

Software licences are expensive
Requires statistical and computational skills
Spatial data access can be restricted

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public170k to 367k

170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology367k 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 (ku.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K/yr. TUK ~290K (tukenya portal). KeMU 168K, MKU 150K.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
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: At Maseno: Masters degree from Maseno or recognised institution. School of Environment and Earth Sciences. Application fee KSh 2,000. At TUK: Masters degree from TUK or recognised institution. Application fee KSh 3,000 for postgraduate.

MSc in Geospatial Science, GIS, Geography, Environmental Science or related field
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 faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, geospatial projects and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Maseno University (School of Environment and Earth Sciences) and Technical University of Kenya (application fee KSh 3,000).

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

Spatial Analyst
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Spatial analysis at NEMA and counties
Remote Sensing Specialist
High demandKsh 190,000 to Ksh 480,000
Remote sensing at RCMRD and agencies
Geospatial Science Researcher
High demandKsh 190,000 to Ksh 480,000
Research on geospatial science
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in geospatial departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, geospatial science researchers, remote sensing specialists and spatial analysts. They work at RCMRD, NEMA, KFS and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Geospatial science is just about making maps.
The field covers spatial analysis, remote sensing, geostatistics and environmental modelling.
There is no demand for geospatial science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's environmental monitoring and spatial planning create strong demand.
Geospatial science research is purely technical.
The programme integrates environmental science, geography and statistics.
Only geographers study this PhD.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, computer scientists and planners.