Doctor of Philosophy in Health Systems and Preventive Medicine
The Doctor of Philosophy in Health Systems and Preventive Medicine is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Public Health and at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Public and Global Health.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 428,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,284,000 to Ksh 2,140,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 300,000 a year at a private one.The detail
- Who can get in
- A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
- How long, and when
- Takes 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 2 institutions.The detail
- Where it leads
- 8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Overview
It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in health systems, preventive medicine and public health. The programme addresses Kenya's health system strengthening and preventive medicine research needs.
Students engage with advanced topics in health systems analysis, preventive medicine, epidemiology, health policy, health financing, health workforce development, disease prevention, health promotion, health programme evaluation and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops health systems and preventive medicine insights for Kenya's healthcare challenges.
Kenya's health system reform agenda, UHC goals, disease prevention challenges, health workforce shortages, health financing needs and the growing emphasis on preventive care create demand for doctoral-level health systems and preventive medicine expertise. The programme supports Kenya's UHC and health system strengthening goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework and supervised research. At KU, the School of Public Health offers PhD at KSh 367,200/year for East Africans. At UoN, the Department of Public and Global Health offers PhD in Public Health (HPG8) by thesis.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, health systems researchers, preventive medicine specialists, health policy analysts and public health consultants. They work in universities, Ministry of Health, WHO, county health departments and international health organisations.
What you study
10 subjects- Health Systems Analysis and Strengthening
- Preventive Medicine and Disease Prevention
- Advanced Epidemiology
- Health Policy and Governance
- Health Financing and Economics
- Health Workforce Development
- Health Promotion and Education
- Health Programme Evaluation
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Research Methods in Health Systems
Modules
8 in the programmeHealth Systems Analysis and Strengthening
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Health systems analysis, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.
Preventive Medicine and Disease Prevention
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Preventive medicine, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Health Policy and Governance
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Health policy, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Health Financing and Economics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Health financing, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Health Programme Evaluation
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Evaluation of health programmes, covering assessment design, evaluation methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and quality assurance processes.
Research Methods in Health Systems
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
Preventive Medicine
Research on preventive medicine
Health Policy
Research on health policy
Health Financing
Research on health financing
Health Systems Strengthening
Research on health systems strengthening
A day as a student
A typical day involves analysing health systems data, conducting epidemiological research, reviewing health policy documents, attending seminars on preventive medicine, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Health, WHO and county health departments for research collaboration.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's UHC agenda creates strong demand | Requires interdisciplinary health and social science knowledge |
| Access to Ministry of Health, WHO and KEMRI | Health research requires ethical approvals |
| Research contributes to health system strengthening | Accessing health systems data can be challenging |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 349 health sciences 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
KU 367K, UoN 428K/yr verified (ku.ac.ke, sphun.uonbi.ac.ke). AKU, Amref unverified.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. WHO and NIH Fogarty provide research grants for health systems research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
WHO Research Grant
NIH Fogarty International Grant
Scholarships
4 recordedHELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
WHO Research Grant
Grant
Health researchers
NIH Fogarty International Grant
Grant
International health researchers
Scholarships you could apply for
2 usable where it is taught- Chevening Scholarships Kenya
Closes 30 November 2026FullUK Government
Full masters in UK
- AfDB Japan Scholarship Program
Closes 28 February 2027FullAfrican Development Bank
Full graduate study abroad
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
At KU: Masters degree in relevant area from KU or recognised institution. School of Public Health. KSh 367,200/year. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Public and Global Health. Draft proposal required.
When it next starts
Taught at 2 institutionsIncluding Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.
Including Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.
Including Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, research papers and seminar presentations
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Accreditation
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Public Health, KSh 367,200/year) and University of Nairobi (Department of Public and Global Health, HPG8).
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesUniversity Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in health schools
Health Policy Analyst
High demandKsh 190,000 to Ksh 480,000
Policy at Ministry and WHO
Preventive Medicine Specialist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Preventive medicine at Ministry
Health Systems Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on health systems
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, health systems researchers, preventive medicine specialists and health policy analysts. They work at Ministry of Health, WHO, KEMRI, county health departments and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Dental CeramistHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- Occupational Therapist AssistantHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- PsychologyHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- Dental ProsthetistHealth Sciences4Low exposure
- Dental Laboratory TechnicianHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- General DentistHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- Veterinary PathologistHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- Community Health NurseHealth Sciences6Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Health systems research is just about hospital management.
The field covers policy, financing, workforce, disease prevention and health promotion.
There is no demand for this PhD in Kenya.
Kenya's UHC agenda and health system reform create strong demand.
Preventive medicine research is purely clinical.
The programme uses epidemiology, health economics, policy analysis and programme evaluation.
Only doctors study this PhD.
The programme attracts social scientists, economists and public health professionals.