Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Human Anatomy

The Doctor of Philosophy in Human Anatomy is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in human anatomy, anatomical science and medical education.

The programme addresses Kenya's anatomical research and medical training development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, embryology and developmental biology, histology and cell biology, comparative anatomy, anatomical imaging, clinical anatomy, anatomical education and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops anatomical science insights for Kenya's medical education and clinical practice.

Kenya's medical school expansion, anatomical science research needs, medical education quality improvement, clinical anatomy for surgical training and the growth of anatomical imaging create demand for doctoral-level human anatomy expertise. The programme supports Kenya's medical education and anatomical science development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research at UoN. The Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology offers PhD in Human Anatomy (H804) with tuition at KSh 396,000/year, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years. Applications open in April each year. Programme code H804, duration 3 years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, anatomy researchers, medical educators and clinical anatomy consultants. They work in universities, medical schools, research institutes and hospitals.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 396,000
Private, up to: Ksh 300,000
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: 3 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Gross Anatomy and Topographical Anatomy
Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology
Embryology and Developmental Biology
Histology and Advanced Cell Biology
Comparative and Evolutionary Anatomy
Anatomical Imaging and 3D Reconstruction
Clinical Anatomy for Surgical Practice
Anatomical Education and Pedagogy
Molecular Anatomy and Genetics
Research Methods in Anatomical Science

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Gross Anatomy and Topographical Anatomy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced gross anatomy, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Cell and Tissue Biology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Neuroanatomy, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
Gross Anatomy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Detailed study of human body structure through dissection, covering anatomical and physiological principles, their structural-functional relationships, and clinical relevance.
Embryology and Developmental Biology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Embryology and development, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Developmental Anatomy
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Embryology and developmental biology, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Histology and Advanced Cell Biology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Histology and cell biology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Neuroanatomy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Structure and organisation of the nervous system, covering anatomical and physiological principles, their structural-functional relationships, and clinical relevance.
Clinical Anatomy for Surgical Practice
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Clinical anatomy, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Clinical and Applied Anatomy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Application of anatomical knowledge to clinical practice, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Research Methods in Anatomical 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.
Research Methods in Biomedical Science
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology for biomedical research, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research.

Specialisations

Anatomical Education
Research on anatomy pedagogy
Clinical Anatomy
Research on clinical anatomy for surgery
Embryology
Research on embryology and developmental biology
Neuroanatomy
Research on neuroanatomy and neurobiology
Developmental Anatomy
Embryology and congenital anomalies
Histology and Cell Biology
Microscopic anatomy and cell biology research

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting anatomical research, preparing tissue samples, running imaging analyses, reviewing anatomy literature, attending seminars on anatomical science, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KNH and medical school departments for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing number of medical schools in Kenya creates demand for anatomy professors
Access to UoN College of Health Sciences facilities and KEMRI
Access to KNH and medical school facilities
Research bridges basic science and clinical medicine

Against it

Requires access to cadavers and anatomical specimens
Requires access to cadaveric and histology facilities
Programme is intensive with 69 units over 9 terms
Small cohort with limited peer interaction

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 courses

Public367k to 396k

367k at Kenyatta University396k at University of Nairobi

Private144k to 300k

144k at Kenya Methodist University300k at Aga Khan 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

UoN 396k/yr verified (humananatomy.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 367.2k/yr (ku.ac.ke). KeMU 144k/yr. AKU unverified.

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NIH Fogarty and WHO provide research grants for health research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NIH Fogarty International Grant
WHO Research Grant

Scholarships

5 recorded

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
WHO Research Grant
Grant
Health researchers
Wellcome Trust Research Grant
Grant
Biomedical researchers in developing countries
NIH Fogarty International Grant
Grant
International health researchers

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology. H804. Must submit research proposal. Applications open in April. Total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years. Same fees for local and international students.

MSc in Human Anatomy, Medical Physiology, Medicine, Biomedical Science or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

4 components

Written Examinations
Examination20% of the mark
Written examinations on coursework units
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory 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 University of Nairobi (Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology, H804, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years). Same fees for local and international students.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council
Professional
Regulates medical practice in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

7 roles

University Professor
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Teaching and research in medical schools
Clinical Anatomy Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consulting on surgical anatomy
Medical Educator
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Training medical students
Anatomy Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on anatomical science
Medical Education Specialist
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 380,000
Developing anatomy curricula and teaching methods for medical education
Anatomical Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research at KEMRI, universities and biomedical research institutes
Biomedical Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Research on disease mechanisms and translational anatomy

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, anatomy researchers, medical educators and clinical anatomy consultants. They work at medical schools, KNH and research institutes.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Human anatomy is just about dissecting cadavers.
The field covers neuroanatomy, embryology, histology, imaging, molecular anatomy and anatomical education.
There is no demand for anatomy PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's medical school expansion creates strong demand for anatomy faculty.
Anatomy research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses molecular biology, imaging, 3D reconstruction and educational research.
Only medical doctors study anatomy PhDs.
The programme attracts biologists, veterinarians and biomedical scientists.