Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Implementation Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Implementation Science is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Health Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in implementation science, focusing on methods to promote the adoption of evidence-based practices into routine healthcare.

The programme addresses Kenya's health systems implementation research needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in implementation science theory, evidence-based practice integration, health systems research, quality improvement, health programme evaluation, behaviour change implementation, health policy implementation, implementation frameworks and models, knowledge translation and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops implementation science insights for Kenya's healthcare system.

Kenya's evidence-to-practice gap, health system strengthening needs, UHC implementation challenges, quality improvement requirements, scale-up of health interventions and the need for implementation research create demand for doctoral-level implementation science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's health system improvement and UHC goals.

Teaching is delivered through thesis research with quarterly progress reports. The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology offers PhD in Implementation Science by thesis with tuition at KSh 432,000/year, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. Minimum duration is 3 years. Applications are in September. Draft proposal of approximately 15 pages required.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, implementation science researchers, health systems consultants, programme evaluation specialists and quality improvement officers. They work in universities, Ministry of Health, WHO, CDC Kenya and international health organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 432,000
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

Implementation Science Theory and Frameworks
Evidence-Based Practice Integration
Health Systems Research and Strengthening
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Health Programme Evaluation
Behaviour Change Implementation
Health Policy Implementation and Translation
Knowledge Translation and Exchange
Scale-Up and Spread of Interventions
Research Methods in Implementation Science

Modules

8 in the programme

Implementation Science Theory and Frameworks
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Theory and frameworks, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Evidence-Based Practice Integration
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Evidence-based practice, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Health Systems Research and Strengthening
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Health systems research, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Quality improvement, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Knowledge Translation and Exchange
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Knowledge translation, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Implementation 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

Policy Implementation
Research on health policy implementation
Knowledge Translation
Research on knowledge translation
Quality Improvement
Research on quality improvement in healthcare
Health Systems Implementation
Research on health systems implementation

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting implementation research, analysing health systems data, reviewing implementation science literature, attending seminars on evidence-based practice, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Health, WHO, CDC and health facilities for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's UHC implementation creates strong demand
Access to Ministry of Health, WHO, CDC and KEMRI
Research directly impacts healthcare delivery

Against it

Requires interdisciplinary health and social science knowledge
Health research requires ethical approvals
Accessing health facilities for research 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 courses

Public367k to 432k

367k at Kenyatta University432k at University of Nairobi

Private130k to 300k

130k at AMREF International 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 432k/yr verified (medmicrobiology.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 367.2k/yr (ku.ac.ke). Private: AKU, Amref unverified.

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

Funding options

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

Scholarships

4 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
WHO Research Grant
Grant
Health researchers
NIH Fogarty International Grant
Grant
International health researchers
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 UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. Must submit draft proposal of approximately 15 pages. May require interview. Applications in September. Total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years.

MSc/MMed in Health Sciences, Public Health, Medicine 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
Quarterly Progress Reports
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Quarterly submission of research progress reports

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years). By thesis with quarterly progress reports. Developed with MEPI support.

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

Programme Evaluation Specialist
High demandKsh 190,000 to Ksh 480,000
Evaluation at Ministry and WHO
University Professor
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Teaching and research in health schools
Implementation Science Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research on implementation science
Health Systems Consultant
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consulting on health systems

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, implementation science researchers, health systems consultants and programme evaluation specialists. They work at Ministry of Health, WHO, CDC, KEMRI and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Implementation science is just about project management.
The field covers evidence-based practice integration, health systems research, quality improvement and knowledge translation.
There is no demand for implementation science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's UHC implementation and evidence-to-practice gap create strong demand.
Implementation science research is purely qualitative.
The programme uses mixed methods, quasi-experimental designs and quantitative evaluation.
Only health workers study this PhD.
The programme attracts social scientists, statisticians and policy analysts.