Doctor of Philosophy in Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology
The Doctor of Philosophy in Infectious Diseases 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 infectious diseases, tropical medicine and disease control.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 432,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,296,000 to Ksh 2,160,000 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 1 institution.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
The programme addresses Kenya's infectious disease research and public health development needs.
Students engage with advanced topics in infectious disease epidemiology, tropical medicine, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, immunology of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, vaccine development, outbreak investigation and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops infectious disease insights for Kenya's public health challenges.
Kenya's high burden of infectious diseases including malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS, emerging infections, antimicrobial resistance challenges, vaccine development needs and outbreak preparedness create demand for doctoral-level infectious disease expertise. The programme supports Kenya's disease control and public health goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research at UoN. The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology offers PhD in Infectious Diseases (H84) by thesis with tuition at KSh 432,000/year, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. Minimum duration is 3 years. Intake is in September.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, infectious disease researchers, epidemiologists, microbiologists and public health consultants. They work in universities, KEMRI, WHO, CDC Kenya, Ministry of Health and international health organisations.
What you study
10 subjects- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Tropical Medicine and Neglected Diseases
- Advanced Bacteriology and Mycology
- Virology and Viral Pathogenesis
- Medical Parasitology
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship
- Vaccine Development and Immunisation
- Outbreak Investigation and Response
- Research Methods in Infectious Diseases
Modules
8 in the programmeInfectious Disease Epidemiology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Epidemiology of infectious diseases, covering epidemiological methods, disease surveillance, and their application in public health research.
Tropical Medicine and Neglected Diseases
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Tropical medicine, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Virology and Viral Pathogenesis
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Virology, covering virological principles, viral pathogenesis, and their application in disease diagnosis and prevention.
Immunology of Infectious Diseases
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Immunology of infections, covering immunological principles, immune response mechanisms, and their application in clinical research.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Antimicrobial resistance, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Infectious Diseases
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
Tropical Medicine
Research on tropical and neglected diseases
Vaccine Development
Research on vaccine development
Virology
Research on virology and viral diseases
Antimicrobial Resistance
Research on antimicrobial resistance
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting infectious disease research, running microbiological assays, analysing epidemiological data, reviewing infectious disease literature, attending seminars on tropical medicine, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KEMRI, UNITID, CDC and Ministry of Health for research collaboration.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's high infectious disease burden creates strong demand | Laboratory work with pathogens requires biosafety facilities |
| Access to KEMRI, UNITID, WHO and CDC | Health research requires ethical approvals |
| Research contributes to disease control and public health | Field research in disease-endemic areas has health risks |
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
UoN 432k/yr verified (medmicrobiology.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 367.2k/yr (ku.ac.ke). Private unverified.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NIH Fogarty and WHO provide research grants for infectious disease research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NIH Fogarty International Grant
WHO Research Grant
Scholarships
4 recordedDAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
NIH Fogarty International Grant
Grant
International health researchers
WHO Research Grant
Grant
Health researchers
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
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 UoN: Masters degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. H84. Must submit draft proposal. Applications in September. Total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years.
When it next starts
Taught at 1 institutionIncluding Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
How you are assessed
3 componentsCoursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory reports and seminar presentations
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
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 University of Nairobi (Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, H84, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years). UNITID supports tropical and infectious diseases research.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesEpidemiologist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Epidemiology at Ministry of Health and CDC
University Professor
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Teaching and research in medical schools
Microbiologist
High demandKsh 190,000 to Ksh 480,000
Microbiology at hospitals and research labs
Infectious Disease Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at KEMRI and UNITID
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, infectious disease researchers, epidemiologists and microbiologists. They work at KEMRI, WHO, CDC, Ministry of Health 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
Infectious disease research is just about treating patients.
The field covers epidemiology, microbiology, immunology, vaccine development and antimicrobial resistance.
There is no demand for this PhD in Kenya.
Kenya's high infectious disease burden creates strong demand.
Infectious disease research is purely laboratory-based.
The programme uses epidemiology, field research, clinical trials and molecular biology.
Only doctors study this PhD.
The programme attracts microbiologists, immunologists and public health professionals.