Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Landscape Planning and Conservation

The Doctor of Philosophy in Landscape Planning and Conservation is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in landscape planning, environmental conservation and sustainable land management. The programme addresses Kenya's landscape planning research and environmental conservation development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in landscape planning theory, environmental conservation, land use planning, watershed management, biodiversity conservation, landscape ecology, geographic information systems for planning, climate change adaptation, community-based natural resource management and research methods.

The curriculum emphasises original research that develops landscape planning insights for Kenya's environmental challenges.

Kenya's environmental degradation challenges, deforestation, watershed management needs, biodiversity conservation priorities, climate change impacts, land use conflicts and sustainable development goals create demand for doctoral-level landscape planning expertise. The programme supports Kenya's environmental conservation and sustainable land management goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, fieldwork and supervised research at JKUAT. The programme builds on the MSc in Landscape Planning and Conservation offered at JKUAT. JKUAT's PhD total cost is approximately KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Application fee is KSh 1,500.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, landscape planning researchers, conservation specialists, environmental consultants and land use planners. They work in universities, NEMA, KFS, KWS, county governments and environmental NGOs.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 251,900
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
Job market: Moderate

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

Landscape Planning Theory and Practice
Environmental Conservation and Management
Land Use Planning and Policy
Watershed Management and Hydrology
Biodiversity Conservation Strategies
Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Services
GIS for Landscape Planning
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Community-Based Natural Resource Management
Research Methods in Environmental Planning

Modules

8 in the programme

Landscape Planning Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Landscape planning theory, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Environmental Conservation and Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Conservation management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Watershed Management and Hydrology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Watershed management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Services
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Landscape ecology, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
GIS for Landscape Planning
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
GIS applications, covering planning theories, methodologies, and practical approaches to strategic and spatial planning in professional contexts.
Research Methods in Environmental Planning
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

Watershed Management
Research on watershed management
Climate Change Adaptation
Research on climate change adaptation
Land Use Planning
Research on land use planning
Biodiversity Conservation
Research on biodiversity conservation

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting landscape research, analysing GIS data, reviewing conservation literature, attending seminars on environmental planning, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with NEMA, KFS, KWS and environmental NGOs for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's environmental challenges create demand
Access to NEMA, KFS, KWS and UNEP
Research contributes to environmental conservation

Against it

Field research in remote areas can be challenging
Requires GIS and ecological modelling skills
Funding for environmental research can be limited

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 181 environmental science courses

Public170k to 252k

170k at JKUAT252k at Egerton University

Private168k to 314k

168k at Kenya Methodist University314k at Kabarak 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

Egerton ~252K, JKUAT ~170K/yr. KeMU ~168K, Kabarak ~314K/yr.

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

NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At JKUAT: Masters degree from JKUAT or recognised institution. College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Application fee KSh 1,500. Total approximately KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Duration 3-5 years.

MSc in Landscape Planning, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, field reports and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, total approximately KSh 510,500). Builds on MSc in Landscape Planning and Conservation at JKUAT.

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

Conservation Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Conservation at KWS, KFS and NGOs
University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in environmental departments
Landscape Planning Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000
Research on landscape planning
Environmental Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Consulting on environmental projects

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, landscape planning researchers, conservation specialists and environmental consultants. They work at NEMA, KFS, KWS, county governments and environmental NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Landscape planning is just about gardening.
The field covers land use planning, watershed management, biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.
There is no demand for this PhD in Kenya.
Kenya's environmental challenges and conservation priorities create demand.
Landscape planning research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses GIS, spatial analysis, ecological modelling and empirical research.
Only foresters study this PhD.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, geographers, planners and conservationists.