Doctor of Philosophy in Meteorology
The Doctor of Philosophy in Meteorology is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Earth and Climate Science. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in meteorology, atmospheric science and climate studies. The programme addresses Kenya's meteorological research and weather services development needs.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 392,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,176,000 to Ksh 1,960,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 313,700 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 Forensic DNA Scientist, at 15 out of 100.The detail
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Overview
Students engage with advanced topics in atmospheric dynamics, climate science, weather forecasting, atmospheric physics, climatology, satellite meteorology, numerical weather prediction, tropical meteorology, climate change modelling and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops meteorological insights for Kenya's weather and climate challenges.
Kenya's climate variability, drought and flood cycles, agricultural meteorology needs, aviation weather services, climate change impacts, renewable energy planning, disaster management and the demand for meteorological research create demand for doctoral-level meteorology expertise. The programme supports Kenya's weather services and climate adaptation goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, computational sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Earth and Climate Science offers PhD in Meteorology (I805) with tuition at KSh 360,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 392,000, Year 2 KSh 387,000, Year 3 KSh 437,000, total KSh 1,216,000 over 3 years.
Related PhDs include Climate Change and Adaptation (SCL81), Geology (SES82) and Environmental Governance and Management (SEG8).
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, meteorology researchers, climate scientists, weather forecasters and atmospheric consultants. They work in universities, Kenya Meteorological Department, IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, World Meteorological Organization and research institutes.
What you study
10 subjects- Atmospheric Dynamics and Thermodynamics
- Climate Science and Climatology
- Weather Forecasting and Prediction Methods
- Atmospheric Physics and Radiation
- Satellite Meteorology and Remote Sensing
- Numerical Weather Prediction and Modelling
- Tropical Meteorology and Monsoon Systems
- Climate Change Modelling and Projections
- Agrometeorology and Hydrology
- Research Methods in Meteorology
Modules
8 in the programmeAtmospheric Dynamics and Thermodynamics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Atmospheric dynamics, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Climate Science and Climatology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Climate science, covering climate science principles, adaptation strategies, and their application in environmental policy.
Satellite Meteorology and Remote Sensing
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Satellite meteorology, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Numerical Weather Prediction and Modelling
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Numerical weather prediction, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Climate Change Modelling and Projections
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Climate change modelling, requiring students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, conduct independent research, and present findings in a scholarly format.
Research Methods in Meteorology
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
Numerical Weather Prediction
Research on weather prediction models
Agrometeorology
Research on agricultural meteorology
Climate Science
Research on climate science and change
Satellite Meteorology
Research on satellite meteorology
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting meteorological research, running climate models, analysing satellite data, reviewing atmospheric science literature, attending seminars on climate dynamics, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Kenya Meteorological Department, ICPAC and WMO for research collaboration.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's climate variability creates strong demand | Requires computational resources for climate modelling |
| Access to KMD, ICPAC and WMO | Requires strong mathematical and physics background |
| Research contributes to climate adaptation | Accessing satellite data can be expensive |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 243 science 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 392K/yr (earthclimatesciences.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 367.2K (ku.ac.ke). KeMU 168K, Kabarak 313.7K.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants. WMO offers fellowships for meteorological training.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant
WMO Fellowship
Scholarships
4 recordedDAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
WMO Fellowship
Fellowship
Meteorology professionals
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: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Earth and Climate Science. I805. Total KSh 1,216,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000 for PhD. Applications open in April.
When it next starts
Taught at 1 institutionIncluding University of Nairobi.
Including University of Nairobi.
Including University of Nairobi.
How you are assessed
3 componentsCoursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, computational projects 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 Earth and Climate Science, I805, total KSh 1,216,000 over 3 years). Related PhDs: Climate Change and Adaptation (SCL81), Geology (SES82), Environmental Governance and Management (SEG8).
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesMeteorology Researcher
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Research at KMD and research institutes
Climate Scientist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Climate science at ICPAC and IPCC
University Professor
High demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in meteorology departments
Atmospheric Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consulting on atmospheric projects
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, meteorology researchers, climate scientists and atmospheric consultants. They work at Kenya Meteorological Department, ICPAC, WMO and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Forensic DNA ScientistScience15Low exposure
- Neuromorphic Computing ResearcherScience15Low exposure
- Agricultural EntomologistScience17Low exposure
- Neurotechnology Research EngineerScience17Low exposure
- Phage Therapy ResearcherScience17Low exposure
- Applied GeochemistScience18Low exposure
- Computational ToxicologistScience18Low exposure
- Computational Toxicology SpecialistScience18Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Meteorology is just about weather forecasting.
The field covers atmospheric dynamics, climate science, satellite meteorology, numerical modelling and climate change.
There is no demand for meteorology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's climate variability and climate change impacts create strong demand.
Meteorology research is purely observational.
The programme uses numerical modelling, satellite data analysis, computational methods and statistical analysis.
Only geographers study meteorology.
The programme attracts physicists, mathematicians and environmental scientists.