Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Sciences
The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Sciences is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, and at JKUAT through the College of Health Sciences. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in nursing sciences, nursing education and clinical nursing practice. The programme addresses Kenya's nursing research and healthcare development needs.
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 288,000 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 5 institutions.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
Students engage with advanced topics in nursing science, nursing education, advanced clinical nursing, nursing leadership and management, evidence-based practice, nursing theory and research, healthcare quality and safety, community health nursing, specialised nursing practice and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops nursing insights for Kenya's healthcare challenges.
Kenya's nursing shortage, healthcare quality needs, nursing education development, specialised nursing practice, community health nursing, chronic disease management, patient safety and the demand for nursing research create demand for doctoral-level nursing expertise. The programme supports Kenya's nursing profession and healthcare development goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, clinical sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Nursing Sciences offers PhD in Nursing with tuition at KSh 432,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 464,000, Year 2 KSh 459,000, Year 3 KSh 509,000, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. MSc in Nursing specialisations include Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nursing Administration, Geriatric Nursing, Oncological Nursing, Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Disaster Management, Oral Health Care, Community Health Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Paediatric Nursing, Obstetrics/Midwifery Nursing, Nursing Education and Counselling.
At JKUAT, PhD in Nursing total KSh 510,000 over 3 years. One year post-masters experience required.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, nursing researchers, nursing educators, nursing directors and clinical nurse specialists. They work in universities, hospitals, Nursing Council of Kenya, Ministry of Health and international health organisations.
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Nursing Science and Theory
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Advanced Clinical Nursing Practice
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Evidence-Based Practice and Research
- Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
- Community Health Nursing
- Specialised Nursing Practice
- Nursing Ethics and Professional Development
- Research Methods in Nursing
Modules
8 in the programmeAdvanced Nursing Science and Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Nursing science, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Nursing education, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Advanced Clinical Nursing Practice
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Clinical nursing, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Nursing Leadership and Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Nursing leadership, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Evidence-Based Practice and Research
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Evidence-based practice, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Research Methods in Nursing
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
Nursing Education
Research on nursing education
Nursing Leadership
Research on nursing leadership
Community Health Nursing
Research on community health nursing
Critical Care Nursing
Research on critical care nursing
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting nursing research, analysing clinical data, reviewing nursing literature, attending seminars on evidence-based practice, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with hospitals, Nursing Council of Kenya and Ministry of Health for research collaboration. Clinical observation in hospitals is common.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's nursing shortage creates demand for educators | UoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,432,000 total) |
| Access to KNH, KEMRI and Nursing Council | Balancing clinical practice with research can be challenging |
| Research contributes to healthcare improvement | Nursing research funding is limited |
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
JKUAT ~170k/yr verified. UoN ~432k/yr (UoN pattern). KeMU 144k, Kabarak 288k/yr verified (kabarak.ac.ke).
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 recordedNACOSTI 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
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: Bachelor's and Master's degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences. Total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. At JKUAT: Must meet BSc Nursing and MSc Nursing entry criteria. MSc Nursing or equivalent from JKUAT or recognised institution. One year post-masters experience. Total KSh 510,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 1,500. Duration 36-84 months.
When it next starts
Taught at 5 institutionsIncluding Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Mount Kenya University.
Including Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Mount Kenya University.
Including Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Mount Kenya University.
How you are assessed
3 componentsCoursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, clinical projects 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
Nursing Council of Kenya
ProfessionalRequired
Statutory body regulating nursing education and practice in Kenya
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 Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, total KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years) and JKUAT (College of Health Sciences, PhD in Nursing, total KSh 510,000, one year post-masters experience required). Nursing Council of Kenya regulates the nursing profession.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesNursing Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at KEMRI and research institutes
Nursing Director
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Nursing leadership at hospitals
Nursing Educator
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Nursing education at universities and colleges
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in nursing departments
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, nursing researchers, nursing educators and nursing directors. They work at universities, hospitals, Nursing Council of Kenya and Ministry of Health.
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
Nursing PhD is just about clinical practice.
The field covers nursing education, leadership, evidence-based practice, healthcare quality and research.
There is no demand for nursing PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's nursing shortage and healthcare quality needs create demand.
Nursing research is purely practical.
The programme uses quantitative and qualitative research, epidemiology and health services research.
Only nurses study this PhD.
The programme attracts public health professionals and healthcare managers.