Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (Research)
The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (RESEARCH) is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the School of Nursing Sciences and at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Nursing Sciences.
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 2 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
It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in nursing science through thesis-only doctoral study. The programme addresses Kenya's nursing research and evidence-based practice development needs.
Students engage with advanced topics in nursing science research, evidence-based practice, healthcare quality improvement, patient outcomes research, nursing interventions, health services research, community health nursing, chronic disease management, maternal and child health nursing and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops nursing science insights for Kenya's healthcare challenges.
Kenya's nursing profession development, evidence-based practice needs, patient safety, healthcare quality improvement, maternal and child health, chronic disease management, nursing workforce development and the demand for nursing research create demand for doctoral-level nursing science research expertise. The programme supports Kenya's nursing profession and healthcare quality goals.
Teaching is delivered through research and supervised thesis work. At KU, the School of Nursing Sciences offers PhD by research with evaluation by thesis. At UoN, the Department of Nursing Sciences offers PhD by thesis with total KSh 450,000. At KU, fees are KSh 244,800/year for East Africans, KSh 306,000/year for non-East Africans.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, nursing science researchers, evidence-based practice specialists, nursing policy analysts and healthcare quality directors. They work in universities, hospitals, Nursing Council of Kenya, Ministry of Health and international health organisations.
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Nursing Science Research Methods
- Evidence-Based Practice and Implementation Science
- Healthcare Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
- Patient Outcomes and Nursing Interventions Research
- Health Services Research in Nursing
- Community Health Nursing Research
- Chronic Disease Management and Nursing Care
- Maternal and Child Health Nursing Research
- Nursing Workforce and Health Policy
- Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods
Modules
8 in the programmeAdvanced Nursing Science Research Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Research methods, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Evidence-Based Practice and Implementation Science
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Evidence-based practice, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
Healthcare Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Quality improvement, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Patient Outcomes and Nursing Interventions Research
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Patient outcomes, covering nursing theories, evidence-based practice, and their application in healthcare delivery.
Health Services Research in Nursing
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Health services research, covering clinical principles, evidence-based practice, and contemporary challenges in healthcare delivery and research.
Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research methods, 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
Health Services Research
Research on health services in nursing
Evidence-Based Practice
Research on evidence-based practice
Patient Safety
Research on patient safety
Maternal and Child Health
Research on maternal and child health nursing
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting nursing science research, analysing patient outcome data, reviewing evidence-based practice literature, attending seminars on healthcare quality, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with hospitals, Nursing Council of Kenya and Ministry of Health for research collaboration. Clinical observation and fieldwork in healthcare settings are common.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's healthcare quality needs create demand | Nursing research funding is limited |
| Access to KNH, Nursing Council and ICN | Balancing clinical practice with research can be challenging |
| Research contributes to patient safety | Requires access to clinical settings for data collection |
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, KU 367.2k/yr (uonbi/ku.ac.ke). KeMU 144k, Kabarak 288k/yr (eafinder/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 KU: MSc from KU or recognised institution. School of Nursing Sciences. PhD by research. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000. At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Nursing Sciences. PhD by thesis total KSh 450,000.
When it next starts
Taught at 2 institutionsIncluding Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Research Seminars
Continuous assessment20% of the mark
Seminar presentations and research progress reports
Thesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Accreditation
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
Nursing Council of Kenya
ProfessionalRequired
Statutory body regulating nursing education and practice in Kenya
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (School of Nursing Sciences, PhD by research, KSh 244,800/year) and University of Nairobi (Department of Nursing Sciences, PhD by thesis, total KSh 450,000). Nursing Council of Kenya regulates the nursing profession.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesUniversity Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in nursing departments
Evidence-Based Practice Specialist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Evidence-based practice at hospitals
Healthcare Quality Director
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Quality management at hospitals
Nursing Science Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at hospitals and research institutes
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, nursing science researchers, evidence-based practice specialists and healthcare quality 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 science research PhD is just about clinical practice.
The field covers evidence-based practice, healthcare quality, patient outcomes, health services research and policy.
There is no demand for nursing research PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's healthcare quality and evidence-based practice needs create demand.
Nursing research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses quantitative and qualitative methods, clinical trials and health services research.
Only nurses study this PhD.
The programme attracts public health professionals and healthcare managers.