Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy

The Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Pharmacy in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on drug action, drug discovery from natural products, and complementary medicine, contributing to pharmaceutical knowledge and drug development relevant to Kenyan and African health needs.

Students engage with advanced pharmacology, pharmacognosy, natural product chemistry, drug discovery, ethnopharmacology, and research methodology. The programme is delivered by thesis, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent laboratory research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to pharmacology and pharmacognosy.

Kenya has rich biodiversity and a long tradition of medicinal plant use, providing opportunities for drug discovery from natural products. The programme addresses national health priorities under Vision 2030 and the Kenya Health Policy Framework by training researchers who can discover new drugs from Kenyan medicinal plants, evaluate traditional medicines scientifically, and contribute to pharmaceutical development.

Teaching methods include supervised research, laboratory experiments on drug action and natural product analysis, seminars, and thesis writing. Students have access to UoN's pharmacology and pharmacognosy laboratories and collaborate with KEMRI's Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, pharmaceutical researchers, pharmacognosy specialists, drug discovery scientists, and pharmacology consultants in universities, KEMRI, pharmaceutical companies, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and international research institutions.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in pharmacy, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, or related pharmaceutical or biomedical sciences who are committed to advancing knowledge in drug action and natural product research.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 396,000
Private, up to: Ksh 200,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Pharmacology
Pharmacognosy and Natural Products
Drug Discovery and Development
Ethnopharmacology
Natural Product Chemistry
Research Methodology
Toxicology
Thesis Research
Biostatistics
Pharmaceutical Analysis

Modules

10 in the programme

Advanced Pharmacology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Advanced study of drug-receptor interactions, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and drug action mechanisms at molecular and cellular levels
Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Research
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced study of medicinal plants, natural product chemistry, extraction techniques, and bioactive compound identification
Drug Discovery and Development
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Principles and methods of drug discovery from natural products including screening, lead compound identification, and preclinical evaluation
Ethnopharmacology and Traditional Medicine
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Scientific evaluation of traditional medicines, ethnobotanical surveys, and validation of traditional medicinal plant use in Kenya
Natural Product Chemistry and Analysis
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Advanced techniques for isolation, characterisation, and structural elucidation of bioactive natural products including chromatography and spectroscopy
Toxicology and Drug Safety
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Principles of toxicology, safety evaluation of natural products and drugs, and regulatory requirements for drug safety assessment
Research Methodology and Biostatistics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research design, ethical considerations, and statistical methods for pharmacology and pharmacognosy research
Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Control
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Analytical methods for pharmaceutical quality control including standardisation of herbal medicines and drug formulation analysis
Thesis Proposal Development
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Development and defence of a doctoral research proposal on a pharmacology and pharmacognosy topic
Thesis Research and Writing
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Independent doctoral research culminating in a thesis defended before internal and external examiners

Specialisations

Pharmacy Practice
Specialization in Pharmacy Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as pharmacist.
Regulatory Affairs Research
Specialization in Regulatory Affairs Research, preparing graduates for careers such as regulatory-affairs-pharmacist.
Hospital Pharmacy Practice
Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy Practice, preparing graduates for careers such as hospital-pharmacist.
Academic Research in Pharmacy
Specialization in Academic Research in Pharmacy, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research
Specialization in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research, preparing graduates for careers such as industrial-pharmacist-pharmaceutical-manufacturing.
Clinical Pharmacy Research
Specialization in Clinical Pharmacy Research, preparing graduates for careers such as clinical-pharmacist.

A day as a student

A typical day combines laboratory work on natural product extraction and bioassays with pharmacological experiments on drug action mechanisms, data analysis, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend pharmacy research seminars, present findings at departmental colloquia, and engage with traditional medicine researchers at KEMRI.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's rich biodiversity offers unique opportunities for natural product drug discovery
Strong institutional links with KEMRI's traditional medicine research centre
Combines modern pharmacology with traditional medicine research
Contributes to drug discovery and evaluation of traditional medicines

Against it

Requires strong chemistry and pharmacology background
Tuition fees are relatively high at KES 396,000 per year
Natural product research can be time-consuming with low hit rates
Research funding for pharmacognosy is competitive

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 courses

Public367k to 396k

367k at Kenyatta University396k at University of Nairobi

Private144k to 200k

144k at Kenya Methodist University200k at Mount Kenya 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

UoN 396k, KU 367.2k/yr (pharmacy.uonbi/ku.ac.ke). KeMU 144k, MKU 200k/yr (eafinder/kenyayote)

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, WHO/TDR research grants, DAAD scholarships, and NRF research grants for pharmacology and pharmacognosy research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000
WHO/TDR Research Grant
Grant
DAAD Scholarship
Scholarship
NRF Research Grant
Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities
WHO/TDR Career Development Fellowship
FellowshipKenyan
Researchers from low- and middle-income countries working on tropical diseases and traditional medicine
DAAD Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

Master's Degree
Master of Pharmacy, Master of Medicine, MSc in Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, Biological Sciences, or related field from a recognised university
Undergraduate qualification
Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, or related biomedical field
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis Examination
Coursework100% of the mark
Oral Viva Voce
Coursework100% of the mark
Proposal Defence
Coursework100% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Pharmaceutical research involving human medicines requires oversight from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Pharmacognosy Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000
Specialises in natural product drug discovery at research institutions or pharmaceutical companies
University Lecturer (Pharmacy)
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Teaches pharmacology and pharmacognosy and conducts research in university pharmacy departments
Drug Safety Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000
Advises pharmaceutical companies and regulatory bodies on drug safety and traditional medicine evaluation
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000
Conducts drug discovery and pharmacology research at KEMRI, research institutions, or pharmaceutical companies

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, pharmaceutical researchers, pharmacognosy specialists, and drug discovery scientists in universities, KEMRI, pharmaceutical companies, and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Pharmacognosy is outdated in the era of synthetic drugs
Pharmacognosy remains highly relevant as many modern drugs are derived from natural products, and Kenya's rich biodiversity offers significant potential for new drug discovery from medicinal plants.
A PhD in pharmacology and pharmacognosy has limited career prospects
There is demand for pharmaceutical researchers at universities, KEMRI, pharmaceutical companies, the PPB, and international research institutions working on drug discovery and traditional medicine evaluation.
Traditional medicine research is not scientific
Pharmacognosy applies rigorous scientific methods including phytochemistry, bioassays, clinical trials, and molecular pharmacology to evaluate traditional medicines and discover new therapeutic compounds.
Pharmacology research is only for pharmacists
The programme accepts graduates with Master's degrees in pharmacy, medicine, veterinary medicine, biological sciences, or related fields, not only pharmacists.

Related courses

Doctor of philosophy in molecular medicine