Environmental Science

Doctor of Phiosophy in Environmental Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science is a doctoral programme offered at Kenyatta University through the Department of Environmental Science and Education and at the University of Nairobi through the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in environmental science, environmental management and sustainability. The programme addresses Kenya's environmental research and sustainable development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in environmental science, climate change, environmental pollution, biodiversity conservation, environmental impact assessment, sustainable resource management, environmental governance, ecosystem services, environmental policy and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops environmental science insights for Kenya's environmental challenges.

Kenya's environmental degradation, climate change impacts, biodiversity loss, pollution, deforestation, water scarcity, environmental compliance, green economy transition and the demand for environmental research create demand for doctoral-level environmental science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's environmental sustainability and green economy development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field sessions and supervised research. At KU, the Department of Environmental Science and Education offers PhD in Environmental Science (ENS 900) by thesis only, 3 years minimum. Candidate must publish two articles in refereed journals.

KSh 367,200/year for East Africans, KSh 459,000/year for non-East Africans. At UoN, the Wangari Maathai Institute offers PhD in Environmental Governance and Management, total KSh 1,442,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental scientists, environmental consultants, climate change specialists and environmental policy analysts. They work in universities, NEMA, Ministry of Environment, UNEP and international organisations.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 474,000
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
Job market: High

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: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Environmental Science and Management
Climate Change Science and Adaptation
Environmental Pollution and Toxicology
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services
Environmental Impact Assessment and Auditing
Sustainable Resource Management
Environmental Governance and Policy
Environmental Modelling and GIS
Green Economy and Sustainable Development
Research Methods in Environmental Science

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Environmental Science and Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Environmental science, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Climate Change Science and Adaptation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Climate change, covering climate science principles, adaptation strategies, and their application in environmental policy.
Environmental Pollution and Toxicology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Pollution, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Biodiversity, covering ecological principles, conservation strategies, and their application in biodiversity management.
Environmental Governance and Policy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Governance, analysing policy frameworks, implementation strategies, and their impact on practice within the Kenyan and broader African context.
Research Methods in Environmental Science
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, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in the field.
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

Environmental Pollution
Research on pollution
Climate Change
Research on climate change
Environmental Governance
Research on environmental governance
Biodiversity Conservation
Research on biodiversity

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting environmental research, analysing environmental data, reviewing environmental science literature, attending seminars on climate change, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with NEMA, UNEP and Ministry of Environment for research collaboration. Fieldwork at degraded sites, forests and water bodies is common.

The trade offs

In its favour

UNEP headquarters in Nairobi creates unique opportunities
Access to NEMA, UNEP and ICRAF
Research contributes to environmental sustainability

Against it

UoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,442,000 total)
Fieldwork in remote and degraded areas is challenging
Environmental research permits can be time-consuming

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

Public252k to 474k

252k at Egerton University474k at University of Nairobi

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

UoN WMI ~474K/yr, Egerton ~252K/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

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

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At KU: MSc from KU or recognised institution. Department of Environmental Science and Education. PhD in Environmental Science (ENS 900), by thesis only, 3 years minimum. Must publish two articles in refereed journals. KSh 367,200/year. At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Wangari Maathai Institute. PhD in Environmental Governance and Management. Total KSh 1,442,000. Application fee KSh 4,000.

MSc in Environmental Science, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, field 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

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at Kenyatta University (Department of Environmental Science and Education, PhD in Environmental Science ENS 900, by thesis only, 3 years, KSh 367,200/year, must publish two refereed articles) and University of Nairobi (Wangari Maathai Institute, PhD in Environmental Governance and Management, total KSh 1,442,000, application fee KSh 4,000). NEMA regulates environmental practice.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
National Environment Management Authority
Professional
Regulates environmental practice and EIA experts in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Climate Change Specialist
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Climate change at UNEP and Ministry
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in environmental science
Environmental Consultant
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Consulting on EIA and environmental compliance
Environmental Scientist
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Research at NEMA and research institutes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, environmental scientists, environmental consultants and climate change specialists. They work at NEMA, UNEP, Ministry of Environment and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Environmental science is just about conservation.
The field covers climate change, pollution, governance, impact assessment and sustainable development.
There is no demand for environmental science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's environmental challenges and UNEP presence create demand.
Environmental research is purely fieldwork.
The programme uses GIS, modelling, laboratory analysis, policy research and remote sensing.
Only biologists study this PhD.
The programme attracts chemists, geographers, engineers and policy analysts.