Doctor of Philosophy in Soil and Water Engineering
The Doctor of Philosophy in Soil and Water Engineering is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT through the School of Biosystems and Environmental Engineering (SOBEE) and at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 572,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,716,000 to Ksh 2,860,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 168,000 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 Overhead Transmission Technician, at 10 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 soil and water engineering, irrigation engineering and land and water management. The programme addresses Kenya's agricultural engineering research and water resource management development needs.
Students engage with advanced topics in soil and water engineering, irrigation and drainage engineering, soil conservation, hydrology, water resource management, erosion control, watershed management, agricultural water management, land reclamation, soil mechanics and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops soil and water engineering insights for Kenya's agricultural and water challenges.
Kenya's water scarcity, irrigation expansion, soil erosion, land degradation, watershed management, flood control, drainage, water harvesting, dam engineering, sustainable land management and the demand for agricultural engineering research create demand for doctoral-level soil and water engineering expertise. The programme supports Kenya's water resource management and agricultural development goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory and field sessions and supervised research. At JKUAT, SOBEE offers PhD in Soil and Water Engineering. Application fee KSh 3,500. At UoN, the Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering offers related research. Tuition KSh 540,000/year for engineering PhDs. Application fee KSh 4,000.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, soil and water engineers, irrigation engineers, water resource consultants and agricultural engineers. They work in universities, Ministry of Water, Ministry of Agriculture, National Irrigation Authority and engineering firms.
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Soil and Water Engineering
- Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
- Soil Conservation and Erosion Control
- Hydrology and Water Resource Management
- Watershed Management and Planning
- Agricultural Water Management
- Land Reclamation and Rehabilitation
- Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
- Water Harvesting and Storage Engineering
- Research Methods in Soil and Water Engineering
Modules
8 in the programmeAdvanced Soil and Water Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Soil and water engineering, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Irrigation, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.
Hydrology and Water Resource Management
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Hydrology, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Watershed Management and Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Watershed management, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
Soil Conservation and Erosion Control
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Soil conservation, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Research Methods in Soil and Water Engineering
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
Watershed Management
Research on watershed management
Water Harvesting
Research on water harvesting
Irrigation Engineering
Research on irrigation engineering
Soil Conservation
Research on soil conservation
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting soil and water engineering research, running hydrological models, analysing soil and water data, reviewing engineering literature, attending seminars on irrigation, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Water, NIA and WARMA for research collaboration. Fieldwork at irrigation schemes and watersheds is common.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's water scarcity and irrigation create demand | UoN engineering PhD is expensive (KSh 540,000/year) |
| Access to NIA, WARMA and Ministry of Water | Fieldwork in remote irrigation schemes is challenging |
| Research contributes to water and food security | Requires strong engineering and hydrology knowledge |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 332 engineering 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 572K eng PhD (uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K. KeMU 168K, MKU 150K. Soil/water eng unverified.
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
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
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 JKUAT: MSc from JKUAT or recognised institution. SOBEE. PhD in Soil and Water Engineering. Application fee KSh 3,500. PhD proposal/concept note required. At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering. Tuition KSh 540,000/year. Application fee KSh 4,000.
When it next starts
Taught at 2 institutionsIncluding Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Including Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, design projects and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% 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
Engineers Board of Kenya
ProfessionalRequired
Registers and regulates engineers in Kenya
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (SOBEE, PhD in Soil and Water Engineering, application fee KSh 3,500) and University of Nairobi (Department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering, tuition KSh 540,000/year, application fee KSh 4,000). EBK regulates engineering practice.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesWater Resource Consultant
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Consulting at WARMA and consulting firms
Irrigation Engineer
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Irrigation at NIA and private firms
Soil and Water Engineer
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000
Engineering at NIA and engineering firms
University Professor
High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000
Teaching and research in engineering departments
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, soil and water engineers, irrigation engineers and water resource consultants. They work at Ministry of Water, NIA, WARMA and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Overhead Transmission TechnicianEngineering10Low exposure
- Desalination Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- District Cooling EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- HighVoltage Substation EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Hydrogen Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Microgrid Control EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Subsea Cable EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Traction Power EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Soil and water engineering is just about digging irrigation canals.
The field covers hydrology, watershed management, erosion control, drainage, water harvesting and land reclamation.
There is no demand for this PhD in Kenya.
Kenya's water scarcity and irrigation expansion create demand.
Soil and water engineering research is purely practical.
The programme uses hydrological modelling, GIS, remote sensing and computational methods.
Only civil engineers study this PhD.
The programme attracts agricultural engineers, hydrologists and environmental scientists.