Agriculture

Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Egerton University, University of Eldoret and Karatina University. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in soil science, soil management and sustainable land use.

Students engage with advanced topics in soil chemistry, soil physics, soil biology, soil fertility, soil classification, soil survey, land evaluation, soil and water conservation, soil pollution, sustainable land management, soil microbiology, research methods and biostatistics. The programme emphasises original research that develops soil science insights for Kenya's agricultural and environmental challenges.

Kenya's food security challenges, soil degradation and the need for sustainable land management create strong demand for doctoral-level soil science expertise. The programme supports Kenya's agricultural productivity and environmental conservation goals.

At the University of Nairobi, the programme is offered through the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology with annual tuition of KSh 432,000 and total programme cost of KSh 1,432,000 over 3 years. At Kenyatta University, fees are KSh 367,200/year for East Africans. The programme is by thesis with a minimum duration of 3 years.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, soil science researchers, land management specialists, agricultural consultants, environmental scientists and soil conservation officers. They work in universities, research institutions, Ministry of Agriculture, NEMA and international agricultural organisations.

The programme is ideal for agricultural and environmental scientists who wish to contribute to soil science research at the highest level.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 464,000
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
Job market: Moderate

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: 5 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Soil Chemistry
Soil Physics
Soil Biology and Microbiology
Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
Soil Classification and Survey
Land Evaluation
Soil and Water Conservation
Sustainable Land Management
Research Methods in Soil Science
Soil Pollution and Remediation

Modules

8 in the programme

Soil Chemistry
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Chemical properties of soils, covering chemical principles, analytical techniques, and their application in research and industrial contexts.
Soil Physics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Physical properties of soils, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Soil Biology and Microbiology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Biological aspects of soils, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Nutrient management, covering nutritional science principles, dietary assessment methods, and their application in public health.
Soil and Water Conservation
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Conservation practices, covering agricultural principles, production technologies, and their application in sustainable farming systems.
Sustainable Land Management
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Sustainable land use, covering strategic planning, organisational behaviour, and contemporary management challenges relevant to professional practice.
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, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the discipline.

Specialisations

Land Evaluation
Research on land assessment
Soil Fertility
Research on soil nutrients
Soil Microbiology
Research on soil biology
Soil and Water Conservation
Research on conservation

A day as a student

A typical day involves reviewing soil science literature, conducting laboratory analyses of soil samples, field sampling and surveys, analysing soil data, attending research seminars, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KALRO and agricultural institutions for field research.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's food security challenges create demand for soil expertise
Research directly contributes to sustainable agriculture
Access to KALRO and international agricultural research

Against it

Programme requires significant field and laboratory work
Limited private sector career opportunities
Funding for soil science research can be limited

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public367k to 464k

367k at Kenyatta University464k 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

KU 367K/yr (ku.ac.ke), UoN 464K/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). KeMU 168K, Kabarak 314K/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. African Union provides research grants for agricultural research in Africa.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
African Union Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

African Union Research Grant
Grant
Agricultural researchers in Africa
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: MSc in agricultural related disciplines, Soil Science, biological sciences, environmental sciences or natural resource management from recognised institution. At KU: Masters degree in relevant discipline. At Egerton: MSc in Soil Science or relevant discipline. At Karatina: Masters degree in Soil Sciences and one publication.

Masters degree in Soil Science, Agriculture or relevant field
Relevant Masters from recognised institution

How you are assessed

3 components

Thesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment20% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory work, field reports and seminar presentations

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of LARMAT), Kenyatta University, Egerton University, University of Eldoret and Karatina University. Admission requires Masters degree in Soil Science, Agriculture or relevant field from a recognised institution.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

University Professor
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaching and research in soil science
Agricultural Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 450,000
Soil and agricultural consultancy
Land Management Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 400,000
Land management and conservation
Soil Science Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000
Research at KALRO and research institutions

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, soil science researchers, land management specialists and agricultural consultants in universities, KALRO, Ministry of Agriculture and research institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Soil science PhD is just about dirt.
The programme covers soil chemistry, physics, biology, fertility, conservation and sustainable land management.
There is no demand for soil science PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's food security and soil degradation challenges create demand for soil science expertise.
Soil science research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses analytical chemistry, molecular biology, GIS and statistical analysis.
Only farmers study soil science PhDs.
The programme attracts environmental scientists, geographers and agricultural scientists.