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Doctor of Philosophy in Surveying

The Doctor of Philosophy in Surveying is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Geospatial and Space Technology. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in surveying, geomatics and land measurement. The programme addresses Kenya's surveying research and land administration development needs.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 572,000
Ksh 1,716,000 to Ksh 2,860,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 168,000
Ksh 504,000 to Ksh 840,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

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 1 institution.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

Students engage with advanced topics in surveying, geodesy, photogrammetry, remote sensing, GPS and GNSS, land administration, cadastral surveying, hydrographic surveying, geospatial information systems, cartography and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops surveying insights for Kenya's land management and spatial data challenges.

Kenya's land administration, cadastral surveying, land titling, boundary disputes, topographic mapping, infrastructure surveying, mining surveying, hydrographic surveying, GIS development, spatial data infrastructure and the demand for surveying research create demand for doctoral-level surveying expertise.

The programme supports Kenya's land management and spatial data development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, field sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Geospatial and Space Technology offers PhD in Geospatial Engineering (F806), which encompasses surveying research. Tuition KSh 540,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 572,000, Year 2 KSh 567,000, Year 3 KSh 617,000, total KSh 1,756,000 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 4,000.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, surveying researchers, geomatics consultants, land administration specialists and GIS specialists. They work in universities, Ministry of Lands, Survey of Kenya, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and engineering firms.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Surveying and Geomatics
  • Geodesy and Geodetic Surveying
  • Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
  • GPS, GNSS and Satellite Positioning
  • Cadastral Surveying and Land Administration
  • Hydrographic Surveying
  • Geospatial Information Systems and Cartography
  • Land Tenure and Boundary Surveying
  • Spatial Data Infrastructure and Standards
  • Research Methods in Surveying

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Surveying and Geomatics

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Surveying, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Geodesy and Geodetic Surveying

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Geodesy, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Photogrammetry, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • GPS, GNSS and Satellite Positioning

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    GNSS, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Cadastral Surveying and Land Administration

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Cadastral surveying, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Research Methods in Surveying

    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

  • Cadastral Surveying

    Research on cadastral surveying

  • Geodesy

    Research on geodesy

  • Photogrammetry

    Research on photogrammetry

  • Hydrographic Surveying

    Research on hydrographic surveying

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting surveying research, processing GNSS and photogrammetric data, reviewing geomatics literature, attending seminars on geodesy, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with Ministry of Lands, Survey of Kenya and RCMRD for research collaboration. Fieldwork with surveying instruments and drones is common.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's land administration creates demandUoN PhD is very expensive (KSh 1,756,000 total)
Access to Survey of Kenya, LSBK and RCMRDSurveying equipment is expensive
Research contributes to land managementFieldwork in remote areas is challenging

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses
Public170k to 572k
170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology572k at University of Nairobi
Private150k to 168k
150k at Mount Kenya University168k at Kenya Methodist 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 572K/yr (geospatial.uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K/yr. KeMU 168K, MKU 150K/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

  • NACOSTI 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
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Geospatial and Space Technology. PhD in Geospatial Engineering (F806) encompassing surveying. Tuition KSh 540,000/year. Application fee KSh 4,000.

Subject requirements
MSc in Surveying, Geomatics, Geospatial Engineering or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 1 institution
January 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

May 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

September 20271 institution

Including University of Nairobi.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Thesis

    Thesis50% 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 assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, field projects and seminar presentations

Accreditation

  • Land Surveyors Board of Kenya

    ProfessionalRequired

    Registers and regulates land surveyors in Kenya

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Geospatial and Space Technology, PhD in Geospatial Engineering F806 encompassing surveying, tuition KSh 540,000/year, total KSh 1,756,000, application fee KSh 4,000). LSBK regulates surveying practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Surveying Researcher

    Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Research at Survey of Kenya and RCMRD

  • Land Administration Specialist

    Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Land administration at Ministry of Lands

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Teaching and research in geospatial departments

  • Geomatics Consultant

    High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000

    Consulting on surveying and GIS projects

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, surveying researchers, geomatics consultants and land administration specialists. They work at Ministry of Lands, Survey of Kenya, RCMRD and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Surveying PhD is just about measuring land.

    The field covers geodesy, photogrammetry, remote sensing, GPS, cadastral surveying and GIS.

  • There is no demand for surveying PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's land administration and spatial data needs create demand.

  • Surveying research is purely fieldwork.

    The programme uses GNSS processing, photogrammetric analysis, GIS modelling and remote sensing.

  • Only surveyors study this PhD.

    The programme attracts geographers, engineers and computer scientists.

Further reading

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