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Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Clinical Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Clinical Studies is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in veterinary clinical studies, veterinary medicine, surgery and theriogenology.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 788,000
Ksh 2,364,000 to Ksh 3,940,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 317,200
Ksh 951,600 to Ksh 1,586,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 788,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 2,364,000 to Ksh 3,940,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 317,200 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 Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

The programme addresses Kenya's veterinary clinical research and animal health development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in veterinary clinical medicine, veterinary surgery, theriogenology, clinical diagnostics, internal medicine, anaesthesiology, critical care, clinical pharmacology, evidence-based veterinary medicine and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops veterinary clinical insights for Kenya's animal health challenges.

Kenya's livestock industry, dairy farming, poultry production, companion animal practice, wildlife health, clinical veterinary services, disease diagnosis, surgical interventions, reproductive health and the demand for clinical veterinary research create demand for doctoral-level veterinary clinical expertise. The programme supports Kenya's animal health and livestock development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, clinical rotations and supervised research. At UoN, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine offers PhD in Veterinary Clinical Studies (J87/JCL8). The programme equips candidates with knowledge that integrates medicine, surgery and theriogenology. Application fee KSh 4,000. PhD in Agriculture or Veterinary Sciences approximately KSh 600,000 for entire programme.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, veterinary clinical researchers, veterinary surgeons, theriogenologists and specialist veterinary practitioners. They work in universities, veterinary hospitals, Kenya Wildlife Service, Department of Veterinary Services and private practice.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Veterinary Clinical Medicine
  • Veterinary Surgery and Anaesthesiology
  • Theriogenology and Animal Reproduction
  • Clinical Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine
  • Internal Medicine and Critical Care
  • Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • Wildlife and Zoo Animal Medicine
  • Dairy and Production Animal Medicine
  • Research Methods in Veterinary Clinical Studies

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Veterinary Clinical Medicine

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

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

  • Veterinary Surgery and Anaesthesiology

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

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

  • Theriogenology and Animal Reproduction

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

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

  • Clinical Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Diagnostics, providing hands-on experience through laboratory work, field exercises, and practical applications of theoretical concepts.

  • Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Evidence-based medicine, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Research Methods in Veterinary Clinical Studies

    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

  • Veterinary Surgery

    Research on veterinary surgery

  • Theriogenology

    Research on animal reproduction

  • Wildlife Medicine

    Research on wildlife medicine

  • Internal Medicine

    Research on internal medicine

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting clinical veterinary research, examining clinical cases, running diagnostic tests, reviewing clinical literature, attending clinical rounds and seminars, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with veterinary hospitals, KWS and DVS for research collaboration. Clinical rotations and fieldwork with animals is extensive.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's livestock industry creates demandRequires veterinary medical qualification
Access to KWS, DVS and WOAHClinical work with animals is physically demanding
Research contributes to animal healthClinical research requires access to animal patients

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
Public245k to 788k
245k at Egerton University788k at University of Nairobi
Private144k to 317k
144k at Kenya Methodist University317k 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 788K clinicalstudies.uonbi.ac.ke. Egerton 245K egerton.ac.ke. KeMU 144K eafinder, Kabarak 317K

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. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. PhD in Veterinary Clinical Studies (J87/JCL8). Application fee KSh 4,000. Most useful for those in veterinary clinical teaching career and private practice.

Subject requirements
MSc in Veterinary Clinical Studies, Veterinary Medicine, Surgery 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 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

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, clinical case studies and seminar presentations

Accreditation

  • Kenya Veterinary Board

    ProfessionalRequired

    Registers and regulates veterinary professionals 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 (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, PhD in Veterinary Clinical Studies J87/JCL8, approximately KSh 600,000 entire programme, application fee KSh 4,000). KVB regulates veterinary practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Veterinary Surgeon

    High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000

    Surgical practice at veterinary hospitals

  • Theriogenologist

    Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Animal reproduction specialist

  • Veterinary Clinical Researcher

    High demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 600,000

    Research on clinical veterinary medicine

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Teaching and research in veterinary departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, veterinary clinical researchers, veterinary surgeons and theriogenologists. They work at veterinary hospitals, KWS, DVS and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Veterinary clinical studies PhD is just about treating sick animals.

    The field covers surgery, theriogenology, clinical diagnostics, critical care, evidence-based medicine and clinical pharmacology.

  • There is no demand for veterinary clinical PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's livestock industry and wildlife sector create demand.

  • Clinical veterinary research is purely practical.

    The programme uses clinical trials, epidemiological studies, diagnostic validation and evidence-based methods.

  • Only practicing veterinarians study this PhD.

    The programme attracts researchers, wildlife veterinarians and public health professionals.

Further reading

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