Overview
Biosystems Engineering (BE) is a field of engineering which integrates engineering science, design and fabrication/construction with applied environmental, agricultural and other biological production systems. It represents an evolution of the agricultural engineering (application of the science and art of engineering to production, storage, and processing in agriculture) discipline applied to all living organisms. Therefore, Biosystems Engineering is the branch of engineering that applies engineering sciences to solve problems involving agriculture, environmental and other biological production systems. According to the UNESCO Standards Classification of Education and Training (ISCED -F, 2013), Biosystems Engineering is broadly classified under code 07 (Engineering, Manufacturing, and Construction).
The philosophy of the programme is to enhance industrialization and production efficiency, water and food security, and poverty reduction to achieve sustainable livelihoods and environmental well-being at the household and community levels.
Rationale of the Programme
The motivation to review the programme was prompted by first, the need to align the curriculum to the Statutory and Regulatory requirements to keep abreast with the rapid changes in the industry. Second, to incorporate the recommendations from the consultative forum of key industry stakeholders and universities that was held at ICIPE Center (Duduville) Kasarani, Nairobi in 1997; and later meetings held with the former Engineer Registration Board (ERB) now Engineers’ Board of Kenya (EBK) to align the programme with the EBK requirements.
Goal of the Programme
The goal of this programme is to produce graduate biosystems engineers with requisite skills and competencies (design, innovation, and programming) acquired through the theory and practice of the engineering profession.
Expected Learning Outcomes
At the end of this programme, the learners should be able to:
- Apply the theory and practice of mathematics, basic and engineering sciences to solve Biosystems Engineering problems.
- Conceptualize and conduct research in Biosystems engineering problems and communicate solutions.
- Design and synthesize efficient systems, components, engineering works, products or processes to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability.
- Work effectively with professional colleagues and the community, act ethically, and take responsibility for action taken within limits of competence
- Demonstrate entrepreneurship, management, and decision-making skills.
This includes course units covering the theory and practice in mechanics, materials, thermodynamics, electronics and circuits, transport processes, unit operations, structures, instrumentation, and design. They study life sciences and the ways biological systems interact with the environment.
This diverse background makes them capable of understanding the engineering aspect of many different facets of a project and enables them to function exceptionally well on multidisciplinary teams.
The programme is broad and encompasses agriculture and biology-based production, processing, and storage systems in the environment, agro-industries, forestry, aquaculture, and rural development.
Structure
List of Course Units
This programme will lead to the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science (Biosystems Engineering) in one of the following thematic areas:
a) Irrigation and Water Resources Engineering
b) Power and Machinery Engineering
c) Food, Process and Structures Engineering
d) Environmental Engineering
First- Year
| Course code | Course Name | Unit | Hours |
| Session 1 | |||
| CCS 001 | Communication Skills | 1 | 45 |
| CCS 008 | Elements of Philosophy | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 101 | Introduction to Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 103 | Physics I | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 105 | Chemistry I: Physical & Inorganic Chemistry | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 111 | Fundamentals of Engineering Mathematics | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 113 | HIV/AIDS | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8 | 360 | |
| Session 2 | |||
| FEB 102 | Economics | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 104 | Physics II | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 106 | Chemistry II: Organic & Analytical Chemistry | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 108 | Earth Science | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 112 | Calculus I | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 114 | Engineering Mechanics II (Dynamics) | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 116 | Fundamentals of Computing | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 7 | 315 | |
Second-Year
| Course code | Course Name | Unit | Hours |
| Session 1 | |||
| FEB 211 | Calculus II | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 213 | Computer Programming | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 223 | Electrical Circuits Theory | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 231 | Fluid Mechanics I | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 237 | Materials Science and Engineering | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 241 | Engineering Graphics | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 271 | Solid and Structural Mechanics I | 1.25 | 60 |
| 7.75 | 360 | ||
| Session 2 | |||
| FEB 212 | Differential Equations and Linear Algebra- | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 224 | Electrical Machines | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 226 | Thermodynamics I | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 232 | Fluid mechanics II | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 234 | Mechanics of Machines I | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 242 | Geospatial Engineering Fundamentals | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 246 | Electronics | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 7.25 | 330 | |
| Session 3 | |||
| FEB 240 | Workshop Orientation and Practice | 8 weeks | |
Third -Year
| Course Code | Course Name | Unit | Hours |
| Session 1 | |||
| FEB 301 | Instrumentation | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 303 | Environmental Science | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 311 | Principles of Law | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 313 | Complex Analysis and Differential Equations | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 321 | Thermodynamics II | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 323 | Soil Mechanics | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 325 | Solid and Structural Mechanics II | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 331 | Applied Fluid Mechanics | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8.5 | 390 | |
| Session 2 | |||
| FEB 302 | Structural Design | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 304 | Introduction to Geoinformatics | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 312 | Numerical Methods for Engineers | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 314 | Geotechnical Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 316 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 322 | Thermodynamics III | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 324 | Mechanics of Machines II | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 383 | Construction Materials | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8.25 | 375 | |
| Session 3 | |||
| FEB 340 | Engineering Practice | 8 weeks | |
Fourth-Year
| Course Code | Course Name | Unit | Hours |
| Session 1 | |||
| FEB 403 | Mechanical Design | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 407 | Operations Research | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 411 | Management for Engineers | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 421 | Thermodynamics IV | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 423 | Heat and Mass Transfer | 1.25 | 60 |
| FEB 425 | Irrigation and Drainage Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 441 | Power and Machinery Engineering I | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 461 | Processing and Structures Engineering I | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8.25 | 375 | |
| Session 2 | |||
| FEB 406 | Principle of Agricultural Science | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 412 | Environmental Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 422 | Professional Practice | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 424 | Water Resources Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 442 | Principles of Electrification | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 444 | Power and Machinery Engineering II | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 462 | Processing and Structures Engineering II | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8 | 360 | |
| Session 3 | |||
| FEB 440 | Industrial Attachment | 8 weeks | |
Fifth-Year
| Course Code | Course Name | Unit | Hours |
| Compulsory Courses | |||
| FEB 500 | Engineering Project Management | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 511 | Mechanization Management and Development | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 540 | Engineering Design Project | 2 | 90 |
| FEB 550 | Seminar | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 598 | Environmental Impact Assessment | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 599 | Entrepreneurship | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 7 | 315 | |
| Common Electives | |||
| FEB 503 | Geo-information Systems | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 509 | Analogue and Digital Simulation | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 568 | Production Planning and Control | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 590 | CAD/CAM | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 597 | Elements of Precision Agriculture | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 515 | Environmental Law and Policy | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 581 | Mechanical Properties of Building Materials | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 591 | Computational Fluid Mechanics | 1 | 45 |
| Total | 8 | 360 | |
Thematic Courses:
| Course Code | Course Code | Unit | Hours |
| 1. Irrigation, Water Resources and Environmental Engineering | |||
| FEB 502 | Remote Sensing | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 514 | Environmental Monitoring and Control | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 516 | Soil Erosion Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 517 | Design of Waste Management Systems | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 521 | Hydrological Design | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 522 | Design of Irrigation and Drainage System | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 524 | Water Systems Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 525 | Applied Hydrology | 1 | 45 |
| 2.Power and Machinery Engineering | |||
| FEB 506 | Mechanical Vibrations | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 541 | Terrain and Farm Machinery Design | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 543 | Aquatic Machinery Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 544 | Forestry Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 546 | Energy Resource Engineering | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 547 | Transport Systems | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 589 | Combustion Theory | 1 | 45 |
| 3. Food, Process and Structures Engineering | |||
| FEB 517 | Design of Waste Management Systems | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 562 | Physical Properties of Biomaterials | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 563 | Plant Design and Material Handling | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 566 | Food Engineering Systems | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 583 | Reinforced Concrete Design | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 587 | Thermal Processing | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 593 | Matrix Structural Analysis | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 595 | Construction Management | 1 | 45 |
| FEB 588 | Experimental Stress Analysis | 1 | 45 |
Admission Requirements
Schedule of Intakes
The Department admits new students at the beginning of every academic calendar year (which is usually September).
Application Information
Application for admission of self-sponsored students is done online and it is open throughout the year The requirements for submitting your application are detailed in the link provided (University of Nairobi Online Application Portal)
Minimum Admission Requirements
The minimum entrance requirements as stipulated in Statute XXII of the University of Nairobi Statutes shall apply. In addition, the candidates must possess any of the following:
- Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with a minimum aggregate of C+. Also, the candidates shall have obtained at least a C+ in the following subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology/any group III/ any Group IV/ any Group V
- A-level candidate with 2 principal passes in Mathematics and Physics and subsidiary levels pass in Chemistry with a credit pass in English at O-level.
- Higher National Diploma (HND) or equivalent in Environmental and Biosystems Engineering or any approved subject area.
- Ordinary Diploma in Environmental and Biosystems Engineering or any approved subject area.Diploma from Science/Technical Teacher Training.
- Bachelor of Science /Bachelor of Education (Science) Degree from recognized institutions or any other relevant degree from a recognized institution.
Applicants from non-English speaking countries should produce a Certificate of proficiency in English (the equivalent of at least a Credit Pass at “O” Level).
Credit Transfer, Exemptions and Makeup
A candidate may be exempted from some course units and credit transferred from approved institutions subject to the following conditions:
- Request for exemption should be made in writing on admission to the Academic Registrar and must be accompanied by officially endorsed supporting documents including the institutions’ syllabuses for the relevant courses and the candidate’s official transcript.
- No candidate shall be exempted from more than one-third of the total number of units required for the course.
- Where there is doubt as to the equivalence of courses, a candidate may be required to sit and pass the applicable University of Nairobi examination in relevant course units.
- Payment of appropriate exemption fees and examination fees where applicable.
Careers
Sectors in which Environmental and Biosystems Engineers find work
- Food Security
- Water for crops, livestock and communities
- Manufacturing
- Renewable Energy
- Environment
Fees and Funding
- Tuition fees shall be KShs. 198,000.00 per semester.
- A refundable Caution Money fee of KShs. 5,000.00 shall be payable once upon registration as a student.
- Administrative fees (KShs.) per academic year shall be as follows:
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card |
1000 |
|
Activity fee |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
1,000 |
|
Caution fees (once) |
5,000 |
|
Quality assurance (once) |
1,000 |
|
KUCCPS Placement (once) |
5,00 |
The fees breakdown is as follows:
|
Year 1 |
Semester I |
Semester II |
Total |
|
Tuition Fees @80,000 per semester |
198,000 |
198,000 |
396,000 |
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
0 |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee (p.a.) |
6,000 |
0 |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card (p.a.) |
1000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Activity fee (p.a.) |
2,000 |
0 |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
8,000 |
7,000 |
15,000 |
|
Caution fees (once) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Quality assurance (once) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
KUCCPS Placement (once) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Total (KES) |
237,000 |
205,000 |
442,000 |
|
Year 2 |
Semester I |
Semester II |
Total |
|
Tuition Fees @80,000 per semester |
198,000 |
198,000 |
396,000 |
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
0 |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee (p.a.) |
6,000 |
0 |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card (p.a.) |
1000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Activity fee (p.a.) |
2,000 |
0 |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
8,000 |
7,000 |
15,000 |
|
Total (KES) |
226,000 |
205,000 |
431,000 |
|
Year3 |
Semester I |
Semester II |
Total |
|
Tuition Fees @80,000 per semester |
198,000 |
198,000 |
396,000 |
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
0 |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee (p.a.) |
6,000 |
0 |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card (p.a.) |
1000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Activity fee (p.a.) |
2,000 |
0 |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
8,000 |
8,000 |
16,000 |
|
Total (KES) |
226,000 |
206,000 |
432,000 |
|
Year 4 |
Semester I |
Semester II |
Total |
|
Tuition Fees @80,000 per semester |
198,000 |
198,000 |
396,000 |
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
0 |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee (p.a.) |
6,000 |
0 |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card (p.a.) |
1000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Activity fee (p.a.) |
2,000 |
0 |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
8,000 |
8,000 |
16,000 |
|
Total (KES) |
226,000 |
206,000 |
432,000 |
|
Year 5 |
Semester I |
Semester II |
Total |
|
Tuition Fees @80,000 per semester |
198,000 |
198,000 |
396,000 |
|
Registration (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
ICT Services (p.a.) |
5,000 |
0 |
5,000 |
|
Library fees (p.a.) |
4,000 |
0 |
4,000 |
|
Medical fee (p.a.) |
6,000 |
0 |
6,000 |
|
Student Identity Card (p.a.) |
1000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Activity fee (p.a.) |
2,000 |
0 |
2,000 |
|
Students Organization (p.a.) |
1,000 |
0 |
1,000 |
|
Examination fee (per unit) |
6,000 |
6,000 |
12,000 |
|
Total (KES) |
224,000 |
204,000 |
428,000 |
Summary of Fees:
|
Tuition fees |
KES 1,980,000 |
|
Administration fees |
KES 185,000 |
|
Total (over five years) |
KES 2,165, 000 |
