Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Program Offered at Kenyatta University

KU

Kenyatta University (KU)

Kiambu County

Bachelors Degree 5 years Fulltime Fee: on application Intake: Ongoing

Bachelors Degree (Accredited by: Kenyatta University)

About Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Bachelors Degree program.

The programme is designed with a view to effectively empower its graduates across a broad range of engineering activities seeking practical solutions to the societal problems. The programme has been designed from carefully selected specialized courses within the conventional Engineering fields, and includes key areas revolving around agriculture and food production, meteorology and climate change, geography and environmental management, limnology and biological disciplines.

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering degree programme incorporates specialties’ in the following options in its fifth year of study:

  • Farm Power and Energy Engineering
  • Soil, Water and Environmental Engineering, and
  • Biosystems Structures and Agricultural Processes Engineering.

In developing these program, wide consultations was made across various engineering curricula that grant the relevant degree programmes. This program is thus benchmarked against similar programs offered by other leading Universities, nationally and internationally.

With a skill set encompassing biological sciences and engineering, biosystems engineers work on some of the most important challenges of our times.  For example, biosystems engineers develop systems that convert biological waste products into energy and other valuable products.  In the food industry, biosystems engineers design and manage manufacturing processes to ensure that your food is free from foodborne pathogens.  Biosystems engineers also design constructed wetlands to protect aquatic ecosystems.  In the biomedical field, biosystems engineers are working to improve methods for rapid detection of pathogens and disease diagnostics.

Objectives of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

  • To produce graduates with sound knowledge in principles of Engineering Sciences for continued research and development in their areas of expertise and for post graduate studies.
  • To enable the graduate to identify, plan and solve arising problems not only in the engineering field, but also at the interface of Agriculture and Environment based on the Systems Approach.
  • To produce professional and consulting Engineers, who understand and respect ethical values and responsibilities of serving the community, society and the environment at large.
  • To produce graduates with basic entrepreneurial skills endowed with the ability for self- employment.

Entry requirements for Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

For KCSE Candidates, the basic admission requirement shall be the minimum requirement set for entry into the Public Universities and in addition candidates are expected to have their clusters as shown below:

  • Mathematics: B+ Physics: B
  • Chemistry: B
  • English: c+ Geography/Biology: B

National Diploma holders in Civil Engineering, Building Construction or Water Engineering from Kenya Polytechnic, Mombasa Polytechnic, Kenya Water Institute and other recognized institutions will be accepted as follows:

a) Higher Diploma or Equivalent

A candidate with at least a credit pass in the Higher Diploma shall be eligible for admission into the programme corresponding to his/her area of Higher Diploma qualification. A qualified Higher Diploma applicant shall normally be admitted into the second year of study or given equivalent credit transfer.

b) Basic University Diploma or Ordinary Diploma or Equivalent

A candidate with at least a credit pass in the Ordinary Diploma or University Basic Diploma (lasting at least 3 academic years) and who in additional had attained at least a C (Plain) for mean aggregate and C+ (Plus) in Mathematics and Physics at the KCSE shall be eligible for admission into the programme corresponding to his/her area of diploma qualification. A qualified diploma applicant shall normally be admitted in to the second year of study or given equivalent credit transfers.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Course Subjects

Unit Code and Title

Level 100
UCU 100: Communication Skills
UCU 101: Development Studies
ECU 100: Chemistry for Engineers I
ECU 101: Physics for Engineers I
ECU 104: Engineering Mathematics I ECU 105: Engineering Mathematics II
ECU 109: Fundamentals of Computing
EBE 100: Engineering Drawing and Design I
UCU 103: Introduction to Critical and Creative Thinking
ECU 102: Chemistry for Engineers II
ECU 103: Physics for Engineers II
ECU 106: Engineering Mathematics III ECU 107: Engineering Mathematics IV
ECU 108: Introduction to Engineering Profession
EBE 101: Introduction to Material Science
EBE 102: Engineering Drawing and Design II

Level 200
ECU 200: Engineering Mathematics V
ECU 201: Engineering Mathematics VI
EBE 200: Computer Programming I
EBE 201: Computer Aided Engineering Drawing
EBE 202: Fluid Mechanics I
EBE 203: Engineering Thermodynamics I
EBE 204: Electrical Engineering I
EBE 205: Workshop Process and Practice I
ECU 202: Engineering Mathematics VII ECU 203: Engineering Mathematics VIII
EBE 206: Workshop Process and Practice II EBE 207: Engineering Thermodynamics II
EBE 208: Engineering Materials
EBE 209: Electrical Engineering II EBE 210: Mechanics of Machines I
EBE 211: Fluid Mechanics II
EBE 212: Practical Attachment - Internal (12 Weeks)

Level 300
ECU 300: Engineering Mathematics IX
EBE 300: Soil Mechanics
EBE 301: Engineering Design I
EBE 302: Engineering Hydrology
EBE 303: Principles of Crop Production
EBE 304: Mechanics of Machines II
EBE 305: Thermodynamics III
EBE 306: Solid and Structural Mechanics I
ECU 301: Engineering Mathematics X
ECU 302: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
EBE 307: Mechanical Power Transmission
EBE 308: Engineering Electronics
EBE 309: Computer Programming II
EBE 310: Hydraulics
EBE 311: Engineering Surveying
EBE 312: Solid and Structural Mechanics II
ECU 303: Industrial Practical Attachment I (12weeks)

Level 400
ECU 400: Research Methodology
ECU 401: Engineering Project Management
EBE 401: Irrigation and Drainage
EBE 402: Agricultural Processes Engineering I
EBE 403: Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
EBE 404: Farm Power and Machinery I EBE 405: Water Resources Engineering
EBE 406: Agric. Animal Production and Husbandry
ECU 402: Engineering Economics
EBE 407: Structural Design
EBE 408: Design of Waste Management Systems
EBE 409: Agricultural Processes Engineering II EBE 410: GIS and RS in Resource Management
EBE 411: Farm Power and Machinery II
EBE 412: Watershed Eng. and Management
EBE 413: Heat and Mass Transfer
ECU 403: Industrial Practical Attachment II (12weeks)

Level 500
ECU 500: Engineering Practice and Ethics
EBE 500: Land Use Planning and Photogrammetry
EBE 501: Engineering Design Project I
EBE 502: Environmental Impact Assessment
EBE 503: Quality Control Methods
EBE 504: Instrumentation and Control
EBE 505: Safety Engineering
EBE 506: Bio-Energy Resources

Option 1: Farm Power and Energy Engineering
EBE 507: Engineering Design Project II
EBE 508: Mechanization and Machinery Management
EBE 509: Solar and Wind Energy Resources
EBE 510: Machinery Systems Engineering
EBE 526: Energy Resources and Utilization

Option 2: Soil, Water and Environmental Engineering
EBE 507: Engineering Design Project II
EBE 512: Design of Hydraulic Structures
EBE 513: Design of Irrigation and Drainage Systems
EBE 514: Wastewater Collect. System and Management
EBE 531: Water Resources Modelling
Elective Elective Elective

Option 3: Biosystems Structures and Agricultural Processing
EBE 507: Engineering Design Project II
EBE 518: Functional Analysis of Biosystems Structures EBE 516: Process Plant Design and Industrial Location
EBE 519: Construction Management
EBE 520: Agricultural Products Technology

Electives: (A student to select Only Three units from the following units)
EBE 521: Mechanical Vibrations
EBE 522: Transport Systems
EBE 524: Operations Research
EBE 525: Engineering Design III
EBE 527: Environmental Law and Policy
EBE 528: Groundwater Hydraulics
EBE 532: Climate Change and the Environment
EBE 534: Design of Biosystems Structures
EBE 537: Infrastructural Engineering and Maintenance
EBE 538: Reinforced Concrete Design
EBE 539: Design of Controlled Environ. Product Systems

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