BSc Biotechnology course provides for a student to major in Medical, Microbial or Phytobiotechnology. The areas of specilization in a given year will be subject to enrolment and at the discretion of the Department of Botany. A student who graduates with a degree in Biotechnology may work in research institutions, pharmaceutical sector, food industry, medical research, agricultural sector, forensic science, or may go into gainful self employment. A Biotechnology graduate may also undertake further studies in Biotechnology or related area.
Admission Requirements
Students wishing to study Biotechnology must satisfy the minimum University requirement and Faculty of Science entry requirements.
A student to be admitted must satisfy any of the following minimum requirements;
Either
1.1 Must have passed Biology or Biological Sciences in the K.C.S.E. at a minimum grade of C+. In addition, a student must have passed in any two subjects from the following alternatives:
Alternative A Alternative B
Chemistry C- Physical Science C-
Physics C- Mathematics C-
Mathematics C- Geography/Agriculture C-
Or
1.2 Have a minimum of 2 principal passes in science subjects in Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE), one of which must be Biology
Or
1.3 Have a diploma in relevant subjects with at least a credit pass from an Institution recognized by the University Senate,
Or
1.4 Have a Higher National Diploma with a credit pass in a Biotechnology related subject from an Institution recognized by the University senate,
Or
1.5 Have any other qualifications accepted by the University senate as equivalent to 1.1 to 1.4.
Students who hold qualifications 1.3 above may at the discretion of the Faculty of Science be admitted directly to the second year of the course in which case they may complete their course in a minimum of three academic years and a maximum of five academic years.
Students who hold 1.4 above may at the discretion of the Faculty of Science be admitted directly to the 3rd year of the course in which case they may complete their course in a minimum of two academic years and a maximum of four academic years.
Course Distribution
Year 1
University Units
- HRD 2101 Communication Skills
- HRD 2102 Developmental studies and social ethics
- SZL 2111 HIV/AIDS
Faculty Unit
- SMA 2104 Mathematics for Sciences
Core Units
- SBT 2102 Plant Function
- SBT 2170 Microbial Diversity
- SBT 2171 Plant Diversity
- SBT 2172 Cell Biology
- SBT 2173 Introduction to Microbiology
- SBT 2175 Introduction to Genetics
- SBT 2176 Biological Techniques and Laboratory Safety
- SZL 2102 Introduction to Animal Physiology
- SCH 2107 Inorganic Chemistry
- SCH 2102 Physical Chemistry I
- SCH 2103 Organic Chemistry I
- ICS 2110 Information Technology I
Year 2
Core Units
- SBT 2210 Introduction to Molecular Biology
- SBT 2230 Introduction to Plant Morphogenesis
- SBT 2270 Bacteriology
- SBT 2305 Mycology
- SBT 2415 Microbial Genetics
- SBH 2150 Introduction to Biochemistry
- SPH 2180 Physics for Biologists I
- SMA 2250 Mathematics for Biologists
- ICS 2215 Information Technology II
Electives
- SBT 2200 Plant Biochemistry and Physiology
- SBT 2202 Plant Morphology and Anatomy
- SBT 2205 Environmental Science
- SBT 2209 Economic Botany
- SBT 2414 Principles of Plant Pathology
- SBT 2272 Microbial Physiology
- SBT 2410 Environmental Microbiology
- SBT 2419 Virology
- SZL 2202 Developmental Biology
- SZL 2336 Basics of Immunology
Year 3
Core Units for All
- SBT 2274 Biophysics
- SBT 2380 Biostatistics and Experimental Design/SZL 2304 Biostatistics
- SBT 2308 Advanced Genetics
- SBT 2311 Research Methodology and Data Analysis/SZL2230Research Methodology
- SBT 2315 Cytogenetics
- SBT 2335 Techniques in Molecular Biology I
- SBT 2336 Techniques in Molecular Biology II
- SBT 2338 Bioenergetics
- SPH 2181 Physics for Biologists II
Core Units for Microbial Biotechnology
- SBT 2375 Industrial Microbiology
- SBT 2342 Bioreactors
- SBH 2339 Enzyme Kinetics
Core Units for Phytobiotechnology
- SBT 2307 Ecophysiology
- SBT 2333 Phytohormones
- SBT 2402 Morphogenesis and Developmental Anatomy
Core Units for Medical Biotechnology
- SBT 2340 Forensics and Profiling
- SBH 2341 Molecular Diagnostics and Gene therapy
- SZL 2407 Immunology I
Elective Units for All
- SBT 2331 Plant taxonomy
- SBT 2309 Phytochemistry
- SBH 2202 Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation I
Year 4
University Unit
- HRD 2401 Entrepreneurship skills
Core Units
- SBT 2436 Ethics and Risks in Biotechnology
- SBT 2439 Recent Advances in Biotechnology
- SBT 2440 Biopolicy
- SBT 2441 Introduction to Bioinformatics
- SBT 2442 Genetic Engineering I
- SBT 2443 Genetic Engineering II
- SBT 2444 Techniques in Preservation of Biomaterials
- SBT 2445 Discovery Strategies in Biotechnology
- HRC 2108 Principles of Management
- SBT 2460 Field Attachment
Core Units for Microbial Biotechnology
- SBT 2446 Applied Microbial Ecology
- SBT 2448 Biopharmaceuticals
- SBT 2449 Introduction to Bioprocess and Cellular engineering
Core Units for Phytobiotechnology
- SBT 2330 Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture
- SBT 2405 Secondary Metabolites
- SBT 2418 Plant Breeding
Core Units for Medical Biotechnology
- SBT 2447 Cell Technology
- SBT 2448 Biopharmaceuticals
- SBT 2450 Molecular Immunology
Elective Units for All
- SBT 2401 Research Project (2 units) instead of two core units from line of specialization.
- SZL 2408 Immunology II
- SBT 2451 Molecular Evolution