Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical and Process Engineering

The Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical and Process Engineering is a five-year programme that prepares students for professional practice in chemical processes, industrial manufacturing and process optimisation. Students study chemical thermodynamics, reaction engineering, separation processes, process control and plant design. The programme emphasises process engineering for industrial applications including food processing, pharmaceuticals, petroleum and materials manufacturing.

Students develop competencies in process design, plant operations, reaction engineering, separation technology, process safety and process control. They learn to design chemical plants, optimise industrial processes, manage operations and ensure safety. The programme covers engineering mathematics, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, reaction kinetics and process simulation.

In Kenya, process engineering supports manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceutical, cement and petroleum industries. Kenya's industrialisation agenda and agro-processing growth create demand. The Engineers Board of Kenya regulates the profession. Graduates find roles in manufacturing firms, food processing companies, pharmaceutical firms, cement factories and consulting firms.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, laboratory sessions, process simulation, design projects, industrial attachment and research projects. Students work with chemical processes, reactors, separation equipment and simulation software. The programme includes a final-year plant design or research project.

Graduates pursue careers as process engineers, chemical engineers, plant engineers, production engineers and quality engineers. Some work for manufacturing or food processing companies. Others join pharmaceutical firms, cement factories or consulting firms.

This programme is ideal for individuals with strong chemistry and mathematics aptitude, analytical skills and interest in industrial processes.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 336,600
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 6 months
Average class: 35 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Engineering Mathematics
Chemical Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria
Transport Phenomena and Unit Operations
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Separation Processes and Technology
Process Control and Instrumentation
Plant Design and Process Simulation
Process Safety and Environmental Management
Materials Science and Corrosion Engineering
Engineering Economics and Management

Modules

12 in the programme

Engineering Mathematics I
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Engineering Mathematics I: Calculus, linear algebra and differential equations for engineering Covers theoretical foundations, problem-solving techniques, and practical applications.
Introduction to Chemical Process Engineering
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Introduction to Chemical Process Engineering: Material balances, energy balances and process flow diagrams Covers theoretical foundations, design principles, and practical engineering applications.
Organic and Physical Chemistry
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Chemistry principles for chemical process engineering. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, ...
Chemical Thermodynamics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Chemical Thermodynamics: Thermodynamic principles, phase equilibria and energy analysis Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Transport Phenomena
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Momentum, heat and mass transfer in process systems. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, co...
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Reaction kinetics, reactor design and catalysis. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, course...
Separation Processes
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Separation Processes: Distillation, extraction, filtration and membrane separation Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Process Control and Instrumentation
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Process control theory, sensors, actuators and automation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tes...
Plant Design and Process Simulation
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Plant Design and Process Simulation: Plant design, process simulation software and equipment sizing Covers design principles, creative processes, and practical project development.
Process Safety and Environmental Management
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Process Safety and Environmental Management: Hazard analysis, safety systems, environmental regulations and waste management Covers planning, organising, leadership, and control in organisational c...
Materials Science and Corrosion
Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore
Materials Science and Corrosion: Engineering materials, corrosion prevention and material selection Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Final Year Plant Design/Research Project
Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore
Final Year Plant Design/Research Project: Independent plant design or research project from concept to presentation Covers design principles, creative processes, and practical project development.

Specialisations

Process Control
Specialization in Process Control, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Environmental Process Engineering
Specialization in Environmental Process Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer.
Materials Processing
Specialization in Materials Processing, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Petroleum Processing
Specialization in Petroleum Processing, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Food Process Engineering
Specialization in Food Process Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer.
Pharmaceutical Process Engineering
Specialization in Pharmaceutical Process Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as chemical-engineer.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on thermodynamics or reaction engineering with afternoon laboratory sessions or process simulation. Students may conduct chemical experiments, simulate processes, design equipment or work on plant design projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

Diverse career paths in manufacturing, food and pharmaceuticals
Relevant to Kenya's industrialisation agenda
Competitive salaries in specialised industries
Opportunity to work in process optimisation

Against it

Limited universities offering this programme in Kenya
Requires strong chemistry and mathematics aptitude
Some industries may be region-specific
EBK registration requires additional years of supervised practice

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

Public200k to 337k

200k at Technical University of Kenya337k at Moi 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

TUK ~199,500/yr; Moi 336,600/yr chemical eng (eafinder). Private unverified.

Students may access HELB loans and county bursaries. Some manufacturing and processing companies offer industrial attachment stipends.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
LoanKsh 60,000
National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF)
Bursary
County Government Bursaries
Bursary

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities
Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) Student Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Student members of IEK pursuing accredited engineering programmes
KCDF More Girls for Engineering Opportunities
ScholarshipKenyan
Young women from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing engineering

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

Mathematics A
C+
Physics
C+
Chemistry
C+
English or Kiswahili
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Industrial Attachment Report
Coursework20% of the mark
Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)
Coursework20% of the mark
Final Examination
Coursework40% of the mark
Laboratory Practicals and Assignments
Coursework20% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). EBK registration is required for professional engineering practice in Kenya.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
InstitutionalRequired
Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK)
InstitutionalRequired

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Production Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 250,000
Optimises production processes and manages manufacturing operations
Chemical Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 300,000
Designs and operates chemical plants and processes
Quality Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 220,000
Ensures product quality and process compliance in manufacturing
Process Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 280,000
Designs and optimises industrial chemical processes
Plant Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 280,000
Manages plant operations, maintenance and production

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as process engineers, chemical engineers, plant engineers, production engineers and quality engineers in manufacturing firms, food processing companies, pharmaceutical firms, cement factories and consulting firms.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

MATLAB
Engineering softwarePrimary
Signal processing and communication simulation.
Atoll
Network planning
Radio network planning and optimisation.
Wireshark
Network analysis
Network protocol analysis.
Microsoft Excel
SpreadsheetPrimary
AutoCAD
DesignPrimary

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Process engineering is just about mixing chemicals
Process engineering involves plant design, optimisation, safety, control systems and economic analysis.
Process engineers only work in chemical plants
Process engineers work in food processing, pharmaceuticals, cement, energy and consulting.
Chemical and process engineering is the same as chemistry
Engineering applies chemistry at industrial scale with focus on design, economics and safety.
There are limited process engineering jobs in Kenya
Kenya's manufacturing and agro-processing sectors create demand for process engineers.