Agriculture

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Crop Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a specialisation in Crop Science is a degree programme that focuses on crop production, plant protection and soil management within the broader agricultural science framework. The programme is offered at the University of Nairobi, where students pursue a BSc Agriculture with a Crop Science major, preparing graduates for careers in crop production, plant breeding, crop protection and agricultural advisory services.

The curriculum covers crop production, plant pathology, soil science, plant breeding, agronomy, horticulture, weed science, entomology, plant physiology, agricultural biotechnology, seed science, irrigation, agricultural economics, research methods and farm management. Students develop competencies in crop production and plant science management.

Throughout the programme, students engage in lectures, laboratory practicals, field visits to crop production sites, industrial attachment and research projects. The practical approach ensures graduates can manage crop production systems, design plant breeding programmes, implement pest management strategies and apply biotechnology in crop improvement.

The programme emphasises the critical role of crop science in Kenya's agricultural sector, where crop production is essential for food security, export earnings and rural livelihoods. Students learn about plant genetics, disease management, soil fertility and the commercial aspects of crop production.

Graduates are equipped to work in agricultural companies, seed companies, agrochemical firms, horticultural enterprises, agricultural research institutions, county agricultural departments, non-governmental organisations and consulting firms. They play a critical role in improving crop productivity and food security.

Career opportunities exist in agricultural companies, seed companies, agrochemical firms, research institutions, county governments, NGOs and consulting firms. Graduates work as crop production officers, plant breeders, agronomists, crop protection specialists and agricultural extension officers across the agricultural sector.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 371,000
Private, up to: Ksh 178,800
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Crop Production
Plant Pathology
Soil Science
Plant Breeding
Agronomy
Horticulture
Weed Science
Entomology
Plant Physiology
Seed Science

Modules

12 in the programme

Crop Production and Agronomy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of crop production, cropping systems, planting and crop establishment.
Crop Physiology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Physiology of crop plants. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semest...
Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Soil Science and Plant Nutrition: Soil properties, soil fertility, plant nutrition and soil management. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Soil Science
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Soil properties and management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-s...
Plant Pathology and Entomology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Plant Pathology and Entomology: Plant diseases, pest management, disease diagnosis and control strategies. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Horticulture and Vegetable Production
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Horticulture and Vegetable Production: Horticultural crop production, greenhouse management and post-harvest handling. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant ...
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Plant Breeding and Genetics: Plant genetics, breeding principles, variety development and seed production. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Agricultural Biotechnology and Seed Science
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Agricultural Biotechnology and Seed Science: Agricultural biotechnology, tissue culture, seed science and technology. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant s...
Research Methods and Crop Science Project
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Research design, field trial methods and a project applying crop science principles.
Weed Science and Irrigation
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Weed Science and Irrigation: Weed management, irrigation systems and water management in crop production. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Agricultural Attachment
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Supervised field attachment. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-seme...
Research Project
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Final year research project. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-seme...

Specialisations

Plant Breeding and Genetics
Focus on plant genetics, breeding techniques, variety development and seed science. 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.
Crop Protection
Specialisation in plant pathology, entomology, weed science and integrated pest management. 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.
Agronomy and Crop Production
Focus on crop production systems, soil management, irrigation and cropping systems. 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.
Horticulture and Vegetable Production
Specialisation in horticultural crop production, greenhouse management and post-harvest handling. 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.
Agricultural Extension
Extension and advisory services. 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.
Soil Science
Soil management and conservation. 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.
Crop Production
Crop production systems. 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.
Crop Breeding
Crop improvement and breeding. 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.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending crop science lectures, working in the laboratory on plant pathology and tissue culture, conducting field trials for crop varieties, studying plant genetics and analysing field data using statistical software.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for crop science expertise in food security
Access to KALRO and KEPHIS for research collaboration
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Diverse career paths in research, extension and agribusiness
Graduates are eligible for HELB loans and government funding.

Against it

Field work can be physically demanding
Agricultural research facilities may be limited in some institutions
Career advancement may require postgraduate studies

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

Public307k to 371k

307k at Egerton University371k at University of Nairobi

Private179k to 179k

179k at University of Eastern Africa, Baraton179k at University of Eastern Africa, Baraton

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

Egerton 307,340/yr; UoN 371,000/yr (KUCCPS). UEAB 178,800/yr (victormatara).

Government scholarships cover up to 53% of tuition for needy students. HELB provides loans up to Ksh 60,000. DAAD offers scholarships for agricultural and science students.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
Government Scholarship (New Funding Model)
DAAD Scholarship

Scholarships

5 recorded

University Internal Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Needy students
TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship at Egerton University
ScholarshipKenyan
Students admitted to agriculture, natural resources and food science programmes at Egerton University
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities demonstrating financial need.
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
Government fundingKenyan
Kenyan students in public universities under the new funding model based on financial need assessment.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Kenyan students from respective counties demonstrating financial need.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (Plus)
Alternative entry: KCSE C+ (Plus) OR A Level with two principal passes; OR a relevant Diploma from a recognised institution; OR any other qualification recognised by the university senate and CUE.

How you are assessed

5 components

Coursework Examinations
Written exam60% of the mark
Written examinations on coursework
Laboratory Practicals
Practical20% of the mark
Assessment of laboratory skills
Research Project
Project20% of the mark
Final year research project
Continuous Assessment Tests and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Written tests, assignments, and practical exercises throughout the semester.
End of Semester Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering all course content for the semester.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). The programme is a Crop Science major within the BSc Agriculture degree at the University of Nairobi.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
CUE is the statutory body responsible for the accreditation and quality assurance of university programmes in Kenya.
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body for university accreditation

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

Agronomist
High demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 180,000
Crop production advisory
Agricultural Extension Officer
High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 150,000
Extension services to farmers
Crop Scientist
High demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 180,000
Research on crop production and protection
Farm Manager
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000
Managing commercial farms
Graduate Trainee
High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 60,000
Entry-level position applying academic knowledge in a professional environment.
Research Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 65,000
Supporting research projects through data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Project Officer
High demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 80,000
Coordinating and implementing projects in public, private, or NGO sectors.
Analyst
High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 90,000
Analysing data, trends, and patterns to support decision-making.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as crop production officers, plant breeders, agronomists and crop protection specialists in seed companies, agrochemical firms, research institutions and county governments.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Excel
SoftwarePrimary
Spreadsheet for crop data management, field trial analysis and farm budgeting.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for crop science research and field trial data analysis.
R
Software
Programming language for genetic analysis and statistical modelling in plant breeding.
QGIS
Software
GIS software for agricultural mapping, soil analysis and land use planning.
Power BI
Software
Business analytics tool for crop production data visualisation and dashboards.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Crop science is just about farming.
The programme covers plant genetics, biotechnology, plant pathology, entomology, seed science and agricultural biotechnology.
Graduates only work on farms.
Graduates work in seed companies, agrochemical firms, research institutions, county governments, NGOs and consulting firms.
Crop science is outdated in the age of technology.
Crop science increasingly uses biotechnology, GIS, precision agriculture and data analytics.
The programme is only for students from farming backgrounds.
The programme is open to all students and covers scientific principles applicable to any crop production context.