Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Instrumental and Control

The Bachelor of Science in Instrumental and Control is a degree programme that equips students with knowledge and skills in in instrumental and control. The programme falls under the Engineering & Technology category and typically spans 4 years of full-time study at accredited Kenyan universities.

The curriculum covers Electrical Circuits and Electronics, Sensors, Transducers and Signal Conditioning, Control Systems and Feedback Control, PLC, SCADA and DCS, Process Control and Industrial Automation, Data Acquisition and Virtual Instrumentation. Students engage with both theoretical foundations and practical applications, developing competencies in technical and analytical competencies. The coursework is designed to build progressive understanding from foundational concepts to advanced topics.

Throughout the programme, students study Engineering Mathematics and Electrical Circuits, PLC, SCADA and DCS, Engineering Economics, CAD and Research Methods, Industrial Attachment, Calibration, Metrology and Measurement Standards. The teaching approach combines lectures, laboratory practicals, tutorials, assignments and independent research projects. This blend ensures graduates can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems in their field.

The programme offers specialisations in Industrial Automation and PLC, Robotics and Mechatronics, Calibration and Metrology. Students can focus their studies on areas of particular interest, allowing them to tailor their degree to specific career goals. The flexibility enables graduates to pursue diverse professional paths within the sector.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Instrumental and Control pursue careers as Consulting Engineer / Systems Integrator, Instrumentation Engineer / Control Engineer, Calibration Engineer / Maintenance Engineer, Process Control Engineer / SCADA Engineer. They find employment in various sectors including government agencies, private companies, research institutions, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions. The degree opens doors to both local and international opportunities.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and offered at recognised universities across Kenya. Students benefit from industry attachments, fieldwork and practical training that complement classroom learning and enhance employability upon graduation.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 396,000
Private, up to: Ksh 119,000
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

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

What you study

10 subjects

Electrical Circuits and Electronics
Sensors, Transducers and Signal Conditioning
Control Systems and Feedback Control
PLC, SCADA and DCS
Process Control and Industrial Automation
Data Acquisition and Virtual Instrumentation
Microprocessors and Embedded Systems
Calibration, Metrology and Measurement Standards
Robotics, Mechatronics and Pneumatic Systems
Instrumentation and Control Engineering Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Engineering Mathematics and Electrical Circuits
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Engineering mathematics, electrical circuits, circuit theory, analogue electronics, digital electronics, power electronics, understanding circuits, and supporting electrical fundamentals.
Sensors, Transducers and Signal Conditioning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Sensors, transducers, temperature measurement, pressure measurement, flow measurement, level measurement, force measurement, displacement measurement, signal conditioning, amplifiers, filters, A/D ...
Control Systems and Feedback Control
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Control systems, classical control, modern control, feedback control, PID controllers, root locus, frequency response, state-space analysis, stability analysis, understanding control, and supportin...
PLC, SCADA and DCS
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Programmable logic controllers, PLC, ladder logic, SCADA, supervisory control and data acquisition, DCS, distributed control systems, HMI, human-machine interface, understanding PLC and SCADA, and ...
Process Control and Industrial Automation
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Process control, industrial process control, control loops, industrial automation, robotics, CNC, mechatronics, hydraulics, pneumatic systems, understanding process control, and supporting process ...
Data Acquisition and Virtual Instrumentation
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Data acquisition, DAQ, virtual instrumentation, LabVIEW, MATLAB, Simulink, understanding DAQ, and supporting data acquisition and virtual instrumentation.
Microprocessors and Embedded Systems
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded systems, computer networks, industrial networks, fieldbus, Profibus, Modbus, understanding microprocessors, and supporting embedded and network engineering.
Calibration, Metrology and Measurement Standards
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Calibration, metrology, measurement standards, instrumentation safety, hazardous area instrumentation, intrinsically safe systems, understanding calibration, and supporting calibration and metrology.
Robotics, Mechatronics and Pneumatic Systems
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Robotics, mechatronics, CNC, hydraulics, pneumatic systems, understanding robotics, and supporting robotics and mechatronics engineering.
Engineering Economics, CAD and Research Methods
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Engineering economics, entrepreneurship, engineering drawing, CAD, safety, occupational health, research methods, understanding economics, and supporting engineering practice.
Industrial Attachment
Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore
Supervised industrial attachment at a manufacturing plant, power station, process facility, or automation company, applying instrumentation and control engineering skills.
Final Instrumentation and Control Engineering Research Project or Dissertation
Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore
Final year instrumentation and control engineering research project or dissertation, assessed through written report and oral defence.

Specialisations

Industrial Automation and PLC
Focuses on PLC programming, SCADA, DCS, HMI, industrial automation, and supporting industrial control systems.
Robotics and Mechatronics
Concentrates on robotics, mechatronics, CNC, hydraulics, pneumatic systems, and supporting robotics and mechatronics engineering.
Calibration and Metrology
Focuses on calibration, metrology, measurement standards, hazardous area instrumentation, and supporting calibration and metrology.
Process Control and Instrumentation
Specialises in process control, instrumentation, sensors, transducers, signal conditioning, and supporting process control and instrumentation engineering.
Control Systems Design
Concentrates on control systems, classical control, modern control, feedback control, PID, stability analysis, and supporting control engineering.

A day as a student

A typical day starts with a morning lecture on control systems, instrumentation, or PLC programming, followed by laboratory work, PLC and SCADA exercises, MATLAB simulations, or calibration practicals. Students work on control system designs, PID tuning, PLC programmes, SCADA configurations, sensor calibrations, data acquisition setups, Simulink models, and instrumentation and control engineering research. Laboratory work for instrumentation and control, PLC and SCADA exercises, calibration practicals, and industrial attachment at a manufacturing plant, power station, or process facility provide practical experience.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand — industrial automation, Industry 4.0, and process optimisation create strong demand for instrumentation and control engineers.
Versatile career — graduates work in manufacturing, power, oil and gas, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and consulting.
Excellent salary potential — automation and control engineers earn competitive salaries.

Against it

Demanding programme — requires strong mathematics and physics with heavy theoretical and practical coursework.
Technology evolution — rapid changes in automation, PLC, SCADA, and Industry 4.0 require continuous learning.
Long registration process — EBK registration requires years of supervised practice after graduation.

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 396k

200k at Technical University of Kenya396k at University of Nairobi

Private119k to 119k

119k at Mount Kenya University119k at Mount Kenya 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 BEng 199K/yr, UoN Engineering 396K/yr (official). MKU BTech 119K/yr (MKU website)

Students can access HELB undergraduate loans, Universities Fund government scholarships, and county government bursaries. Some manufacturing companies, energy companies, and automation firms offer scholarships for instrumentation and control engineering students.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
Universities Fund Government Scholarship
County Government Bursaries

Scholarships

4 recorded

County Government Bursaries
GrantKsh 50,000Kenyan
Students from specific counties. Criteria vary by county.
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to accredited universities. Means-tested based on family income.
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
GrantKsh 200,000Kenyan
Government-sponsored (KUCCPS) students in public universities. Awarded through the Higher Education Funding Model.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
SponsorshipKsh 500,000
Academically talented but economically disadvantaged African students at partner universities.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (plus) mean grade at KCSE
Alternative entry: Diploma holders with credit pass in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Instrumentation, or related fields from recognised institutions may join.

Mathematics
C+ (plus)
Physics
C+ (plus)
Chemistry
C (plain)
English or Kiswahili
C (plain)

How you are assessed

5 components

Project / Practical Assessment
Practicum20% of the mark
Assessment of control system designs, PLC programmes, SCADA configurations, sensor calibrations, and MATLAB simulations.
Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat30% of the mark
Regular tests, assignments, problem sets, and laboratory exercises throughout the semester.
End of Semester Examinations
Exam40% of the mark
Comprehensive written examinations covering control systems, instrumentation, PLC, SCADA, process control, and calibration.
Final Instrumentation and Control Engineering Research Project or Dissertation
Research5% of the mark
Final year instrumentation and control engineering research project or dissertation, assessed through written report and oral defence.
Industrial Attachment Report
Practicum5% of the mark
Assessment of industrial attachment at a manufacturing plant, power station, or process facility. Includes logbook, supervisor evaluation, and written report.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). EBK registration is mandatory for professional engineering practice.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
NationalRequired
CUE accredits all university programmes in Kenya. EBK registration is mandatory for professional engineering practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Consulting Engineer / Systems Integrator
Low demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 300,000
Provides consulting, integrates systems, advises on automation, and supporting consulting and systems integration.
Instrumentation Engineer / Control Engineer
High demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 280,000
Designs instrumentation systems, manages control systems, supports process control, and supports instrumentation and control engineering.
Calibration Engineer / Maintenance Engineer
Medium demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 230,000
Calibrates instruments, maintains systems, supports metrology, and supporting calibration and maintenance engineering.
Process Control Engineer / SCADA Engineer
Medium demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 250,000
Designs process control systems, manages SCADA, supports control loops, and supporting process control engineering.
Automation Engineer / PLC Programmer
High demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 250,000
Programmes PLCs, configures SCADA, manages automation, supports DCS, and supporting automation engineering.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as instrumentation engineers, control engineers, and automation engineers. Instrumentation and control engineering is in high demand driven by industrial automation. Starting salaries range from KES 65,000 to 110,000 per month, with experienced engineers earning KES 130,000 to 300,000. Manufacturing companies, power companies, oil and gas companies, KenGen, KPC, food processing companies, cement companies, and consulting firms offer the main opportunities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Calibration Instruments
EquipmentPrimary
Pressure calibrators, temperature calibrators, and signal generators for instrument calibration
Oscilloscope and Multimeter
EquipmentPrimary
Electronic test instruments for circuit analysis, signal measurement, and fault diagnosis
SCADA and HMI Software
Software
Supervisory control and data acquisition software for process monitoring and control
Megger Insulation Tester
TestingPrimary
For testing insulation resistance in electrical installations
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
EquipmentPrimary
Industrial computers for automating manufacturing processes, including Siemens, Allen-Bradley, and Mitsubishi PLCs

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Instrumentation and control is just about fixing sensors.
This programme covers control theory, system design, PLC programming, SCADA, DCS, robotics, mechatronics, calibration, and process control. It's a comprehensive engineering discipline.
Instrumentation engineers only work in factories.
Graduates work in manufacturing, power, oil and gas, food processing, pharmaceuticals, consulting, and as independent consultants.
This field has limited career growth.
Industrial automation, Industry 4.0, and process optimisation create strong demand and career growth for qualified instrumentation and control engineers.
This programme has limited career opportunities.
Graduates pursue diverse career paths across multiple sectors in Kenya and internationally.