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Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication and Information Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication and Information Engineering is a programme that provides comprehensive training in telecommunications, networking and information systems. Offered at JKUAT, Technical University of Kenya, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University and other institutions, the programme prepares graduates for careers in telecommunications, networking and ICT infrastructure.

Duration
5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 396,000
Ksh 1,980,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 500,000
Ksh 2,500,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 396,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,980,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 500,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of C+ or above, plus 3 subject grades. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 5 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 3 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Overhead Transmission Technician, at 10 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

The curriculum covers telecommunications, signal processing, communication systems, computer networks, wireless communications, optical communications, satellite communications, mobile communications, network security, data communications, information theory, antenna theory, microwave engineering, network design, programming, research methods and a final year project. Students develop engineering skills for telecommunications and information systems.

Kenya's telecommunications sector, mobile money infrastructure, internet expansion and digital transformation create strong demand for telecommunication engineering graduates. The programme is offered through lectures, engineering laboratories, industrial attachment and design projects.

Graduates are prepared for careers as telecommunications engineers, network engineers, RF engineers, network architects, systems engineers, ICT consultants, network security engineers, mobile communications engineers and project managers. They work in telecommunications companies (Safaricom, Airtel), ISPs, broadcasting, consulting firms, government, banks and tech companies.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK). Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. KUCCPS Cluster 3.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and an interest in contributing to Kenya's socio-economic development. The programme provides a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and professional advancement in related fields.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Telecommunications
  • Signal Processing
  • Communication Systems
  • Computer Networks
  • Wireless Communications
  • Optical Communications
  • Mobile Communications
  • Network Security
  • Information Theory
  • Microwave Engineering

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Telecommunications

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Telecom fundamentals. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...

  • Signal Processing

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Digital signal processing. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semest...

  • Communication Systems

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Communication theory. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...

  • Computer Networks

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Network design and protocols. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-sem...

  • Wireless Communications

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Wireless systems. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examin...

  • Optical Communications

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Fibre optics. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examinations.

  • Mobile Communications

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Mobile network technology. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semest...

  • Network Security

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Network security. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examin...

  • Microwave Engineering

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Microwave systems. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exami...

  • Final Year Project

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Capstone design project. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester...

Specialisations

  • Network Security

    Network security. 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.

  • Wireless Communications

    Mobile and wireless. 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.

  • Optical Communications

    Fibre optics. 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.

  • Network Architecture

    Network design. 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 telecom engineering lectures, working in communications laboratories, studying signal processing, designing computer networks, researching wireless communications, using network simulation tools, studying antenna theory, programming telecom applications, and working on telecom engineering design projects.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
High demand in Kenya's advanced telecom sectorDemanding 5-year programme with heavy mathematics
Excellent earning potentialRapidly evolving technology requiring continuous learning
EBK registration enables professional practiceHigh tuition fees especially for self-sponsored

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 500k
119k at Mount Kenya University500k at Strathmore 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 Eng 199.5K/yr, UoN Eng 396K/yr. Strathmore ~500K/yr (samtash). MKU 119K/yr (mku.ac.ke).

HELB loans and government scholarships under the new funding model are available. Telecom companies may offer sponsorships.

Funding options

  • HELB Loan

  • County Bursaries

  • Government Scholarship (New Funding Model)

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • 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

  • Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan

    Kenyan undergraduate students in engineering

  • County Government Bursaries

    BursaryKsh 50,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students from participating counties

  • Higher Education Fund (HEF)

    ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan

    KUCCPS-placed students

Scholarships you could apply for

11 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C+minimum entry
Alternative entry

KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Diploma in telecommunications, electrical engineering, electronics or related field from a recognised institution. KUCCPS Cluster 3.

Subject requirements
MathematicsB-
PhysicsB-
ChemistryB-

When it next starts

Taught at 3 institutions
January 20273 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

May 20273 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

September 20273 institutions

Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • End of Semester Examinations

    Written examination50% of the mark

    End of semester written exams

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Cat20% of the mark

    Regular tests and assignments

  • Final Year Project

    Project10% of the mark

    Capstone design project

  • Laboratory Practicals

    Practicum20% of the mark

    Lab and network simulation sessions

Accreditation

  • Engineers Board of Kenya

    ProfessionalRequired

    Statutory body responsible for registration and regulation of engineers in Kenya

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK). Offered at JKUAT, TUK, UoN, KU and other institutions. Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with B- in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. KUCCPS Cluster 3. EBK registration required after graduation and practical training.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

  • ICT Consultant

    Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 480,000

    ICT consulting

  • Network Architect

    Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Network architecture

  • Network Engineer

    High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Network design

  • Telecommunications Engineer

    High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Telecom engineering

  • RF Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 430,000

    Radio frequency engineering

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as telecommunications engineers, network engineers and RF engineers in telecommunications companies, ISPs and consulting firms.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • MATLAB

    SimulationPrimary

    Signal processing and telecommunications simulation

  • Python

    ProgrammingPrimary

    Network programming and automation

  • Cisco Packet Tracer

    Network simulation

    Network simulation and design tool

  • Wireshark

    Network analysis

    Network protocol analyzer

  • NS-3

    Network simulation

    Discrete-event network simulator for research

  • Git/GitHub

    Version control

    Version control for collaborative projects

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Telecommunication engineering is just about phone networks.

    The programme covers signal processing, optical communications, satellite, network security and information systems.

  • There are no telecom jobs in Kenya.

    Kenya's telecom sector is one of the most advanced in Africa, creating strong demand.

  • Telecom engineering is the same as IT.

    Telecom engineering focuses on communication systems and networks, while IT is broader.

  • This is less rigorous than other engineering fields.

    The programme requires strong mathematics, physics and electronics with specialised telecom training.

Further reading

Read next