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Doctor of Philosophy in Biomechanical Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy in Biomechanical Engineering is a postgraduate research programme offered at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) through the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in the School of Biosystems and Environmental Engineering. The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on mechanical engineering applied to biological systems, including biomechanics, mechanisation, machinery design, and ergonomics for agricultural and biological applications.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 572,000
Ksh 1,716,000 to Ksh 2,860,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 314,000
Ksh 942,000 to Ksh 1,570,000 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 572,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,716,000 to Ksh 2,860,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 314,000 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 3-5 years, full-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 4 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

Students engage with advanced biomechanics, machinery design, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, materials science, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent laboratory and computational research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to biomechanical engineering.

Kenya's agricultural sector requires mechanisation to improve productivity, reduce drudgery, and compete globally. The programme addresses national priorities under Vision 2030 and the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy by training researchers who can develop agricultural machinery, improve mechanisation technologies, and design biomechanical systems for Kenyan farming conditions.

Teaching methods include lectures, machinery design projects, computational modelling, laboratory testing, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to JKUAT's engineering laboratories and workshops for machinery design and biomechanical testing.

Graduates pursue careers as university lecturers, biomechanical engineering researchers, machinery design engineers, agricultural mechanisation specialists, and engineering consultants in universities, research institutions, agricultural machinery companies, and the manufacturing sector.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master's degree in biomechanical engineering, mechanical engineering, agricultural engineering, or related engineering fields who are committed to advancing knowledge in biomechanical engineering and mechanisation.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Biomechanics
  • Machinery Design and Development
  • Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics
  • Thermodynamics of Biosystems
  • Materials Science
  • Research Methodology
  • Agricultural Mechanisation
  • Thesis Research
  • Biostatistics
  • Ergonomics and Safety

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Advanced Biomechanics

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Advanced study of mechanical principles in biological systems including force analysis, motion, and material behaviour in biological materials

  • Biomechanics and Bioengineering

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Principles of biomechanics, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.

  • Machinery Design and Development

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Design principles and development of agricultural machinery including planting, harvesting, and processing equipment

  • Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Biomaterials for medical applications, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.

  • Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics for Biosystems

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Fluid mechanics applied to biosystems including irrigation hydraulics, pumping systems, and fluid handling in agricultural processing

  • Biomechanical Systems Design

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Design of biomechanical systems, covering design principles, methodologies, and practical approaches to creating effective solutions in professional contexts.

  • Thermodynamics of Biosystems

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Thermodynamic principles applied to biological systems including energy conversion, heat transfer, and thermodynamic processes in agriculture

  • Human Biomechanics and Ergonomics

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Biomechanics of human movement, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.

  • Materials Science for Biomechanical Applications

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Engineering materials for biomechanical applications including metals, polymers, composites, and biomaterials for machinery and structures

  • Rehabilitation Engineering

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Engineering for rehabilitation, covering engineering principles, design methodologies, and their application in solving complex technical problems.

  • Agricultural Mechanisation Systems

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Design and analysis of agricultural mechanisation systems including farm power, machinery selection, and mechanisation planning

  • Research Methods in Biomechanical Engineering

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.

Specialisations

  • Renewable Energy Engineering

    Specialization in Renewable Energy Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as renewable-energy-engineer.

  • Civil Engineering Applications

    Specialization in Civil Engineering Applications, preparing graduates for careers such as civil-engineer.

  • Academic Research in Engineering

    Specialization in Academic Research in Engineering, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.

  • Agricultural Engineering Research

    Specialization in Agricultural Engineering Research, preparing graduates for careers such as agricultural-engineer.

  • Agricultural Research Science

    Specialization in Agricultural Research Science, preparing graduates for careers such as agricultural-research-scientist.

  • Biomedical Engineering Research

    Specialization in Biomedical Engineering Research, preparing graduates for careers such as biomedical-engineering.

  • Ergonomics

    Research on ergonomics and human biomechanics

  • Biomaterials

    Research on biomaterials

  • Rehabilitation Engineering

    Research on rehabilitation engineering

  • Agricultural Biomechanics

    Research on agricultural biomechanics

A day as a student

A typical day combines machinery design and computational modelling with laboratory testing of mechanical systems, data analysis, literature review, and thesis writing. Students attend engineering seminars, present research at departmental colloquia, and visit agricultural machinery manufacturers and farming operations.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's healthcare equipment needs create demandRequires strong mechanical engineering and design background
Relatively affordable tuition at KES 325,000 per yearRequires interdisciplinary knowledge of engineering and biology
Research contributes to healthcare and agricultural engineeringResearch facilities for machinery testing are limited in some institutions
Diverse career paths in academia, research, manufacturing, and consultingResearch funding for agricultural engineering is competitive

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
Public170k to 572k
170k at JKUAT572k at University of Nairobi
Private200k to 314k
200k at Mount Kenya University314k at Kabarak 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

UoN 572K (engineering.uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K (kenyaeducationguide). MKU 200K, Kabarak ~314K.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, DAAD scholarships, NRF research grants, and CIGR research fellowships for biomechanical engineering research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000

  • DAAD Scholarship

    Scholarship

  • NRF Research Grant

    Grant

  • CIGR Research Fellowship

    Fellowship

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • DAAD Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    African graduates meeting academic criteria for doctoral study

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

Scholarships you could apply for

2 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

Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

Subject requirements
Master's DegreeMSc in Biomechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or related engineering field from a recognised university
Undergraduate qualificationBachelor's degree in Engineering with minimum Second-Class Honours (Upper Division)
Research capabilityEvidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

When it next starts

Taught at 4 institutions
January 20274 institutions

Including Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

May 20274 institutions

Including Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

September 20274 institutions

Including Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Technical University of Kenya.

How you are assessed

5 components

  • Coursework

    Continuous assessment30% of the mark

    Assignments, design projects and seminar presentations

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

  • Oral Viva Voce

    Coursework100% of the mark

  • Thesis Examination

    Coursework100% of the mark

  • Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs)

    Coursework30% of the mark

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

  • Engineers Board of Kenya

    Professional

    Regulates engineering profession in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Engineering graduates may register with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

8 roles

  • Biomechanical Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Engineering at medical device companies

  • Rehabilitation Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 170,000 to Ksh 420,000

    Rehabilitation engineering at hospitals

  • Medical Device Designer

    Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Design at medical device companies

  • University Professor

    Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Teaching and research in engineering departments

  • Agricultural Mechanisation Specialist

    Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 160,000

    Advises on mechanisation strategies at government agencies, NGOs, or agricultural development organisations

  • Machinery Design Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Designs and develops agricultural machinery at manufacturing companies or engineering consultancies

  • University Lecturer (Biomechanical Engineering)

    High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000

    Teaches biomechanical engineering and conducts research in university engineering departments

  • Biomechanical Engineering Researcher

    Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 160,000

    Conducts biomechanical research at KALRO, KIRDI, or international research institutions

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as university lecturers, biomechanical engineering researchers, machinery design engineers, and agricultural mechanisation specialists in universities, KALRO, KIRDI, and the manufacturing sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Biomechanical engineering is the same as biomedical engineering

    Biomechanical engineering at JKUAT focuses on mechanical engineering applied to biological and agricultural systems including machinery design, mechanisation, and ergonomics, distinct from biomedical engineering which focuses on medical devices and healthcare.

  • A PhD in biomechanical engineering has limited career prospects

    There is demand for biomechanical engineering researchers at universities, KALRO, KIRDI, and agricultural machinery companies addressing mechanisation and machinery development.

  • Agricultural mechanisation research is not relevant to Kenya

    Kenya's agricultural sector requires mechanisation to improve productivity and reduce drudgery, making biomechanical engineering research critical for agricultural transformation under Vision 2030.

  • Biomechanical engineering is only about tractors

    Biomechanical engineering encompasses machinery design, biomechanics, fluid mechanics, ergonomics, materials science, and mechanisation systems for diverse agricultural and biological applications.

Further reading

Read next