Engineering

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.

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.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 572,000
Private, up to: Ksh 314,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

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 favour

Kenya's healthcare equipment needs create demand
Relatively affordable tuition at KES 325,000 per year
Research contributes to healthcare and agricultural engineering
Diverse career paths in academia, research, manufacturing, and consulting

Against it

Requires strong mechanical engineering and design background
Requires interdisciplinary knowledge of engineering and biology
Research facilities for machinery testing are limited in some institutions
Research 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

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

Master's Degree
MSc in Biomechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or related engineering field from a recognised university
Undergraduate qualification
Bachelor's degree in Engineering with minimum Second-Class Honours (Upper Division)
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

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

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

Accredited by

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

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

Industry links

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.

Related courses

Doctor of philosophy in agricultural and biosystems engineering