Engineering

Master of Science in Electrical & Electronics Engineering

The Master of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in electrical power systems, control engineering, electronics, and telecommunications. The programme combines electrical engineering theory with practical system design, laboratory work, and research application.

Core areas include power systems engineering, control engineering, power electronics, telecommunications, signal processing, embedded systems, electrical machines, power system protection, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both electrical engineering theory and practical laboratory and project work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi through the Faculty of Engineering, and JKUAT through the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in the School of Mathematics, Manufacturing, Mechanical and Energy Engineering. Both are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in power systems, control engineering, power electronics, telecommunications, signal processing, and embedded systems. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory work, design projects, and a supervised research thesis.

University of Nairobi charges approximately KES 529,500/year (KES 1,059,000 total) for MSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. JKUAT charges approximately KES 181,000/year (KES 362,000 total) for MSc in Electrical Engineering with options in Control Engineering, Power Systems, and Power Electronics. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in Electrical Engineering or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as electrical engineers, power systems engineers, control engineers, electronics engineers, telecommunications engineers, and lecturers in electrical engineering across energy companies, manufacturing firms, telecommunications companies, consulting firms, government agencies, and universities.

Skills Required

Power Systems Engineering and Analysis
Control Engineering and Automation
Power Electronics and Drives
Telecommunications and Signal Processing
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Electrical Machines and Drives
Power System Protection and Stability
Renewable Energy Integration
Research Methods in Electrical Engineering
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Power Systems Engineering and Analysis
Control Engineering and Automation
Power Electronics and Drives
Telecommunications and Signal Processing
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Electrical Machines and Drives
Power System Protection and Stability
Renewable Energy Integration
Research Methods in Electrical Engineering
Thesis Research

Certifications

EBK Professional Engineer Registration
IEEE Professional Certification

Specializations

Power Systems Engineering

Focuses on power systems, covering generation, transmission, distribution, stability, protection, and managing power systems.

Control Engineering

Examines control engineering, covering classical control, modern control, digital control, automation, and managing control systems.

Power Electronics

Covers power electronics, covering converters, inverters, drives, PWM, and managing power electronic systems.

Telecommunications

Focuses on telecommunications, covering RF, microwave, antennas, wireless, networks, and managing telecommunications systems.

Signal Processing

Examines signal processing, covering DSP, filters, transforms, compression, and managing signal processing.

Embedded Systems

Covers embedded systems, covering microcontrollers, FPGA, RTOS, IoT, and managing embedded systems.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 529,500
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Power Systems Engineering and Analysis
Control Engineering and Automation
Power Electronics and Drives
Telecommunications and Signal Processing
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Electrical Machines and Drives
Power System Protection and Stability
Renewable Energy Integration
Research Methods in Electrical Engineering
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Power Systems Engineering and Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines generation, transmission, distribution, stability, protection, and managing power systems.
Control Engineering and Automation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers classical control, modern control, digital control, automation, and managing control systems.
Power Electronics and Drives
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines converters, inverters, drives, PWM, motor control, and managing power electronic systems.
Research Methods in Electrical Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, engineering research methods, and conducting electrical engineering research, preparing students for their thesis.
Telecommunications and Signal Processing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers RF, microwave, antennas, wireless, DSP, filters, and managing telecommunications and signal processing.
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines microcontrollers, FPGA, RTOS, IoT, programming, and managing embedded systems.
Electrical Machines and Drives
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers transformers, motors, generators, drives, modelling, and managing electrical machines.
Power System Protection and Stability
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines relays, circuit breakers, fault analysis, stability, and managing protection systems.
Renewable Energy Integration
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers solar, wind, grid integration, microgrids, energy storage, and managing renewable energy systems.
Advanced Digital Signal Processing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines DSP, adaptive filters, transforms, compression, and managing advanced signal processing.
Smart Grids and IoT
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers smart grids, IoT, sensors, communication, automation, and managing smart grid systems.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on an electrical and electronics engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Power Systems Engineering
Focuses on power systems, covering generation, transmission, distribution, stability, protection, and managing power systems.
Control Engineering
Examines control engineering, covering classical control, modern control, digital control, automation, and managing control systems.
Power Electronics
Covers power electronics, covering converters, inverters, drives, PWM, and managing power electronic systems.
Telecommunications
Focuses on telecommunications, covering RF, microwave, antennas, wireless, networks, and managing telecommunications systems.
Signal Processing
Examines signal processing, covering DSP, filters, transforms, compression, and managing signal processing.
Embedded Systems
Covers embedded systems, covering microcontrollers, FPGA, RTOS, IoT, and managing embedded systems.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, design projects, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover power systems, control engineering, power electronics, and telecommunications. Power systems sessions examine generation, transmission, distribution, stability, protection, and managing power systems. Control engineering sessions cover classical control, modern control, digital control, automation, and managing control systems. Power electronics sessions cover converters, inverters, drives, PWM, and managing power electronic systems. Telecommunications sessions cover RF, microwave, antennas, wireless, networks, and managing telecommunications systems. Signal processing sessions cover DSP, filters, transforms, compression, and managing signal processing. Embedded systems sessions cover microcontrollers, FPGA, RTOS, IoT, and managing embedded systems. Electrical machines sessions cover transformers, motors, generators, drives, and managing electrical machines. Power system protection sessions cover relays, circuit breakers, fault analysis, and managing protection systems. Renewable energy integration sessions cover solar, wind, grid integration, and managing renewable energy systems. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with electrical machines, power electronics, control systems, microcontrollers, and measurement instruments. Design projects provide hands-on experience with system design, simulation, prototyping, and testing. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with MATLAB, Simulink, PSCAD, Altium, and engineering tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in electrical engineering and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced electrical engineers, industry professionals, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on an electrical and electronics engineering topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for electrical engineers with Kenya's power expansion, rural electrification, renewable energy, and industrial automation needs.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 181,000/year (KES 362,000 total) for MSc in Electrical Engineering.
Programme offers specialisations in Power Systems, Control Engineering, and Power Electronics at JKUAT.
Graduates are eligible for EBK professional registration and IEEE certification, enhancing career prospects.

Against it

UoN charges significantly higher fees at approximately KES 529,500/year (KES 1,059,000 total).
No private university confirmed offering this programme.
Programme requires electrical engineering or related background, limiting access for non-related graduates.
Programme involves significant mathematical and computational content, which may be challenging for some students.

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

Public181k to 530k

181k at JKUAT530k at University of Nairobi

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 ~530K/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT ~181K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). Private: unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. UoN and JKUAT may offer postgraduate bursaries. Some energy companies and engineering firms may sponsor staff for postgraduate study. IEEE may offer fellowships and grants for electrical engineering research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
UoN Postgraduate Bursary
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
UoN Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
UoN offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
JKUAT offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: JKUAT requires Upper Second in relevant discipline, or Lower Second, or Postgraduate Diploma with two years experience. UoN requires Upper Second in Electrical Engineering or related fields. Moi University requires similar qualifications. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, design project reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering power systems, control engineering, power electronics, and telecommunications.
Practical and Laboratory Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory exercises, design projects, system simulation, and demonstrating electrical engineering skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on an electrical and electronics engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and regulated by the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK). University of Nairobi and JKUAT (both public) offer MSc programmes in electrical and electronics engineering. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in electrical engineering. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional engineer registration and IEEE professional certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE and regulated by the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK). University of Nairobi and JKUAT (both public) offer MSc programmes in electrical and electronics engineering. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in electrical engineering. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional engineer registration and IEEE professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Electrical Engineer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs and manages electrical systems, overseeing power, control, electronics, and managing electrical engineering.
Power Systems Engineer
High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 650,000
Manages power systems, overseeing generation, transmission, distribution, and managing power systems.
Control Engineer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs control systems, overseeing automation, process control, and managing control engineering.
Electronics Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Designs electronic systems, overseeing circuits, embedded systems, and managing electronics engineering.
Telecommunications Engineer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages telecommunications systems, overseeing networks, RF, wireless, and managing telecommunications.
Electrical Engineering Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches electrical engineering at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

MATLAB
SoftwarePrimary
MATLAB for engineering simulation, covering modelling, analysis, control, signal processing, and managing engineering simulation.
Simulink
Software
Simulink for system simulation, covering control, power electronics, signal processing, and managing system simulation.
PSCAD
Software
PSCAD for power system simulation, covering power systems, grid, transient, and managing power system simulation.
Altium Designer
Software
Altium Designer for PCB design, covering schematic, layout, simulation, and managing electronic circuit design.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Electrical engineering is just about wiring.
Electrical engineering covers comprehensive power systems, control, electronics, telecommunications, and signal processing beyond just wiring.
This programme is only for electrical engineering graduates.
Electrical engineering skills are valuable for electronics, telecommunications, computer, and mechatronics graduates beyond just electrical engineering graduates.
Power systems is just about building power lines.
Power systems covers comprehensive generation, transmission, distribution, stability, protection, and grid integration.
Control engineering is just about PID controllers.
Control engineering covers comprehensive classical, modern, digital, optimal, and adaptive control.
Power electronics is just about converters.
Power electronics covers comprehensive converters, inverters, drives, PWM, and power management.
Telecommunications is just about mobile networks.
Telecommunications covers comprehensive RF, microwave, antennas, wireless, optical, and network systems.