Engineering

Master of Science in Mining Engineering

The Master of Science in Mining Engineering is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in mining engineering, mineral extraction, and mine management. The programme combines mining engineering theory with practical mine design, operations, and management application.

Core areas include surface mining, underground mining, mine ventilation, mining geomechanics, mine design and planning, mineral processing, mine environment, excavation engineering, mine operations research, mineral resource estimation, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both mining theory and practical laboratory and field work through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by JKUAT through the Department of Mining, Materials and Petroleum Engineering, Taita Taveta University through the School of Mines and Engineering, and South Eastern Kenya University offering MSc in Mineral Exploration and Mining. All are public universities offering programmes over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in surface mining, underground mining, mine ventilation, mining geomechanics, mine design and planning, mineral processing, mine environment, and excavation engineering. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory work, mine visits, and a supervised research thesis.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 181,000/year (KES 362,000 total) for mining engineering. Taita Taveta University charges approximately KES 200,000/year for mining engineering. SEKU charges approximately KES 180,000/year for mineral exploration and mining. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in mining engineering, mineral processing engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, geomatic engineering, geology, geophysics, or related earth sciences from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as mining engineers, mine managers, mineral processing engineers, mining consultants, excavation engineers, and lecturers in mining engineering across mining companies, mineral processing firms, government agencies, consulting firms, and universities.

Skills Required

Surface and Underground Mining Systems Design
Mine Ventilation and Environmental Control
Mining Geomechanics and Ground Control
Mine Design, Planning and Operations Research
Mineral Processing and Resource Estimation
Excavation Engineering and Materials Handling
Mine Economics and Financial Evaluation
Socio-Environmental Aspects of Mining
Research Methods in Mining Engineering
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Surface and Underground Mining Systems
Mine Ventilation and Environmental Control
Mining Geomechanics and Ground Control
Mine Design, Planning and Operations Research
Mineral Processing and Resource Estimation
Excavation Engineering and Materials Handling
Mine Economics and Financial Evaluation
Socio-Environmental Aspects of Mining
Research Methods in Mining Engineering
Thesis Research

Certifications

EBK Professional Engineering Certification
SAIMM Professional Membership

Specializations

Surface Mining

Focuses on surface mining, covering open-pit mining, strip mining, quarrying, equipment selection, and managing surface mining operations.

Underground Mining

Examines underground mining, covering shaft sinking, tunneling, room and pillar, block caving, and managing underground mining.

Mine Ventilation

Covers mine ventilation, covering airflow design, dust control, gas management, climate control, and managing mine ventilation.

Mineral Processing

Focuses on mineral processing, covering comminution, separation, flotation, leaching, and managing mineral processing.

Mining Geomechanics

Examines mining geomechanics, covering rock mechanics, ground control, slope stability, and managing mining geomechanics.

Mine Planning and Design

Covers mine planning, covering mine design, scheduling, optimisation, economics, and managing mine planning.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 200,000
Job market: Moderate

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: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Surface and Underground Mining Systems
Mine Ventilation and Environmental Control
Mining Geomechanics and Ground Control
Mine Design, Planning and Operations Research
Mineral Processing and Resource Estimation
Excavation Engineering and Materials Handling
Mine Economics and Financial Evaluation
Socio-Environmental Aspects of Mining
Research Methods in Mining Engineering
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Principles of Mining Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines mining principles, mining methods, mine development, production systems, and managing mining engineering.
Surface Mining Systems
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers open-pit mining, strip mining, quarrying, equipment selection, and managing surface mining operations.
Mine Environment and Ventilation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines airflow design, dust control, gas management, climate control, and managing mine ventilation and environment.
Mining Geomechanics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers rock mechanics, ground control, slope stability, rock support, and managing mining geomechanics.
Materials Handling and Excavation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines drilling, blasting, tunneling, materials transport, and managing excavation and materials handling.
Underground Mining Systems
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers shaft sinking, tunneling, room and pillar, block caving, and managing underground mining operations.
Mine Design and Planning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines mine design, scheduling, optimisation, pit optimisation, and managing mine planning.
Mine Economics and Financial Evaluation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers financial evaluation, cost analysis, investment analysis, and managing mine economics.
Mineral Resource Estimation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines resource modelling, estimation methods, classification, and managing mineral resource estimation.
Socio-Environmental Aspects of Mining
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers environmental impact, community relations, sustainability, mine closure, and managing socio-environmental aspects.
Mine Operations Research
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines optimisation, simulation, scheduling, linear programming, and managing mine operations research.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a mining engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and mining engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Surface Mining
Focuses on surface mining, covering open-pit mining, strip mining, quarrying, equipment selection, and managing surface mining operations.
Underground Mining
Examines underground mining, covering shaft sinking, tunneling, room and pillar, block caving, and managing underground mining.
Mine Ventilation
Covers mine ventilation, covering airflow design, dust control, gas management, climate control, and managing mine ventilation.
Mineral Processing
Focuses on mineral processing, covering comminution, separation, flotation, leaching, and managing mineral processing.
Mining Geomechanics
Examines mining geomechanics, covering rock mechanics, ground control, slope stability, and managing mining geomechanics.
Mine Planning and Design
Covers mine planning, covering mine design, scheduling, optimisation, economics, and managing mine planning.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Mining Engineering programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, mine visits, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover surface mining, underground mining, mine ventilation, mining geomechanics, and mine design. Surface mining sessions examine open-pit mining, strip mining, quarrying, equipment selection, and managing surface mining. Underground mining sessions cover shaft sinking, tunneling, room and pillar, block caving, and managing underground mining. Mine ventilation sessions cover airflow design, dust control, gas management, climate control, and managing mine ventilation. Mining geomechanics sessions cover rock mechanics, ground control, slope stability, rock support, and managing mining geomechanics. Mine design sessions cover mine design, scheduling, optimisation, pit optimisation, and managing mine planning. Mineral processing sessions cover comminution, separation, flotation, leaching, and managing mineral processing. Excavation engineering sessions cover drilling, blasting, tunneling, and managing excavation. Mine operations research sessions cover optimisation, simulation, scheduling, and managing mine operations. Mine economics sessions cover financial evaluation, cost analysis, investment analysis, and managing mine economics. Mineral resource estimation sessions cover resource modelling, estimation methods, classification, and managing resource estimation. Socio-environmental sessions cover environmental impact, community relations, sustainability, and managing socio-environmental aspects. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory sessions provide hands-on experience with rock mechanics testing, ventilation modelling, and mineral processing. Mine visits to operating mines provide real-world exposure to mining operations, equipment, and safety practices. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with mine design software, ventilation simulation, and blasting design. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in mining engineering. Guest lectures from experienced mining engineers, mine managers, and industry professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a mining engineering topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Steady demand for mining engineers with Kenya's mineral sector growth, titanium mining, fluorspar, rare earths, and mineral exploration.
Programme offered by three public universities (JKUAT, TTU, SEKU), with TTU's location near mining areas providing unique field advantage.
JKUAT offers competitive fees at approximately KES 181,000/year (KES 362,000 total) for mining engineering.
Graduates are eligible for EBK professional engineering certification and SAIMM professional membership, enhancing career prospects.

Against it

TTU and SEKU specific mining engineering fees not independently verified.
No private university confirmed offering this programme, limiting options.
Programme requires mining, mechanical, civil engineering, geology, geophysics, or related earth sciences background, which limits access for non-related graduates.
Mining sector in Kenya is relatively small compared to other African countries, potentially limiting local career opportunities.

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 200k

181k at JKUAT200k at Taita Taveta 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

JKUAT ~181K/yr(kenyaeducationguide). TTU & private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. JKUAT may offer postgraduate bursaries for eligible students. Ministry of Mining may provide scholarships for mining professionals. Some mining companies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
Ministry of Mining Scholarships

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
JKUAT Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
JKUAT offers postgraduate bursaries for eligible students.
Ministry of Mining Scholarships
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Ministry of Mining may provide scholarships for mining professionals pursuing postgraduate study.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in mining, mechanical, civil engineering, geology, geophysics, or related earth sciences. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. 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, mine visit reports, design projects, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering surface mining, underground mining, mine ventilation, mining geomechanics, and mine design.
Practical and Design Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through mine design projects, laboratory exercises, mine visits, software practicals, and demonstrating mining engineering skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a mining engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and mining engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT, Taita Taveta University, and SEKU (all public) offer MSc in Mining Engineering or Mineral Exploration and Mining. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in mining engineering. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional engineering certification and SAIMM professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT, Taita Taveta University, and SEKU (all public) offer MSc in Mining Engineering or Mineral Exploration and Mining. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in mining engineering. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional engineering certification and SAIMM professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Mining Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 650,000
Designs and manages mining operations, overseeing surface mining, underground mining, safety, and managing mining engineering.
Mine Manager
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 800,000
Manages mine operations, overseeing production, staff, safety, finances, and managing mine operations.
Mineral Processing Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 650,000
Manages mineral processing, overseeing comminution, separation, flotation, and managing mineral processing.
Mining Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides mining consulting, overseeing advisory, assessment, design, and managing mining consulting.
Excavation Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages excavation operations, overseeing drilling, blasting, tunneling, and managing excavation engineering.
Mining Engineering Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches mining engineering at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Surpac
SoftwarePrimary
Surpac for mine planning, covering geological modelling, resource estimation, mine design, and managing mine planning data.
Ventsim
Software
Ventsim for mine ventilation, covering ventilation design, simulation, airflow, and managing mine ventilation.
AutoCAD
Software
AutoCAD for mine design, covering mine layout, drawings, surveying, and managing mine design data.
Excel
Software
Excel for mine economics, covering cost analysis, production scheduling, budgeting, and managing mine economic data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Mining engineering is just about digging holes.
Mining engineering covers comprehensive surface mining, underground mining, ventilation, geomechanics, mineral processing, economics, and environmental management beyond just digging.
This programme is only for those who want to work in mines.
Mining engineering skills are valuable for consultants, researchers, regulators, equipment manufacturers, educators, and policy makers beyond just mine work.
Mining engineering has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With Kenya's mineral sector growth, titanium mining, fluorspar, rare earths, and mineral exploration, demand for mining engineers is steady in Kenya.
Mine ventilation is just about fresh air.
Mine ventilation covers comprehensive airflow design, dust control, gas management, heat stress, climate control, and regulatory compliance.
Mineral processing is just about crushing rocks.
Mineral processing covers comprehensive comminution, separation, flotation, leaching, dewatering, and extractive metallurgy.
Mining geomechanics is just about rock strength.
Mining geomechanics covers comprehensive rock mechanics, ground control, slope stability, subsidence, and rock support systems.