Engineering

Master of Science in Structural Engineering

The Master of Science in Structural Engineering is a postgraduate programme that prepares engineers for advanced practice in structural analysis, design, and construction. The programme provides specialised training in structural mechanics, reinforced concrete, steel structures, structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, and structural reliability.

Core areas include structural analysis, reinforced concrete design, steel structures, structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, finite element methods, bridge engineering, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, design projects, and research.

The programme is offered by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology as public institutions. JKUAT offers Structural Engineering as a specialisation within MSc in Civil Engineering, while UoN offers it as an option within MSc in Civil Engineering. The programme is available in full-time and part-time modes over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in structural analysis, design, mechanics, dynamics, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, design projects, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for structural engineering, design, and consultancy roles.

JKUAT charges approximately KES 181,000 per year while UoN charges approximately KES 528,000 per year. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as structural engineers, design engineers, project engineers, structural consultants, construction managers, and lecturers across engineering consulting firms, construction companies, government agencies, and universities.

Skills Required

Structural Analysis and Design
Reinforced Concrete Design
Steel Structures Design
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
Finite Element Methods
Bridge Engineering and Design
Structural Reliability and Safety
Construction Materials and Technology
Research Methods in Structural Engineering
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Structural Analysis and Design
Reinforced Concrete Structures
Steel Structures
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
Finite Element Methods
Bridge Engineering
Structural Reliability and Safety
Construction Materials and Technology
Research Methods in Structural Engineering
Thesis Research

Certifications

EBK Professional Registration
IStructE Professional Membership

Specializations

Reinforced Concrete Structures

Focuses on reinforced concrete, covering concrete, structures, design, reinforcement, and managing reinforced concrete design and analysis.

Steel Structures

Examines steel structures, covering steel, structures, design, analysis, and managing steel structures design and analysis.

Structural Dynamics

Covers structural dynamics, covering dynamics, structures, vibration, earthquake, and managing structural dynamics and vibration analysis.

Bridge Engineering

Focuses on bridge engineering, covering bridges, engineering, design, construction, and managing bridge engineering and design.

Earthquake Engineering

Examines earthquake engineering, covering earthquake, seismic, structures, design, and managing earthquake engineering and seismic design.

Structural Reliability

Covers structural reliability, covering reliability, structures, safety, probability, and managing structural reliability and safety analysis.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 528,000
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: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Structural Analysis and Design
Reinforced Concrete Structures
Steel Structures
Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
Finite Element Methods
Bridge Engineering
Structural Reliability and Safety
Construction Materials and Technology
Research Methods in Structural Engineering
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Structural Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines structural analysis, covering analysis, structures, forces, stresses, and managing advanced structural analysis and design.
Reinforced Concrete Structures
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers reinforced concrete, covering concrete, reinforcement, design, structures, and managing reinforced concrete design and analysis.
Steel Structures Design
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines steel structures, covering steel, structures, design, analysis, and managing steel structures design and analysis.
Structural Dynamics and Vibration
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers structural dynamics, covering dynamics, vibration, structures, earthquake, and managing structural dynamics and vibration analysis.
Finite Element Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines finite element methods, covering finite, elements, methods, analysis, and managing finite element analysis and modelling.
Bridge Engineering
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers bridge engineering, covering bridges, engineering, design, construction, and managing bridge engineering and design.
Earthquake Engineering and Seismic Design
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines earthquake engineering, covering earthquake, seismic, structures, design, and managing earthquake engineering and seismic design.
Research Methods in Structural Engineering
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research, methods, structures, engineering, and conducting research in structural engineering, preparing students for their thesis.
Structural Reliability and Safety
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines structural reliability, covering reliability, safety, probability, structures, and managing structural reliability and safety analysis.
Construction Materials and Technology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers construction materials, covering materials, construction, technology, testing, and managing construction materials and technology.
Structural Design Project
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines structural design, covering design, project, structures, analysis, and managing structural design projects and implementation.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a structural engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and structural engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Reinforced Concrete Structures
Focuses on reinforced concrete, covering concrete, structures, design, reinforcement, and managing reinforced concrete design and analysis.
Steel Structures
Examines steel structures, covering steel, structures, design, analysis, and managing steel structures design and analysis.
Structural Dynamics
Covers structural dynamics, covering dynamics, structures, vibration, earthquake, and managing structural dynamics and vibration analysis.
Bridge Engineering
Focuses on bridge engineering, covering bridges, engineering, design, construction, and managing bridge engineering and design.
Earthquake Engineering
Examines earthquake engineering, covering earthquake, seismic, structures, design, and managing earthquake engineering and seismic design.
Structural Reliability
Covers structural reliability, covering reliability, structures, safety, probability, and managing structural reliability and safety analysis.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Structural Engineering programme combines lectures, design sessions, laboratory work, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover structural analysis, reinforced concrete, steel structures, structural dynamics, and finite element methods. Structural analysis sessions examine analysis, structures, forces, stresses, and managing structural analysis and design. Reinforced concrete sessions cover concrete, reinforcement, design, structures, and managing reinforced concrete design. Steel structures sessions cover steel, structures, design, analysis, and managing steel structures design. Structural dynamics sessions cover dynamics, vibration, earthquake, structures, and managing structural dynamics and vibration. Finite element sessions cover finite, elements, methods, analysis, and managing finite element analysis and modelling. Bridge engineering sessions cover bridges, engineering, design, construction, and managing bridge engineering. Earthquake engineering sessions cover earthquake, seismic, structures, design, and managing earthquake engineering and seismic design. Structural reliability sessions cover reliability, safety, probability, structures, and managing structural reliability and safety. Laboratory sessions provide practical experience in testing construction materials and structural models. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and discussing current developments in structural engineering. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a structural engineering topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses critical infrastructure needs in Kenya's growing construction sector.
Programme offered at multiple public universities with different fee options.
Graduates are eligible for EBK professional registration and IStructE international membership.
Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical design projects and laboratory work.

Against it

Significant fee difference between JKUAT (KES 181,000/year) and UoN (KES 528,000/year).
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
MMUST specific fee data is not publicly available.
Programme requires strong background in civil engineering or a related field.

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 528k

181k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology528k 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

JKUAT 181K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). UoN Civil Eng 528K/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. IStructE and international engineering organisations may offer scholarships and fellowships for structural engineering research and education.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Scholarship
IStructE Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
University Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 181,000Kenyan
Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate structural engineering students.
IStructE Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000
IStructE and international engineering organisations may offer scholarships for structural engineering research and education.

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 at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering or a related field. Lower Second Class may be considered with relevant work experience. 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, design projects, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering structural analysis, reinforced concrete, steel structures, structural dynamics, and finite element methods.
Design Project
Project40% of the mark
Practical assessment through structural design projects, demonstrating structural analysis, design, and computation skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a structural engineering topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and structural engineering knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (public) offer MSc in Structural Engineering or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in structural engineering. Graduates may interact with EBK for professional registration and IStructE for international structural engineering standards. The programme aligns with EBK and IStructE global structural engineering frameworks.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (public) offer MSc in Structural Engineering or closely related programmes. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in structural engineering. Graduates may interact with EBK for professional registration and IStructE for international structural engineering standards. The programme aligns with EBK and IStructE global structural engineering frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Structural Engineer
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Designs and analyses structures, covering structures, design, analysis, engineering, and managing structural engineering and design.
Design Engineer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Develops structural designs, covering design, structures, engineering, analysis, and managing structural design and development.
Project Engineer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages engineering projects, covering projects, engineering, management, construction, and managing project engineering and implementation.
Structural Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides structural consulting, covering consulting, structures, engineering, advisory, and managing structural consulting and advisory.
Construction Manager
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages construction projects, covering construction, management, projects, engineering, and managing construction management and implementation.
Engineering Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Teaches structural engineering at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SAP2000
SoftwarePrimary
SAP2000 for structural analysis and design, covering analysis, structures, design, modelling, and managing structural analysis and design.
ETABS
Software
ETABS for building analysis and design, covering buildings, analysis, design, structures, and managing building structural analysis and design.
AutoCAD
Software
AutoCAD for structural drafting and design, covering drafting, design, drawings, structures, and managing structural drafting and design.
STAAD.Pro
Software
STAAD.Pro for structural analysis and design, covering analysis, design, structures, modelling, and managing structural analysis and design.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Structural engineering is just about building buildings.
Structural engineering covers bridges, towers, dams, tunnels, and infrastructure beyond just buildings.
This programme is only for civil engineers.
While civil engineering is the primary pathway, professionals from related engineering fields may also pursue structural engineering.
Structural engineering has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Structural engineering graduates are in high demand in Kenya's growing construction and infrastructure sector.
This programme is the same as general civil engineering.
Structural engineering focuses specifically on structural analysis, design, and safety, distinct from general civil engineering.
Structural engineering is only about calculations.
The programme covers design, materials, dynamics, earthquake engineering, and reliability alongside calculations.
You need years of experience to study structural engineering.
While experience is beneficial, the programme is accessible to engineering graduates seeking to specialise in structural engineering.