Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology
Admission Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology
Candidates must have obtained the minimum University and School admission requirements.
The following shall be eligible for registration for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology in the Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management:
a) Holders of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with mean grade of C+ or equivalent with passes at C plain or above in Biology or Biological Sciences/C + (plus) in Agriculture; C (plain) in Chemistry and C (plain) in any one of the following subjects: Physics, Physical Sciences, Mathematics or Geography
b) Holders of KCSE mean Grade of C- or equivalent plus a Diploma in a relevant field from an institution recognized by the Senate.
c) Holders of ‘O’ level Division II or equivalent plus, a Diploma in a relevant field from an institution recognized by the Senate
d) Holders of ‘A’ level with two Principal Passes or equivalent in Biology and any one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Geography or Agriculture.
e) Holders of KCSE mean Grade of C plain or equivalent plus a Diploma in Biological Sciences or related sciences from an institution recognized by the senate.
f) Holders of a higher national Diploma in Biological Sciences or related sciences from an institution recognized by the Senate.
g) Holders of a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences or related sciences from an institution recognized by the senate
h) Equivalent qualifications to the above from institutions recognized by the Senate
Duration of Study
Four (4) academic years
Expected Learning Outcomes
At the end of the degree programme, the student should be able to:
i) Understand the role of biotechnology in Agriculture
ii) Use biotechnology to create new production channels that creates jobs and wealth.
iii) Apply innovative biotechnology tools in agriculture and other related fields.
iv) Utilise the acquired knowledge and skills in gainful self-employment.
v) Communicate biotechnology research advances and developed technologies to industries and communities.
Career prospects
The University of Embu aims to train Biotechnologists who will work in industry and academia
Bachelor of Science Biotechnology Courses/Unit Distribution Table
First year
|
|
YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1 |
CONTACT HOURS |
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|
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|||||
|
|
1. |
CCS 001 |
Communication Skills |
45 |
- |
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|
|
2. |
CCS 010 |
HIV & AIDS |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
3. |
ACS 103 |
Mathematics |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
4. |
SCH 101 |
Inorganic Chemistry |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
5. |
SCH 103 |
Physical Chemistry |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
6. |
ACS 101 |
Agricultural Botany |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
7. |
ACS 105 |
Principles of Genetics |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
|
|
T0TAL |
270 |
45 |
|||||
|
YEAR 1 SEMESTER II |
CONTACT HOURS |
|
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|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|
|||||
|
8. |
CCS 002 |
Fundamentals of Development |
45 |
- |
|
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|
9. |
AEC 102 |
Introduction to Micro-economics |
45 |
- |
|
|||||
|
10. |
AEB 101 |
ICT and Computers |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
11. |
SCH 102 |
Organic Chemistry |
30 |
15 |
|
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|
12. |
ABT 101 |
Introduction to Biotechnology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
13. |
ABT 102 |
Cell Biology |
30 |
15 |
|
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|
14. |
AVP 101 |
Principles of Animal Physiology |
30 |
15 |
|
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|
|
|
T0TAL |
210 |
105 |
|
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Second Year
|
YEAR 2 SEMESTER I |
CONTACT HOURS |
|||
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|
1. |
AEC 201 |
Sociology and Development |
45 |
- |
|
2. |
AEC 202 |
Introduction to Macro-economics |
45 |
- |
|
3. |
ACS 206 |
Biostatistics I |
45 |
- |
|
4. |
ABT 201 |
Molecular Biology I |
30 |
15 |
|
5. |
ACP 201 |
Principles of Plant Pathology and Disease Control |
30 |
15 |
|
6. |
ABT 203 |
Introductory Microbiology |
30 |
15 |
|
7. |
ABT 202 |
Plant Biochemistry and Physiology |
30 |
15 |
|
|
|
T0TAL |
225 |
90 |
YEAR 2 SEMESTER II |
CONTACT HOURS |
|||
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|
1. |
ABT 204 |
Animal Biotechnology and Cell Culture |
30 |
15 |
|
2. |
ABT 205 |
Plant Biotechnology and Tissue Culture |
30 |
15 |
|
3. |
ABT 206 |
Bacteriology Techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology |
30 |
15 |
|
4. |
ABT 207 |
Principles of Immunology |
30 |
15 |
|
5. |
ABT 208 |
Parasitology |
30 |
15 |
|
6. |
ABT 209 |
Molecular Biology II |
30 |
15 |
|
7. |
ABT 210 |
Microbial Genetics |
30 |
15 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
210 |
105 |
Third Year
|
|
YEAR 3 SEMESTER I |
CONTACT HOURS |
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|
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|||||
|
|
1. |
AEC 302 |
Production Economics |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
2. |
ABT 301 |
Bio-safety and Bioethics |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
3. |
ACS 306 |
Biostatistics II |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
4. |
ABT 302 |
Plant Breeding Methods |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
5. |
ABT 303 |
Animal Breeding Methods |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
6. |
ACS 305 |
Introduction to Population and Quantitative Genetics |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
7. |
ABT 304 |
Techniques in Genetic Engineering |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
210 |
105 |
|||||
|
YEAR 3 SEMESTER II |
CONTACT HOURS |
|
||||||||
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|
|||||
|
8. |
AEC 304 |
Agricultural Policy & Law |
45 |
- |
|
|||||
|
9. |
ABT 305 |
Cytogenetics Techniques |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
10. |
ACP 304 |
Environmental Management |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
11. |
ABT 306 |
Bio-analytical Methods in Biotechnology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
12. |
ABT 307 |
Virology and Mycology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
13. |
ABT 308 |
Molecular Microbiology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
14. |
ABT 309 |
Bioinformatics |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
|
|
TOTAL |
210 |
105 |
|
|||||
YEAR 3 SEMESTER III
|
|
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
CONTACT HOURS |
|
1. |
ABT 314 |
Project: Product Simulation and Development |
8 weeks (320hr) |
|
2. |
ABT 315 |
External Industrial Attachment |
8 weeks (320hr) |
Fourth Year
|
|
YEAR 4 SEMESTER I |
CONTACT HOURS |
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|
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|||||
|
|
1. |
AEC 403 |
Agricultural Extension & Technology Transfer |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
2. |
AEC 415 |
Rural Development |
45 |
- |
|||||
|
|
3. |
ABT 401 |
Biopolicy |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
4. |
ABT 402 |
Microbial Physiology |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
5. |
ABT 403 |
Molecular Immunology |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
6. |
ABT 404 |
Phytochemistry |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
7. |
ACS 409A |
Special Projects and Seminars |
30 |
15 |
|||||
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
210 |
105 |
|||||
|
YEAR 4, SEMESTER II |
CONTACT HOURS |
|
||||||||
|
S/NO. |
CODE |
UNIT NAME |
L |
P |
|
|||||
|
8. |
AEC 408 |
Micro-Enterprise Development & Management |
45 |
- |
|
|||||
|
9. |
ABT 405 |
Recent Advances in Biotechnology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
10. |
ABT 406 |
Downstream Processing Techniques |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
11. |
ABT 407 |
Biofuels Production Techniques |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
12. |
ABT 408 |
Pharmacology and Toxicology |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
13. |
ABT 409 |
Protein Drug Design |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
14. |
ACS 409B |
Special Projects and Seminars |
30 |
15 |
|
|||||
|
|
|
T0TAL |
90 |
45 |
|
|||||
Graduation Requirements
i) To qualify for the award of a degree, a candidate for the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology degree shall take a minimum of fifty seven (57) units during the four years of study.
ii) A candidate may be allowed, on requisition, to graduate with a maximum of one failed unit. The unit shall be non-core unit.
iii) The degree award and classification shall be based on the average score of all the units taken in the programme.
Award of Degree
a) The degree award and classification shall be based on the average score of all units taken in the programme.
b) The degree award shall be Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology.
Classification of Degrees
A candidate who qualifies for Award of the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology shall be placed in one of the classes as follows:
i) First Class Honours 70% - 100%
ii) Second Class Honours (Upper Division) 60% - 69%
iii) Second Class Honours (Lower Division) 50% - 59%
iv) Pass 40% - 49%