Department of Biochemistry

• Request for credit transfers will be made in writing to the Dean of the Faculty after admission. Official transcripts from a University recognized by the senate must accompany the request.
• The course units on which exemptions are sought shall not exceed one third of the total units in that level.
• The candidate seeking exemption will meet all the prescribed costs by the University of Nairobi.

Candidates eligible for admission to the above degree programme will be will be required to be holders of at least one of the following minimum qualifications:- 2.1 An aggregate of C+ grade which is the minimum University of Nairobi admission requirement and must have obtained at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) the following grades:

• Biological Sciences C+
• Physical Sciences C+
• Mathematics C
• English/Kiswahili C

OR

• • Biology C+
  • Chemistry C+
  •  Mathematics/Physics C
  •  English/Kiswahili C

1. Two principal passes at A level in Biology and Chemistry and a subsidiary all obtained at the same sitting.
2. A degree in Biological Sciences and/or Chemistry from any recognized University.
3. A Diploma in any of the following from a Senate recognized training institution:

• • Animal Health
  • Agriculture
  • Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Science Laboratory Technology
  • Food Science Technology
  • Education (Biology and Chemistry)
  • Dental Science
  • Public Health
  • Basic or Advanced Nursing Diploma
  • Public Health
  • Radiography
  • Pharmaceutical Technology
  • Clinical Medicine (Clinical Officers Diploma)

In addition, an applicant must have a minimum of C+ in Biology or Biological Sciences and Chemistry or Physical Sciences at KCSE.

• Be registered at the University of Nairobi or at any of University recognized by the Senate for degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or Bachelor of Dental Surgery or Bachelor of Pharmacy or Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and must have successfully completed the pre-clinical programmes to join in level one of study.
• Any other qualification equivalent to the above subject to Senates approval.

• In Level I, a University examination shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests and end of semester and/or quarter examinations.
• In Levels II and III, a University examination shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests and end of two halves examinations.
• Continuous Assessment marks shall be based on practicals, tutorials, assignments and tests.
• Continuous Assessment for each course unit will account for 30% of the total course marks while end of two halves examination will account for the remaining 70%.
• All the course units in Level I shall be examined at the end of semester and/or quarter.
• All the course units in Level II and III shall be examined at the end of two halves of 22 weeks each.
• The candidates shall present themselves for the University examinations at such
• times as the Faculty may determine as follows:

  Level I Examinations

  COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	EXAMINATION PAPER AND DURATION
  HBC 101	Cell Biology	1x2 hr
  HBC 102	Mammalian Histology	1x2 hr
  HBC 103	Mammalian Physiology	1x2 hr
  HBC 104	Elements of Mathematics	1x2 hr
  HBC 105	Inorganic Chemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 106	Physical Chemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 107	Organic Chemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 108	Biomolecules	1x2 hr
  HBC 109	Plant Physiology	1x2 hr
  HBC 110	Evolutionary Biology	1x2 hr
  HBC 111	Computer Skills	1x2 hr
  HBC 112	Laboratory Practice and Instrumentation	1x3 hr 1x3 hr practical
  CCS 001	Communication Skills	1x1.5hr
  CCS 004	Law in Society	1x1.5hr
  CCS 009	Elements of Economics	1x1.5hr

  Level II Examinations

  COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	EXAMINATION PAPER AND DURATION
  HBC 201	Enzymology	1x2 hr
  HBC 202	Metabolism	1x2 hr
  HBC 203	Regulation and Integration of Mammalian Tissue Metabolism	1x2 hr
  HBC 204	Protein Biochemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 205	Plant Biochemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 206	Comparative Biochemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 207	Biomembranes	1x2 hr
  HBC 208	Biochemical Endocrinology I	1x2 hr
  HBC 209	Immunochemistry	1x2 hr
  HBC 210	Biochemical Genetics	1x2 hr
  HBC 211	Molecular Biology I	1x2 hr
  HBC 212	Biostatistics	1x2 hr
  HBC 213	Biochemical Techniques and Instrumentation I	1x3hr practical

Level III Examinations

• Project and its oral examination will be assessed by two internal examiners and an external examiner and will constitute 100%.
• The pass mark for each examination paper shall be 40%.
• Marks for each course unit shall be translated in letter grades as shown below:

• A candidate may on special grounds, following the recommendation of the Faculty Board of Examiners and approval by Senate sit for Special Examinations. 5.10 candidate who fails in 2 courses with 36 - 39% may be compensated from those courses he/she had attained the highest mark provided that for each mark compensated two marks shall be deducted from the compensating course score.
• A Candidate who fails five courses or less shall be allowed to proceed to the following year of study but resit the examination in the failed courses when next offered.
• A candidate who fails the University/Special Examinations in six or more course units will not be allowed to proceed to the following level but will be recommended to repeat the failed courses. 5.13 No candidate shall be regarded as having passed the University examination unless he has passed in all the course units required for that level.
• A candidate who is recommended to repeat part of the work for any year under clause 5.12 above and who in that part attains a pass mark shall then be deemed to have passed the University examination for that level.
• No candidate shall be registered for BSc in Biochemistry for more than calendar years.

Loans and Bursaries

Undergraduate Kenyan students may apply for loans and bursaries from the Kenya Government.

Guidelines on application procedures are available from the Admissions Section, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />University of Nairobi.

For a complete Fee Structure Download here

Lecturers for year 1 courses

Lecturers for year II courses

Lecturers for year III courses

Lecturers for year IV courses (Medical Option)

Lecturers for year IV courses (Nutritional Option)

Lecturers for year IV courses (Molecular Biology & Biotechnology option)

• The curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry shall take a minimum of three calendar years of 44 weeks each
• Each level shall comprise of four quarters of 11 weeks each
• In Level I of study, a candidate is required to take all the twelve course units offered plus THREE units from the Common Undergraduate Courses.
• In Level II of study, a candidate is required to take all the thirteen course units offered.
• In Level III of study, a candidate is required to register for HBC 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306 and courses for any of the following degree options:
  • HBC 307, 308, 309, 310, 311 and 312 for BSc in Biochemistry (Medical) option.
  • HBC 308, 309, 312, 313 and 314 for BSc in Biochemistry (Nutritional option
  • HBC 310, 312, 314, 315 and 316 for BSc in Biochemistry (Molecular Biology and Biotechnology option).
• Candidates are expected to attend the courses registered for in entirety to the satisfaction of the Department of Biochemistry and Board of the Faculty.