Course of the Week; B.Sc. Medical Microbiology

JKUAT was the first institution in the country to offer a B.Sc. in Medical Microbiology. The aim is to produce Medical Microbiologists to fit various sectors of our health care system, including medical research institutions, pharmaceutical industries, in quality control laboratories and training institutions like universities and polytechnics. Medical Microbiology is the large subset of microbiology that is applied to medicine, and is a branch of medical science concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. In addition, this field of science studies various clinical applications of microbes for the improvement of health.

A medical microbiologist studies the characteristics of pathogens, their modes of transmission, mechanisms of infection and growth. Using this information, a treatment can be devised. Medical microbiologists often serve as consultants for physicians, providing identification of pathogens and suggesting treatment options. Other tasks may include the identification of potential health risks to the community or monitoring the evolution of potentially virulent or resistant strains of microbes, educating the community and assisting in the design of health practices.

The course is offered at the Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, in the College of Health Sciences (COHES).

Admission Requirements

Students wishing to study Medical Microbiology must satisfy the minimum University and Faculty of Science entry requirements.
A student to be admitted must also satisfy any of the following minimum requirements.
Either
1.1 Must have passed Biology or Biological Sciences in the K.C.S.E. at a minimum grade of B-, Mathematics C- and Chemistry or Physical science with a minimum grade of C–. In addition, a student must have passed in any one subject from the following alternatives
Alternative A                    Alternative B
English/Kiswahili  C-       English/Kiswahili  C-
Physics  C-                        Geography/Agriculture  C-
Or
1.2    Have a minimum of 2 principal passes in science subjects in Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) one of which must be Biology,
Or
1.3    Have a diploma in relevant subjects from an Institution recognized by the University Senate,
Or
1.4    Have a Higher National Diploma with a credit pass in Medical Microbiology related subject from an Institution recognized by the University senate,
Or
1.5    Have any other qualifications accepted by the University Senate as equivalent to 1.1 to 1.4
Students who hold 1.3 above may at the discretion of the Faculty of Science be admitted directly to the second year of the course in which case they may complete their course in a minimum of three academic years and a maximum of five academic years.

Students who hold 1.4 above may at the discretion of the Faculty of Science be admitted directly to the third year of the course in which case they may complete their course in a minimum of two academic years and a maximum of four academic years.

Year 1

University Units

  • HRD 2101 Communication Skills
  • HRD 2102 Developmental Studies and Social Ethics
  • SZL 2111 HIV/AIDS

Faculty Unit

  • SMA 2104 Mathematics for Sciences

Core Units

  • SBT 2170 Microbial Diversity
  • SBT 2171 Plant Diversity
  • SBT 2172 Cell Biology
  • SBT 2173 Introduction to Microbiology
  • SBT 2174 Medical Instrumentation
  • SBT 2175 Introduction to Genetics
  • SZL 2100 Invertebrate Zoology
  • SZL 2102 Introduction to Animal Physiology
  • SCH 2100 Atomic Structure
  • SCH 2102 Physical Chemistry I
  • SCH 2103 Organic Chemistry I
  • ICS 2110 Information Technology I

Year 2

  • SBT 2270 Bacteriology
  • SBT 2271 Medical Techniques
  • SBT 2272 Microbial Physiology
  • SBT 2275 Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases
  • SBT 2274 Biophysics
  • SBT 2305 Mycology
  • SBT 2410 Environmental Microbiology
  • SBT 2419 Virology
  • SZL 2130 Human Anatomy and Physiology
  • SCH 2101 Chemical Bonding and Structure
  • SMA 2250 Mathematics for biologists
  • ICS 2215 Information Technology II

Electives

  • SBT 2205 Environmental Science
  • SBH 2402 Biochemistry of microorganisms

Year 3

Core Units

  • SBT 2304 Biostatistics and Experimental Design/ SZL 2304 Biostatistics
  • SBT 2309 Phytochemistry
  • SBT 2311 Research Methodology and Data Analysis/SZL 2230 Research Methodology
  • SBT 2370 Diagnostic Medical Microbiology
  • SBT 2371 General Pathology
  • SBT 2210 Introduction to Molecular Biology
  • SBT 2373 Ethics and Risks in Medical Microbiology
  • SBT 2375 Industrial Microbiology
  • SBT 2445 Discovery Strategies in Biotechnology
  • SBT 2378 Introduction to Bacterial Systematics
  • SBT 2415 Microbial Genetics
  • SZL 2236 Basics of Immunology

Electives

  • SBT 2372 Epidemiology
  • SBT 2374 Community Health
  • SBT 2376 Pharmacognosy

Year 4

University Unit

  • HRD 2401 Entrepreneurship Skills

Core Units

  • SBT 2470 Medical Bacteriology I
  • SBT 2478 Medical Bacteriology II SBT 2471 Medical Virology I
  • SBT 2479 Medical Virology II
  • SBT 2473 Medical Mycology
  • SBT 2474 Microbial Food Toxicology
  • SBT 2475 Pharmacology
  • SBT 2476 Recent Advances in Medical Microbiology
  • SBT 2477 Health Management and Economics
  • SBT 2452 Field Attachment

Elective Units

  • SBT 2446 Applied Microbial Ecology
  • SBT 2442 Genetic Engineering I
  • SBT 2443 Genetic Engineering II
  • SZL 2405 Parasitology I
  • SZL 2406 Parasitology II
  • SZL 2407 Immunology I
  • SZL 2408 Immunology II
  • SBT 2401 Research Project (2 Units)

More information on admission requirements can be found on our interactive admission site. Applications for this programme is currently open for the September intake.

hs 2

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