Philosophy of the programme
• To nurture and build students and staff in a professional manner for the purposes of achieving educational development of the people and the nation’s vision of industrialization by the year 2030 and beyond.
• To offer a holistic approach in the field of food science and processing technology.
Rationale of the programme
Needs Assessment / Market Survey / Situation Analysis
The Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Processing Technology focuses on Food Science and Food Processing Technology as well as an integration of the two disciplines. These are the areas of major concern to the consumer, government, Non-Governmental Organizations and the food industry. It is designed to meet the increasing demand for food processing technologists who have a thorough knowledge of Food Science. This degree programme is aimed at producing graduates with thorough knowledge in all aspects of Food Science and Technology including food chemistry, food microbiology, food engineering, food quality assurance, food processing and preservation, food analysis, food biotechnology, food product development and marketing, food industry management, food and nutrition security, and research techniques in food science and food processing technology.
Justification for the need of the programme
The food industry is an ever growing sector in the Kenyan economy. Therefore, there is need to furnish the industry with highly qualified professionals who are trained and well versed with all the aspects of modern food processing. In addition, the increasing concerns for food quality and safety require the expertise of trained food scientists
Mount Kenya University, being a fast growing institution, is well placed to meet this need by training suitable candidates and mould them to become excellent food professionals
From the needs survey, many diploma graduates in Food Science and Processing Technology expressed the need to upgrade to a degree programme.
Goals of the Programme
The specific objectives of this course are to produce graduates who are able to:
• Work in the food industry as front-line supervisors in processing and quality assurance and have the ability to progress to managerial levels.
• Undertake research aimed at improving processing technology and new product development in the food industry.
• Be self-employed in the informal sector using technical skills of Food Science, and Food Processing Technology.
Career Prospects
Upon successful completion of the prescribed course of study, the Bachelor of Food Science and Processing Technology graduates will have acquired knowledge, skills and abilities to advance scholastic achievement in academics and to conduct research using applied and theoretical methods.
Additionally, the graduates will be equipped for research and production in the food industry, government institutions, universities and research institutions, development agencies, teaching and technical establishments.
The graduates will have entrepreneurship skills to engage in self-employment by establishing cottage industries, small and medium processing and manufacturing enterprises.