By Dr. Betty Mbatia, Dr. Naumih Noah and Dr. Jonathan Mwangi

Two new academic programs in the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Bachelor of Technology in Analytical Chemistry (B. Tech Analytical Chemistry) and Bachelor of Science in Applied Biochemistry (B.sc Applied Biochemistry) have recently been reviewed by subject experts and CUE quality assurance officers to ensure USIU-Africa has minimum capacity to offer such programs.

The two programs are anchored in the belief that graduates who are well equipped with appropriate knowledge, skills and values deliver excellent professional services and are line with the University’s strategic objective of increasing the number of innovative programs in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and to grow a diverse student population over the next five years. The programs will offer a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum which will not only contribute significantly to the academic strength of the university, but also serve the entire East African region and the world at large.
The Bachelor of Technology in Analytical Chemistry was developed in response to a needs assessment and market survey analyses which revealed a growing need of technology experts that are able to design, plan, and execute practical investigations to develop our pharmaceutical, industrial and agricultural sectors. In addition, it was noted that fresh graduates in the workforce lack the ability to use complex equipment and chemicals safely and accurately.

The Bachelor of Technology in Analytical Chemistry will therefore strive to supply the industry with graduates that have these competences in order to fulfill the identified skills gaps. This will be done by providing a hands-on practical experience by applying classroom knowledge and theory in real-life situations in the laboratory which will enable the graduates to master the technical ability to work with equipment and chemicals in the laboratory and the graduates will have a wide range of career options; which include working in Universities, Government, pharmaceutical and environmental companies and research institutes.
The Bachelor of Science in Applied Biochemistry focuses on the belief that a student equipped with knowledge and techniques in biological chemistry can apply these to solve challenges relating to improving health and nutrition, forensics, increasing agricultural and manufacturing productivity and sustaining the environment. The program’s curriculum is a result of painstaking work that has taken at least three years involving experts drawn from the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, stakeholders and potential employers from various academic, industry and research institutions.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Biochemistry like the Bachelor of Technology in Analytical Chemistry, are currently not offered by any other local university and are radically different from any related programs in the local market, as they offer hands-on laboratory experience.