Mechanical Engineering
Turning energy and motion into machines that work.
Overview
Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design, analyse, manufacture and maintain anything that moves or uses energy, from vehicle engines and pumps to power plants, production lines and medical devices.
Students are grounded in mechanics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and materials science, then apply them to machine design, manufacturing and energy conversion. Workshop practice, laboratory experiments and computer-aided design run alongside the theory, so graduates can both calculate how a part will behave and make it.
With growth in Kenyan manufacturing, agro-processing and renewable energy, mechanical engineers are needed wherever equipment has to be designed, installed, run efficiently or kept in service.
Areas of specialisation
The main fields within Mechanical Engineering, from first principles to final-year projects.
Machine Design
Designing components and mechanisms, from gears and shafts to complete machines, that are strong, reliable and practical to make.
Thermofluids & Energy
Thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid flow applied to engines, boilers, turbines, refrigeration and air conditioning.
Manufacturing & Production
Machining, casting, welding and fabrication, and how to organise production efficiently.
Materials Engineering
How metals, polymers and composites behave, and how to choose and treat them for a job.
Automotive Engineering
Vehicle systems, engines and power trains, and the shift towards electric mobility.
Mechatronics & Control
Combining mechanisms with sensors, actuators and controllers to build automated systems.
What you will study
Typical subjects and practical training. Exact units vary by year and programme.
Core subjects
- Engineering mechanics: statics and dynamics
- Thermodynamics and heat transfer
- Fluid mechanics
- Strength of materials
- Machine design
- Manufacturing technology
- Materials science
- Theory of machines and vibrations
- Control engineering
- Engineering drawing and CAD/CAM
Hands-on learning
- Workshop practice in machining, welding and fitting
- Engine and thermodynamics laboratory tests
- Fluid mechanics experiments
- CAD modelling and simulation
- Industrial attachment in manufacturing or energy
- Final-year design-and-build project
Career paths
Roles graduates commonly go on to hold.
- Design engineer
- Plant or maintenance engineer
- Production engineer
- Energy engineer
- Automotive engineer
- Building services (HVAC) engineer
- Quality engineer
- Technical sales engineer
Professional registration
Graduates of accredited programmes can register with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) as graduate engineers, then work towards Professional Engineer status through supervised practice. Membership of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) supports that journey with mentorship, training and a professional network.
Mechanical Engineering at EESA
Put your coursework to use with students from every department.
Project ideas to get started
- Build a go-kart or small vehicle for a student design challenge.
- Design a low-cost machine for a local workshop or farm, such as a thresher or feed mixer.
- Develop a solar dryer or fuel-efficient cookstove with a nearby community.
Have an idea of your own? Tell the committee.