Dr. James Mgaya
Head - Department of Chemistry
Welcome to the Department of Chemistry
General information for students
The Department of Chemistry offers a wide range of courses ranging from basic Chemistry to Applied Chemistry to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. All courses offered at the department incorporate a blend of theoretical aspects as well as practical aspects using the available up-to-date Laboratory facilities. Courses offered are in the fields of Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Computational Chemistry, and Industrial Chemistry. In addition to teaching, the Department can provide a wide range of consultancy activities based on the expertise of its academic and technical members of staff.
Learning resources
The College Library has an excellent collection of Chemistry books (both hardcopy and online), journals and reference materials. MSc Students specializing in Chemistry are further sources of scientific information and help.
Laboratories
The Department has research and teaching laboratories furnished with modern fume chambers, freezers, lab equipment such as distillation equipment, rotary evaporator, hydrogen generator, orbital shaker, UV-Visible spectrophotometer, several hot water baths, conductivity meters, and many other apparatuses for carrying out research and doing experiments.
Programmes
The Department of Chemistry in collaboration with other Departments in the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Education offers Undergraduate Programmes: Bachelor of Science with Education (BSc Ed) and Bachelor of Education in Science (BEd Sc). Similarly, the Department offers two Postgraduate programmes: Master of Science with Education (MSc Ed) and Master of Science in Industrial Chemistry (MSc Ind Chem). Also, the department offers other programmes including Certificate and Diploma in Educational Laboratory Science and Technology
Teaching Staff and research areas
The staff members are Ph.D. qualified with significant guiding experience. They use various innovative teaching methods and put much effort in guiding learners to achieve their goals. The faculty member specializes in various research fields such as:
Laboratory technicians and scientists
Technical staffs are available to guide (or supervise) students conducting Chemistry experiments and ensure equipment and apparatus are well maintained. The lab scientists are also involved in conducting research, projects, case studies, consultancy, and community services in collaboration with academic staff.
Academic advisers
Academic staff members are available as academic advisers and set office hours for consultation about their fields. They are also ready to discuss Chemistry, Science in general, and career developments. The best way to take full advantage of the scientific opportunities available in the department is to attend all lectures, tutorial sessions, and laboratory sessions, and engage in group discussions.