Kenyatta University is situated about 23 kilometres from the city of Nairobi on the Nairobi-Thika dual carriageway on 500 ha of land. The long journey to University status started in 1965 when the British Government handed over the Templer Army Barracks to the Kenya Government. These were converted into an institution of higher learning known as Kenyatta College. Initially, Kenyatta College was divided into two sections, the Secondary Education Division (SED) and the Teacher Education Division (TED). The Secondary Education Division had classes from Form I to Form VI. Forms I and IV and the Advanced level Arts classes were phased out in 1969 to give way to seven Advanced level Science classes which earned the institution high reputation for its excellent performance in the Advanced level examinations. It became the main supplier of undergraduates in Science oriented courses at the University of Nairobi where they performed extremely well. The Secondary Education Division was phased out in 1973.The first courses offered in the Teacher Education Division in 1965 were the three-year Post-Ordinary level Secondary Teacher’s Certificate [SI and a one-year post-Advanced Secondary Teacher’s Certificate (SA)].

The Diploma programme was implemented to alleviate an acute shortage of Science and special subjects (Kiswahili, Music, Fine Art etc.) teachers in the Secondary Schools. There were insufficient number of students with degree entry qualifications and no degree programmes existed then in some of those areas. In July, 1978, the Government transferred the Faculty of Education of the University of Nairobi to Kenyatta University College Campus. As a result, the College became the only institution training teachers at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The University status was achieved on August 23, 1985, when the Kenyatta University Act received Presidential assent making the Institution a full - fledged University. The Act became operational on September 1, 1985 and the new University was inaugurated on December 17, 1985. Kenyatta University immediately started establishing new Faculties and constituent colleges. In this pursuit, Jomo Kenyatta College of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) became a constituent College of Kenyatta University in 1988 before becoming a full – fledged university.