phd in nuclear energy

Doctoral (Ph.D.) Program

In order to receive the Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, all students must successfully complete the following three milestones:

• Required coursework: major and minor requirements
• Departmental Exams: first year screening exams and the oral qualifying exam

Dissertation

Major Field Requirement

The major field is always defined as “Nuclear Engineering”, not the student’s specific research area.  All six courses required for this field must be NE courses in the department.  Occasionally students may petition to include courses taught by NE faculty in other departments.

Minor Requirements (two minors required)

In addition to a major field, each student must select two minor fields that serve to broaden the base of the studies and lend support to the major field. Each minor program field should have an orientation different from the major program.  Typically, at least one minor field consists of regular courses taken outside the department (i.e., no 298 or 299 independent studies or non-graded courses).  Each field must contain at least 6 units of course credit.

Department Exams

Screening Exam

During the first year in graduate study, students must pass the screening exams, consisting of four written exams in four different subject areas. Choose four subjects from the following eight subject areas: (1) radiation detection, (2) heat transfer and fluid mechanics, (3) nuclear physics,(4) neutronics, (5) fusion theory, (6) nuclear materials, (7) radioactive waste management, and (8) Radio Biophysics. All graduate students, whether MS or PhD students, must pass four screening exams during the first year of study if they wish to be admitted to, or continue into the PhD program.

Qualifying Exam (QE)

After completing the required coursework for the PhD the student takes the oral Qualifying Exam (QE).  Students must apply to the Graduate Division to take the QE no later than three weeks before the exam date, and they they are required to list at least three subject areas to be covered during the examination, as well as the members of their QE exam committee.

Advancement to PhD candidacy 

After passing the QE, the student submits an application for advancement to PhD candidacy to the Graduate Division.  The application should be submitted no later than the end of the semester following the one in which the student passed the QE.

Non-resident students who have been advanced to PhD candidacy are eligible for a waiver of the non-resident tuition fee for a maximum calendar period of three years.

Candidacy for the doctorate is only valid for a limited time.  The Graduate Division informs the student of the number of semesters they are eligible to be a PhD candidate. Students who do not complete the dissertation within that time, plus a two-year grace period, will have their candidacy lapsed.

In order to receive a degree in any given term, all work for the degree must be completed by the last day of the term.  Students must meet the Graduate Division eligibility requirements to file a dissertation .

A dissertation on a subject chosen by the candidate, bearing on the principal subject of the student's major study and demonstrating the candidate's ability to carry out independent investigation, must be completed and receive the approval of the dissertation committee and the dean of the Graduate Division.   Students should consult " Dissertation Writing and Filing " on the Graduate Division's website.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Nuclear Science and Engineering

Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

Program Requirements

Note: Students in this program can choose to receive the Doctor of Philosophy or the Doctor of Science in Nuclear Science and Engineering or in another departmental field of specialization. Students receiving veterans benefits must select the degree they wish to receive prior to program certification with the Veterans Administration.

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Best Nuclear Engineering Programs

Ranked in 2023, part of Best Engineering Schools

Nuclear engineers work with nuclear energy, nuclear

Nuclear engineers work with nuclear energy, nuclear waste, medical physics and more. They may also be active in design and nuclear research. These are the top graduate schools for nuclear engineering programs. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. Read the methodology »

For full rankings, GRE scores and student debt data, sign up for the U.S. News Engineering School Compass .

Here are the Best Nuclear Engineering Programs

University of michigan--ann arbor, massachusetts institute of technology, north carolina state university, texas a&m university--college station, university of california, berkeley, university of wisconsin--madison, university of tennessee--knoxville (tickle), georgia institute of technology, university of illinois urbana-champaign (grainger).

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Ann Arbor , MI

• # 1 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 7 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$29,466 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$55,276 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,800 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor has a rolling application deadline. The application fee... Read More »

Engineering school

Tuition and fees (master's).

$29,466 per year (in-state, full-time)

$55,276 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

Average quantitative gre.

Cambridge , MA

• # 2 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 1 in Best Engineering Schools

$57,590 per year (full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,222 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $75 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $57,590 per... Read More »

$57,590 per year (full-time)

Raleigh , NC

• # 3 in Nuclear Engineering  (tie)
• # 25 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$9,095 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$28,301 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,281 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at North Carolina State University has a rolling application deadline. The application fee... Read More »

$9,095 per year (in-state, full-time)

$28,301 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

College Station , TX

• # 10 in Best Engineering Schools

$287 per credit (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$816 per credit (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,380 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M University--College Station has a rolling application deadline. The application... Read More »

$287 per credit (in-state, full-time)

$816 per credit (out-of-state, full-time)

Berkeley , CA

• # 3 in Best Engineering Schools

$11,700 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$26,802 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

2,673 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $135 for U.S. residents and $155 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $11,700... Read More »

$11,700 per year (in-state, full-time)

$26,802 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Madison , WI

• # 27 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$10,728 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$24,054 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

1,574 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $81 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $10,728 per... Read More »

$10,728 per year (in-state, full-time)

$24,054 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Knoxville , TN

• # 7 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 55 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$639 per credit (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$1,650 per credit (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

889 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The Tickle College of Engineering at University of Tennessee--Knoxville (Tickle) has a rolling application deadline... Read More »

$639 per credit (in-state, full-time)

$1,650 per credit (out-of-state, full-time)

Atlanta , GA

• # 8 in Nuclear Engineering  (tie)
• # 5 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$14,064 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$29,140 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

4,784 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $85 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $14,064 per... Read More »

$14,064 per year (in-state, full-time)

$29,140 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Urbana , IL

• # 11 in Best Engineering Schools

$19,320 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$36,798 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,812 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $70 for U.S. residents and $90 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $19,320 per... Read More »

$19,320 per year (in-state, full-time)

$36,798 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Pennsylvania State University--University Park

University Park , PA

• # 10 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 32 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$26,062 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$43,260 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

2,209 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at Pennsylvania State University--University Park has a rolling application deadline. The... Read More »

$26,062 per year (in-state, full-time)

$43,260 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Purdue University--West Lafayette

West Lafayette , IN

• # 11 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 4 in Best Engineering Schools

$10,842 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$29,644 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

3,495 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at Purdue University--West Lafayette has a rolling application deadline. The application fee... Read More »

$10,842 per year (in-state, full-time)

$29,644 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Oregon State University

Corvallis , OR

• # 12 in Nuclear Engineering
• # 69 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$15,570 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$30,366 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

960 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $85 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $15,570 per... Read More »

$15,570 per year (in-state, full-time)

$30,366 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

See all 40 Ranked Schools

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More Schools in this List (Alphabetical)

Air force institute of technology.

Wright Patterson AFB , OH

• in Nuclear Engineering
• Unranked in Best Engineering Schools

N/A TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

N/A ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

Read More »

Colorado School of Mines

Golden , CO

• # 52 in Best Engineering Schools

$17,676 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$39,618 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

1,150 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The application fee is $75 for U.S. residents and $95 for international students. Its tuition is full-time: $17,676 per... Read More »

$17,676 per year (in-state, full-time)

$39,618 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

Kansas State University

Manhattan , KS

• # 104 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$429 per credit (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$959 per credit (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

220 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at Kansas State University has a rolling application deadline. The application fee is $6... Read More »

$429 per credit (in-state, full-time)

$959 per credit (out-of-state, full-time)

Missouri University of Science & Technology--Rolla

• # 82 in Best Engineering Schools  (tie)

$458 per credit (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$1,270 per credit (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

800 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The engineering school at Missouri University of Science & Technology--Rolla has a rolling application deadline. The... Read More »

$458 per credit (in-state, full-time)

$1,270 per credit (out-of-state, full-time)

Ohio State University

Columbus , OH

$12,092 per year (in-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

$38,693 per year (out-of-state, full-time) TUITION AND FEES (MASTER'S)

1,473 ENROLLMENT (FULL-TIME)

The College of Engineering at Ohio State University has a rolling application deadline. The application fee is $60 for... Read More »

$12,092 per year (in-state, full-time)

$38,693 per year (out-of-state, full-time)

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Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering

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Course Requirements and Residency

There are no formal course requirements for the doctoral degree. Course requirements are established solely by the doctoral committee. Typically, 45-55 credits of 400- and 500-level courses (including your master of science program) plus NucE 600 credits are needed. About half of the course credits should be in nuclear engineering courses and the other half in another engineering discipline or in another field, such as math or physics.

A student entering the doctoral program without a master of science in nuclear engineering must meet the course requirements for an M.S. in NucE. Courses are: NucE 301, NucE 302, NucE 450, NucE 403, and six credits from NucE 500-level courses, excluding NucE 596 courses.

You must spend at least two consecutive semesters in a twelve-month period as a full-time registered student, during which time you must be engaged in full-time academic work at the Penn State University Park campus, before taking your comprehensive exam.

Ph.D. Candidacy

To become a doctoral candidate, you must first be approved for candidacy by the graduate faculty. This approval is based partly on the results of a qualifying examination given to assess your potential to excel in doctoral studies and conduct high-level research.

The Graduate School requirements for the qualifying examination are:

• The examination must be taken within three semesters of entry into the doctoral program, not including summer sessions.
• You must be registered as a full-time or part-time degree student for the semester in which the examination is taken.
• You are required to demonstrate a high level of competence in the use of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking.

Students may select one of eight areas when taking the qualifying examination:

• Nuclear Science
• Reactor Physics and Analysis
• Thermal-Hydraulics
• Nuclear Materials and Fuel Performance
• Reactor Design, Dynamics, and Systems
• Nuclear Security
• Plasma Science and Engineering
• Radiochemistry

We strongly encourage you to take your qualifying exams as early as possible. The exam will be administered each fall and spring semester. Dates will be announced by the Graduate Programs Office by email to all graduate students.

The qualifying exam may include questions on all areas of basic engineering including radiation protection, nuclear science, reactor physics, heat transfer, radiation detection, reactor kinetics, nuclear systems, radiochemistry, and computational methods. The oral exam will be scheduled no sooner than one week following the written exam but as soon as practical thereafter. The topic is to be related to your field of interest but different from the thesis topic.

Comprehensive Exam

The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to demonstrate that you are qualified to successfully complete the research phase of the program. This requires that you:

• Have substantially completed the program of courses approved by your committee with a minimum grade point average of 3.00
• Have satisfied the English proficiency requirement
• Have spent at least two consecutive semesters in a twelve-month period as a full-time registered student during which time you were engaged in full-time academic work at the Penn State University Park campus (see Graduate Bulletin).

The type of examination is determined by the doctoral committee but usually consists of a literature review and thesis proposal. Additional questions can cover the major and related areas of study.

Dissertation Defense

The purpose of this examination is for students to defend their doctoral dissertation. It is the responsibility of the doctoral candidate to provide a copy of the thesis to each member of the doctoral committee at least one week before the date of the scheduled examination. Other requirements are as follows:

• The final oral examination may not be scheduled until at least three months have elapsed after the comprehensive exam was passed.
• Two weeks’ notice must be given to the Graduate School for scheduling.
• You must see the Graduate Programs Office Staff Assistant to schedule this exam and complete the required paperwork.
• The deadline for holding the exam is ten weeks before commencement. This date is listed in a calendar produced by the Graduate Programs Office, which you can get from a staff assistant.
• You must be registered full- or part-time during the semester in which you take the final oral exam.

The final examination is an oral examination administered and evaluated by the entire doctoral committee. It consists of an oral presentation of the thesis by the candidate and a period of questions and responses. The examination is related largely to the thesis, but it may cover the candidate’s whole field of study without regard to courses that have been taken either at Penn State or elsewhere. The defense of the thesis should be well-prepared including any appropriate visual aids. The portion of the exam in which the thesis is presented is open to the public.

Contact Information

• Ashley Ammerman Graduate Program Assistant 113C Hallowell Building [email protected]

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The Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering at Penn State is one of the top ranked nuclear engineering programs in the United States. The department distinguishes itself with a strong focus on experimental research. The actively growing department leads four educational programs for students pursuing a bachelor of science, a master of science, a master of engineering, or a doctoral degree. The Radiation Science and Engineering Center (RSEC) facilities, including the Breazeale Reactor, are available to nuclear engineering faculty and students at Penn State for research and instruction. RSEC houses the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor, the country’s first and longest operating licensed nuclear research reactor. Having access to an operating research reactor is a key strength for the department and enables Penn State to harness research and educational opportunities that are unique in the United States. See how we’re inspiring change and impacting tomorrow at nuce.psu.edu.

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Doctorate Program (Ph.D)

Students can register in the PhD Program at either Blacksburg or Greater Washington DC Area Campus. For a quick review of the PhD Program, click here.

The target population of incoming direct PhD students is expected to be from undergraduate nuclear engineering programs as well as the general undergraduate engineering and physics pool. However, the target population for Master's to Ph.D. will be from Master's level nuclear engineering programs. Recruitment efforts will also focus on having the best M.S. nuclear engineering students at Virginia Tech continue on to obtain their Ph.D. Emphasis will be placed on recruiting a well-qualified, diverse background (gender, race, disabled, etc.) of students into the nuclear engineering program.

In the process of earning his/her degree, a Ph.D. student gains a deep knowledge of the nuclear engineering subject matter and independently carries out a comprehensive research project. Accordingly, each student's curriculum will be specifically tailored by his/her Advisory Committee within the requirements listed below.

Earning a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering requires the completion of a minimum 90-credit-hour program. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 ("A" = 4.0) is required for all coursework taken at the University. This policy is consistent with Mechanical Engineering department policy and University policy. No grade below B is allowed for any Ph.D. core course. Failure to earn a grade of B in a Ph.D. core course requires retaking the course.

The 90 credit-hours are made up of (1) 30 graded credit-hours of coursework consisting of Master's-level core courses and required Ph.D. core courses (see Sample Plan of Study), (2) 30 credit-hours of research, and (3) 30 credit-hours of enhancement courses which may consist of either research credits or graduate-level courses taken from any unit of the University.

Degree Requirements

1. master's-level and ph.d. core courses.

A minimum of 30 graded credit-hours of courses must be taken as follows:

-NSEG 5124 Nuclear Reactor Analysis (3 cr) -NSEG 5204 Nuclear Fuel Cycle (3 cr) -NSEG 5424 Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (3 cr) -NSEG 5604 Radiation Detection and Shielding (3 cr) -Mathematics course from Appendix A (3 cr)

Students with a M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from another institution or those with a M.S. degree in another discipline who are accepted into the Ph.D. program will undergo an evaluation of their graded course work from their Master's degree to determine whether the courses which have been taken satisfy the above requirements. If not satisfied, the missing courses must be taken in their Ph.D. program at Virginia Tech.

Not more than 15 credit-hours of graded coursework may be transferred from another institution. These transfer credits may be applied to the Master's core course requirement above, the Ph.D. core course requirement below, or the enhancement requirement as approved by the student's Advisory Committee. All transferred course credits must have the grade of "B" or higher and have been earned while enrolled as a graduate student. All transfer credits must be accompanied by transcripts which verify the grades earned. Course syllabi might also be required.

In addition, all doctoral students will complete the following five Ph.D. core courses (15 credit hours): -MSE 5384G Advanced Nuclear Materials (3 cr) -NSEG 5134 Monte Carlo Methods for Particle Transport (3 cr) -NSEG 6124 Advanced Nuclear Reactor Analysis (3 cr) -NSEG 6334 Nuclear Reactor Safety Analysis (3 cr) -Mathematics course from Appendix A (3 cr)*

*The "Mathematics course from Appendix A (3 cr)" represents 3 graded credit hours of mathematics or statistics courses beyond the Master's level coursework math requirement listed above. Appropriate input is provided by the Advisor to determine which mathematics/statistics course(s) is/are to be taken by the student in support of their dissertation.

2. Research Requirement

A minimum of 30 credit-hours of research (NSEG 7994 Research and Dissertation (variable; up to 12 credits per semester)).

3. Enhancement Requirement

A minimum of 30 additional credit-hours consisting of a combination of either graduate coursework (5000-level or higher) from any unit of the University and/or research and dissertation credits (NSEG 7994), as approved by the student's Advisory Committee. These credits are tailored for the specific research topic and background of the student. Additional in-depth courses related to the student's research area, if applicable, would be included under this requirement. Moreover, students who plan to enter academia after completion of their PhD are encouraged to take electives such as GRAD 5104 Preparing the Future Professoriate and ENGE 5014 Foundations of Engineering Education. Those planning to enter industry are encouraged to take electives such as GRAD 5314 Future Industrial Professional in Science and Engineering. These electives satisfy part of the 30 credit-hours enhancement requirement.

4. Seminar Program

All Ph.D. graduate students must participate in the nuclear engineering program seminar series. No course credit-hours will be given for this requirement. The seminars will consist of periodic presentations by on- and off-campus speakers to address technical issues, policy issues and professional growth issues. Policy issues should address public concerns and controversies of nuclear energy and science, nuclear weapons proliferation, national energy policy, nuclear security, public education on radiation, cybersecurity, etc. One purpose of the seminars is to broaden student interest in the policy arena and encourage them to take elective policy courses outside the nuclear engineering discipline such as in international policy, nuclear security, science and technology in society, political science, etc. In addition, seminars/workshops will be conducted on technical communication skills involving both oral and written communications. All Ph.D. students must present one technical seminar before graduating.

5. Residency Experience

The nuclear engineering degree follows the Ph.D. residency requirement as set forth by the University. The purpose of the residency requirement is to ensure immersion in scholarship, research, and professional development. This will be satisfied through full-time enrollment for two consecutive semesters.

The residency requirement applies to students and not to specific campuses. The students located in Northern Virginia will meet the residency requirement by enrolling full-time for two consecutive semesters at the Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, VA.

6. Formation of Advisory Committee

Before registration for the second semester of study, each graduate student must confer with the members of the faculty and obtain the agreement of one to serve as the student's advisor. Students are expected to take the initiative in selecting their advisor. Advisors are not assigned to students; rather, they are determined by mutual agreement between individual students and professors. A student's advisor provides guidance in many areas including defining a plan of study and monitoring the student's progress toward his or her degree.

The Ph.D. student and his or her advisor, jointly select the other members of the Advisory Committee. The student is responsible for obtaining, from those selected, their agreement to serve on the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee for a Ph.D. candidate consists of a minimum of five faculty members, neither more than four nor less than three of who are in the Mechanical Engineering Department. The advisor or a co-Advisor must be a faculty member in the Nuclear Engineering Program. Exception to these norms may be considered in cases where outside people of comparable credentials are involved in the research. The Ph.D. student and his or her advisor are responsible for arranging meetings of the Advisory Committee at appropriate times. It is strongly recommended that the Advisory Committee meets when the student is starting his or her research to discuss the undertaking. As a minimum, each student should arrange a meeting with his or her Advisory Committee at least once per semester. Each student is expected to meet with the advisor regularly, usually weekly to biweekly, to discuss the status of the research progress towards degree.

7. Admission for Candidacy for Ph.D. Degree

Before admission to candidacy for the Ph.D., all doctoral students must satisfactorily complete the following:

Qualifying Examination - used to evaluate the student's mastery of the subject, to determine deficiencies, and to formulate judgments on whether the student should be encouraged to pursue Ph.D. studies. The Qualifying Examination is designed and administered by a Committee consisting of at least three nuclear engineering faculty members. The examination will be offered at least once per year, and may be offered more frequently if student demand warrants. The examination will consist of two 3-hour written tests given on the same day. The morning exam will involve solving problems in mathematics and physics. The afternoon exam will cover core nuclear engineering courses. The examination will ensure the student is properly prepared to conduct Ph.D. level research. Ph.D. students must take the qualifying examination within their first three semesters of study if they have an M.S. in nuclear engineering, or four semesters otherwise, and are given two opportunities for success.

• Preliminary Doctoral Examination - an oral presentation given before the student's Advisory Committee. The student prepares a written description of his or her proposed dissertation research in the form of a prospectus and distributes it to the members of the committee one week in advance of the examination. The purpose is to determine if the student is prepared to undertake the proposed research. This examination is held after the student has passed the Qualifying Examination and has completed all of the required coursework and before the student has made significant progress on the dissertation research. The Preliminary Examination must be passed at least 6 months before the Final Examination. Students are given two opportunities for success.

8. Copies of the previous PhD Qualifying Exams

2016 Fall Semester 2017 Spring Semester 2017 Fall Semester 2018 Spring Semester 2018 Fall Semester 2019 Fall Semester 2020 Fall Semester

9. Final Examination

The final examination comprises a written dissertation and an oral defense centered on the dissertation. This exam is advertised in advance, and all professorial rank faculty members are invited to attend. All members of a student's Advisory Committee are required to participate in that student's final examination. If suitable communication resources are available, committee members may participate from a remote location. In accordance with University policy, all graduate examinations are open to the faculty and faculty members are encouraged to attend and participate in such meetings. The examination is oral in nature, during which the candidate gives a brief review of his or her work, and answers questions on that work. To pass the final examination, a student is allowed at most one Unsatisfactory vote from a program committee member. If a student fails an examination, one full semester (a minimum of 15 weeks) must elapse before the second examination is scheduled. Not more than two opportunities to pass the final examination are allowed. A student failing the final examination two times will be dismissed from the program.

Admission Requirements

1. program requirements.

In general, the Nuclear Engineering Program requires that applicants:

-Have a minimum TARGET grade point average of 3.2/4.0, or better for either the B.S. degree program or in the last 60 hours of course work -Have GRE TARGET scores of 150 verbal, 155 quantitative, and 4.5 analytical -Students whose native language is not English, must also take the internet-based TOEFL, IELTS, or have COMPLETED a degree from an English speaking institution. Minimum TARGET scores 105 total, 26 reading and speaking areas.

Final admissions decisions are made based on a holistic evaluation of a candidate's application materials; research experience and the three letters of recommendation are a significant part of the evaluation of the application.

The Nuclear Engineering Program and the Department of Mechanical Engineering process applications on a rolling basis. However, to be given full consideration for admission and assistantships/fellowships, complete application materials must be received by:

-January 15th, for the Fall Term -October 1st, for the Spring Term

All application materials should be received by the deadlines for admission. Please be aware that the Graduate School has different application deadlines. Refer to their website for those deadlines and submit your application to meet the earlier of the deadlines. The online application and additional information about requirements and how to apply may be found on the Graduate School website and on the Mechanical Engineering website .

Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members whose research areas most interests them by sending a resume and a cover letter via e-mail.

Depending on desired degree path, there may be different requirements. See below for additional information:

Direct Ph.D

For those students possessing a Bachelor's degree (but not an advanced degree), graduation from an accredited college or university or its equivalent, with an undergraduate overall grade point average (GPA) exceeding 3.5 ("A" = 4.0) is required. It is expected that exceptional undergraduate students would have a higher success rate in completing the Ph.D. program. If an undergraduate student has a GPA lower than 3.5, that student should apply instead to the Master's degree program. This 3.5 GPA requirement exceeds the Mechanical Engineering department requirement of a 3.2 GPA and the University requirement of a 3.0 GPA. In addition, the most competitive applicants will have an undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering, or have an emphasis or minor in nuclear engineering. However, other relevant science and engineering disciplines will also be considered.

Master' to Ph.D

For those students already possessing a Master's degree, a graduate-level grade point average of at least 3.2 is required. This is consistent with the Mechanical Engineering department policy, but exceeds the University requirement of a 3.0 GPA. In addition, the most competitive applicants will have a Master's degree in nuclear engineering, or have a graduate certificate or significant course work in nuclear engineering. However, other relevant science and engineering disciplines will be considered for top applicants with the understanding that it may take an extra year to complete the Ph.D. degree requirements to make up for the missing core background.

2. Application Package Requirements

If all materials submitted with the online application are clearly legible, the Nuclear Engineering Protram does not require hard copy materials. It is highly recommended that you keep hard copies of all materials that you have submitted, since applications and supplemental information cannot be retrieved or altered once they are submitted.

Complete departmental applications consist of:

• Undergraduate Transcripts - Front and back scans of official transcripts are required. Once the application is complete, a final official transcript should be mailed directly to the Graduate School in a sealed envelope. - Graduate Transcripts - If applicable, front and back scans of official transcripts are required. Once the application is complete, a final official graduate transcript should be mailed directly to the Mechanical Engineering Department in a sealed envelope. - Letters of Reference - Three letters of reference are required. On-line references are preferred; however, if the online reference form is not used, references should be mailed in sealed envelopes directly to the Mechanical Engineering Department. - GRE/TOEFL Scores - Self reported scores can be used for the evaluation process until official scores arrive to the Graduate School from the Educational Testing Service. GRE scores should be less than two years old. Please see the Graduate School website for information on how to report scores to Virginia Tech.

After filling out the online application, hard copy references should be sent in one large envelope to:

Nuclear Engineering Program Department of Mechanical Engineering, MC 0238 Graduate Coordinator 100A Randolph Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061

Online Supplemental Materials

- Resume - 1 page preferred - Statement of Purpose - 2 pages, maximum - Publications - if applicable

Additional Application Notes

Please do not send e-mails requesting advice on your chances of acceptance, as we do not have the staff to review these requests. Out of professional courtesy to other universities, we do not accept mid-program transfers without a letter of release from the current advisor and or department head. You will be able to view the status of your application on the Banner website. For your protection, information on application status cannot be release by telephone or to third parties. The ME Department and the NEP can only recommend admission. Official notification from the Graduate School will be sent by postal mail. Estimated date for decisions to be posted for applicants in the US is March 15th for complete applications received by January 15th. Estimated date for decisions to be posted for applicants outside the US is May 15th for complete applications received by January 15th. Please be aware that the online status only indicates if the application is complete at the VT Graduate School, not necessarily with the Department or Program.

This list of frequently asked questions may prove useful.

Basic particle transport concepts. Random processes, random number generation techniques, fundamental formulation of Monte Carlo, sampling procedures, and fundamentals of probability and statistics. Monte Carlo algorithms for particle transport, non-analog Monte Carlo method

Nuclear Reactor Analysis

Nuclear reactions and fission process. The fission chain reaction. Neutron diffusion and moderation. One-speed diffusion model of a nuclear reactor. Neutron slowing and multigroup diffusion theory. Nuclear reactor kinetics. Introduction to reactor core physics design.

Monte Carlo Methods for Particle Transport

fall, summer *

Basic particle transport concepts. Random processes, random number generation techniques, fundamental formulation of Monte Carlo, sampling procedures, and fundamentals of probability and statistics. Monte Carlo algorithms for particle transport, non-analog Monte Carlo method, formulations for different variance reduction techniques, and tallying procedures. Methodologies for parallelization and vectorization of the Monte Carlo methods, and examples of the Monte Carlo method for simulation of various real-life applications.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Uranium nuclear fuel cycle: mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel manufacturing, in-core fuel management and refueling, spent fuel storage, reprocessing/recycling and final disposition as waste in a geologic repository. Introduction to nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation as applied to each step of the cycle.

Advanced Nuclear Materials

Materials for nuclear applications with emphasis on fission reactors. Fundamental radiation effects on materials; material properties relevant to structural, moderator, reflector, blanket, coolant, control related structural systems. Pre-requisite: Graduate Standing required

Reactor Thermal Hydraulics

Fundamental processes of hear generation and transport in nuclear reactors. Heat generation by fission and radiation interactions; spatial distribution of heat generation; heat transport by conduction and convection. Effects of boiling and critical heat flux. Fundamentals of reactor thermal and hydraulic design.

Radiation Detection & Shielding

Radioactive decay, interaction of charged particles and photons with matter, methods of radiation detection and radiation dosimetry, counting statistics, external radiation protection using time, distance and shielding.

Particle Transport Theory Methods and Application

spring, summer *

Neutron transport theory. Neutron slowing down and resonance absorption. Neutron thermalization. Perturbation and variational methods. Homogenization theory. Space-time neutron kinetics.

Nuclear Reactor Safety

Hazards of nuclear reactors; analysis of hypothetical design basis accidents; engineered safeguards and safety design principles; nuclear criticality safety; reactor containment; reactor safety codes; and probabilistic risk assessment.

Nuclear Engineering Fundamentals

A foundation course in nuclear engineering. Neutron physics, reactor theory and kinetics, basic reactor design and operation, and overall power plant operation. Pre-requisite: Graduate Standing required.

Nuclear Plant Systems & Ops

Pressurized and boiling water reactors, detailed system functions and operation, reactor plant startup and shutdown procedures, reactor trip and casualty procedures, reactor transient response analysis, reactor plant licensing, ethics and integrity in the nuclear industry.

Nuclear Nonproliferation, Safeguards, and Security

Technical essentials, policy analysis, theoretical perspectives of nuclear energy and nuclear nonproliferation. Fundamentals of the nuclear fuel cycle, management of international safeguards, threat of nuclear terrorism, and challenges for global nuclear industry.

Radiation Effects on Metals and Alloys

Radiation effects on metals and alloys. Interaction between particles and atoms, radiation damage, displacement of atoms, diffusion of point defects, radiation-induced segregation, phase instability, transmutation products, irradiated material mechanical properties.

Advanced Reactor Physics

This course discusses different advanced concepts including neutron spectra, multigroup cross-sections and resonance treatment and related issues, fuel depletion, theory of SCALE6 code system and its limitations, fuel-cell homogenization and issues, method of characteristics and fuel cell homogenization, application of perturbation theory and variational methods, finite-difference and nodal diffusion methods, advanced methods and parallel computing.

*check with the instructor for availability

More Information

Contact: Ms. Allison Jones (Program Coordinator) [email protected] , or Prof. Alireza Haghighat (Program Director) [email protected]

Do you want to apply? Fill-out the on-line application.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

DEGREE Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, PhD

Doctoral degree in nuclear engineering

As a PhD student in nuclear engineering and engineering physics, you’ll gain deeper experience studying the interaction of radiation with matter. With a strong emphasis on engineering and applied science, you’ll be able to focus on any of several areas, including researching, designing, developing and deploying fission reactors; fusion engineering; plasma physics; radiation damage to materials; applied superconductivity and cryogenics; and large-scale computing in engineering science.

At a glance

Nuclear engineering and engineering physics department, learn more about what information you need to apply., how to apply.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

GRE scores are optional. Applicants may submit GRE scores, but are not required to do so. Applications without scores are not placed at a disadvantage.  However, received scores will be considered as part of our holistic evaluation of applications.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS and PROCESS

Degree: For admission to graduate study in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, or physical science, and an undergraduate record that indicates an ability to successfully pursue graduate study. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. All applicants must satisfy requirements that are set forth by the  Graduate School . 

It is highly recommended that students take courses that cover the same material as these UW-Madison courses before entering the program:

Course and Semester Credits                                                       Typical Courses

Differential equations, 3 cr                                                           MATH 319 or  MATH 320  

Advanced mathematics, 3 cr                                                       MATH 321

Nuclear physics, 3 cr                                                                     N E 305

Materials science, metallurgy, or solid-state physics, 3 cr        M S & E 350 or M S & E 351

Heat transfer or fluid mechanics, 3 cr                                        CBE 320

Mechanics, 3 cr                                                                            PHYSICS 311 or E M A 202

Descriptions of course content can be accessed through The Guide . Students may enter without having taken these courses. However, in such cases the students must inform their advisors, who will help them plan courses of study that will provide adequate background for our department’s graduate curriculum. Provisions for admission on probation, or as an applicant for more than one master’s degree (e.g., simultaneous MS degrees in two departments) are given in the Graduate School website . 

GPA: The Graduate School requires a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 basis on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours from the most recent bachelor’s degree. In special cases, students with grade point averages lower than 3.0 who meet all the general requirements of the Graduate School may be considered for admission on probation.

GRE: GRE scores are optional. Applicants may submit GRE scores, but are not required to do so. Applications without scores are not placed at a disadvantage.  However, received scores will be considered as part of our holistic evaluation of applications.

PhD advisor selection process: PhD applicants are encouraged to identify potential faculty advisors and seek a confirmation. Please review the department  Research and People websites and contact those whose research interests align with yours. Only faculty members listed with the titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, can serve as graduate advisors. Do not contact Emeritus faculty, Lecturers, Research Scientists, or Faculty Associates. You are also encouraged to inquire about possible funding opportunities. If a faculty member agrees to be your advisor, ask the person to email an acknowledgment to [email protected] .

Each application must include the following:

• Graduate School Application
• Academic transcripts
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE Scores (optional – see below for additional information)
• English Proficiency Score (if required)
• Application Fee

To apply to the NEEP program, complete  applications , including supportive materials, must be submitted as described below and received by the following deadline dates:

• Fall Semester—December 15 
• Spring Semester—September 1 
• Summer Session—December 15 

ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPT

Within the online application, upload the undergraduate transcript(s) and, if applicable, the previous graduate transcript. Unofficial copies of transcripts will be accepted for review, but official copies are required for admitted students. Please do not send transcripts or any other application materials to the Graduate School or the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics department unless requested. Please review the requirements set by the  Graduate School  for additional information about degrees/transcripts.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

In this document, applicants should explain why they want to pursue further education in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics and discuss which UW faculty members they would be interested in doing research with during their graduate study (see the Graduate School for  more advice on how to structure a personal statement ).

Upload your resume in your application.

THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

These letters are required from people who can accurately judge the applicant’s academic and/or research performance. It is highly recommended these letters be from faculty familiar with the applicant. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically to graduate programs through the online application. See the  Graduate School for FAQs  regarding letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are due by the deadline listed above. 

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY SCORE 

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. The UW-Madison Graduate School accepts TOEFL or IETLS scores. Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

For more information regarding minimum score requirements and exemption policy, please see the Graduate School Requirements for Admission .

APPLICATION FEE

Application submission must be accompanied by the one-time application fee. It is non-refundable and can be paid by credit card (MasterCard or Visa) or debit/ATM. Additional information about the application fee may be found here (scroll to the ‘Frequently asked questions).

Fee grants are available through the conditions  outlined here by the Graduate School .

If you have questions, please contact  [email protected] .

RE-ENTRY ADMISSIONS

If you were previously enrolled as a graduate student in the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics program, have not earned your degree, but have had a break in enrollment for a minimum of a fall or spring term, you will need to re-apply to resume your studies. Please review the Graduate School requirements for previously enrolled students . Your previous faculty advisor (or another NEEP faculty advisor) must be willing to supply advising support and should e-mail the NEEP Graduate Student Services Coordinator regarding next steps in the process.

If you were previously enrolled in a UW-Madison graduate degree, completed that degree, have had a break in enrollment since earning the degree and would now like to apply for another UW-Madison program; you are required to submit a new student application through the UW-Madison Graduate School online application. For NEEP graduate programs, you must follow the entire application process as described above.

CURRENTLY ENROLLED GRADUATE STUDENT ADMISSIONS

Students currently enrolled as a graduate student at UW-Madison, whether in NEEP or a non-NEEP graduate program, wishing to apply to this degree program should contact the NEEP Graduate Admissions Team to inquire about the process and deadlines several months in advance of the anticipated enrollment term. Current students may apply to change or add programs for any term (fall, spring, or summer).

Tuition and funding

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

View tuition rates

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Offers of financial support from the Department, College, and University are in the form of research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), project assistantships (PAs), and partial or full fellowships. Prospective PhD students that receive such offers will have a minimum five-year guarantee of support. The funding for RAs comes from faculty research grants. Each professor decides on his or her own RA offers. International applicants must secure an RA, TA, PA, fellowship, or independent funding before admission is final. Funded students are expected to maintain full-time enrollment.  See the program website for additional information.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES FUNDING AND SCHOLARSHIPS

For information on International Student Funding and Scholarships visit the ISS  website .

In the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics, we strive to design and deploy unique world-class experimental and computational capabilities to translate novel discoveries into transformative technologies. Having a broad range of laboratory facilities and collaborative centers at the right scale for energy and mechanics research is a hallmark of the department. The technologies we develop can solve challenges in energy, health, space, security and many other areas.

View our research

Curricular Requirements

Minimum graduate school requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum  academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Required Courses

Students must fulfill the coursework requirements for the nuclear engineering and engineering physics M.S. degree whether receiving the M.S. degree or going directly to the PhD. They must complete an additional 9 credits of technical coursework at the graduate level, beyond the coursework requirement for the MS. Candidates must take three courses numbered 700 or above; must satisfy the Ph.D. technical minor requirement; and must satisfy the PhD non-technical minor requirement.

The candidate is also required to complete, as a graduate student, one course numbered 400 or above in each of the following Areas: fission reactors; plasma physics and fusion; materials; engineering mathematics and computation (see Area Coursework Examples below).

M.S. Coursework Requirements

The following courses, or courses with similar material content, must be taken prior to or during the course of study: N E 427 Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory ; N E 428 Nuclear Reactor Laboratory or N E 526 Laboratory Course in Plasmas ; N E 408 Ionizing Radiation or N E/​MED PHYS  569 Health Physics and Biological Effects .

Thesis pathway 1 : maximum of 12 credits for thesis; at least 8 credits of N E courses numbered 400 or above; remaining credits (also numbered 400 or above) must be in appropriate technical areas 2 ; at least 9 credits must be numbered 500 and above; up to 3 credits can be seminar credits.

Non-Thesis pathway 1 : at least 15 credits of N E courses numbered 400 or above; remaining 15 credits (also numbered 400 or above) must be in appropriate technical areas 2 ; at least 12 credits must be at numbered 500 or above; up to 3 credits can be seminar credits.

For both the thesis and non-thesis options, only one course (maximum of 3 credits) of independent study ( N E 699 Advanced Independent Study , N E 999 Advanced Independent Study ) is allowed.

These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.

Appropriate technical areas are: Engineering departments (except Engineering and Professional Development), Physics, Math, Statistics, Computer Science, Medical Physics, and Chemistry. Other courses may be deemed appropriate by a student’s faculty advisor.

Area Coursework Examples

These courses are examples that would meet the requirement and are not meant to be a restricted list of possible courses. The candidate is required to complete one course in each of the following areas:

Non-Technical Minor Requirements

Ph.D. candidates must complete one of the following four study options prior to receiving dissertator status. As this is a formal Department requirement, the student should select a Non-Technical Minor early in the program, and must complete it to achieve dissertator status (see below). The Non-Technical Minor must be planned with the help of the candidate’s advisor and must be approved by the Department NonTechnical Minor Advisor except for Study Option IV which must be approved by the Department faculty. A Non-Technical Minor Approval Form is available from the Graduate Student Coordinator, and must be filed prior to submission of the doctoral plan form. Courses numbered below 400 may be used as a part of the Non-Technical Minor.

Study Option I : Technology-Society Interaction Coursework. This option is intended to increase the student’s awareness of the possible effects of technology on society and of the professional responsibilities of engineers and scientists in understanding such side effects. These effects could, for example, involve the influence of engineering on advancement of human welfare, on the distribution of wealth in society, or on environmental and ecological systems.

Suggested courses for fulfilling Option I include:

Study Option II :  Humanistic Society Studies Coursework. The basic objectives of this option are to help prepare the student to bridge the gap between C.P. Snow’s "Two Cultures." Snow’s 1959 lecture thesis was that the breakdown of communication between the "two cultures" of modern society – the sciences and the humanities – was a major hindrance to solving the world’s problems. Study might be designed to give a greater appreciation of the arts such as the classics, music, or painting, or it might be designed, for example, as preparation for translating technical information to the non-technical public.

Suggested areas of study to fulfill Option II include Anthropology, Area Studies, Art, Art History, Classics, Comparative Literature, Contemporary Trends, English (literature), Foreign Languages (literature), Social Work, Sociology, and Speech. Under either Option I or II, the student must take 6 credits of coursework. The courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and the non-technical minor advisor, and the 6 credits should be concentrated in one topical area. Grades in these courses need not meet the Departmental Grade Policy. However, note that all grades in courses numbered 300 or above courses (including grades for Non-Technical Minor courses) are calculated in the Graduate School minimum 3.0 graduation requirement.

Study Option III : Foreign Culture Coursework. This option is intended for the student who desires to live and work in a foreign nation or work with people of a foreign culture. Examples include studies of the history of a foreign nation, of the political stability of a region of the world, of the culture of a particular group within a nation, or of the spoken language of a foreign nation. For Option III the student must take six credits of courses under all of the same conditions and requirements as for Option I and II unless choosing language study. For the latter case, the student must attain a grade of C or better in all courses. If the student has previous knowledge of a language, it is required that either courses beyond the introductory level will be elected or that another language will be elected.

Study Option IV : Technology-Society Interactions Experience. There are many possible technology-society interactions that might be more educational and meaningful for the student as an actual experience than coursework. For example, the student might run for and be elected to a position of alderperson in the city government. Consequently, this option allows the student to pursue a particular aspect of the interaction using his own time and resources.

Study Option IV activity must be planned with the student’s advisor and be approved by the faculty. The effort required should be equivalent to 6 credits of coursework. Upon completion of this program, the student will prepare a written or oral report.

Note: Students from countries in which English is not the native language have inherently fulfilled these non-technical study goals and are exempt from these formal requirements.

Graduate Student Services [email protected] 3182 Mechanical Engineering 1513 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706

Carl Sovinec, Director of Graduate Studies [email protected]

Explore Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics faculty advisors and research

The Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is home to the Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics (NEEP) graduate program. For an overview of department…

Nuclear engineering and engineering physics news

Q&A with Prof. Steffi Diem, a UW–Madison fusion scientist and 2024 U.S. Science Envoy

Accelerating nuclear materials discovery through AI is key in achieving climate goals

Wisconsin approves new UW-Madison engineering building

Become a badger engineer.

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

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Discover more about postgraduate research

PhD Nuclear Engineering / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page

The standard academic entry requirement for this PhD is an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree in a discipline directly relevant to the PhD (or international equivalent) OR any upper-second class (2:1) honours degree and a Master’s degree at merit in a discipline directly relevant to the PhD (or international equivalent).

Other combinations of qualifications and research or work experience may also be considered. Please contact the admissions team to check.

Full entry requirements

Apply online

In your application you’ll need to include:

• The name of this programme
• Your research project title (i.e. the advertised project name or proposed project name) or area of research
• Your proposed supervisor’s name
• If you already have funding or you wish to be considered for any of the available funding
• A supporting statement (see 'Advice to Applicants' for what to include)
• Details of your previous university level study
• Names and contact details of your two referees.

Programme options

Programme description.

Research in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering covers six broad research themes ; aerospace engineering, innovative manufacturing, modelling and simulation, nuclear engineering, resilient systems, and structures in extreme environments.

Our postgraduate research programmes in Nuclear Engineering offer the opportunity to study in a multi-disciplinary team alongside leading academics in the field. Drawing on our expertise in fuel and reactor technology, nuclear graphite, welding technology and nuclear decommissioning we drive innovative solutions focusing on the pressing need to deliver low carbon, secure and affordable energy.

Your research will be supported by state-of-the-art computational and experimental facilities. We have strong links with industry and excellent employability.

Visit our research projects page to browse our range of currently available projects.  

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Band A £4,786; Band B £7,000; Band C £10,000; Band D £14,500; Band E £24,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Band A £28,000; Band B £30,000; Band C £35,500; Band D £43,000; Band E £57,000
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Band A £2393; Band B £3,500; Band C £5,000; Band D £7,250; Band E 12,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The programme fee will vary depending on the cost of running the project. Fees quoted are fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for Home students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit the postgraduate fees page .

Always contact the Admissions team if you are unsure which fees apply to your project.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards at university, faculty and department level to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers.

To be considered for many of our scholarships, you’ll need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor. Therefore, we’d highly recommend you discuss potential sources of funding with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and make sure you meet nomination deadlines.

For more information about our scholarships, visit our funding page or use our funding database to search for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

Contact details

The School of Engineering creates a world of possibilities for students pursuing skills and understanding. Through dynamic research and teaching we develop engineering solutions that make a difference to society in an ethical and sustainable way.  Science-based engineering is at the heart of what we do, and through collaboration we support the engineers and scientists of tomorrow to become technically strong, analytically innovative and creative. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

• Nuclear Engineering

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

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Department of Nuclear Engineering & Industrial Management

Idaho falls.

Nuclear Engineering & Industrial Management

1776 Science Center Drive, Suite 306 Idaho Falls, ID 83402

Phone: 208-757-5450

Fax: 208-757-5494

Email: [email protected]

Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering

Career information is not specific to degree level. Some career options may require an advanced degree.

Current Job Openings and Salary Range

in ID, WA, OR, MT and HI

Entry-Level

Senior-Level

• Career Options
• Biomass Power Plant Manager
• Architectural and Engineering Manager
• Electrical Engineer
• Nuclear Engineer
• Engineering Teacher, Postsecondary

Regional Employment Trends

Employment trends and projected job growth in ID, WA, OR, MT & HI

*Job data is collected from national, state and private sources. For more information, visit EMSI's data sources page .

• Degree Prep

View the Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering prerequisites, deadlines and contact information on the U of I Admissions website .

• Degree Roadmap
• The Doctor of Philosophy degree is an advanced research-based degree. The results of the research done are summarized in a publishable doctoral dissertation.
• Depending on your interests, your academic adviser and graduate committee will help you develop a focused plan of study for the Ph.D. Nuclear Engineering degree.
• The program requires a minimum of 78 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and normally takes 3 to 5 years to complete.

View Nuclear Engineering Graduate Handbook (PDF)

View current Nuclear Engineering courses Catalogs are released each year with up-to-date course listings. Students reference the catalog released during their first year of enrollment. For catalog related questions, email [email protected] or call 208-885-6731.

• Degree Requirements
• Nuclear graduate requirements
• College of Graduate Studies requirements
• Students are required to write a dissertation and give a final dissertation defense at the end of their degree program.
• Professional Licensing

Completion of the program will count towards eligibility for the Professional Engineer's License (PE) to practice Engineering , which requires a four-year degree from an ABET-accredited school, four years of experience under a PE, and passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles of Practice in Engineering (PE) Exams.

For questions relating to Nuclear Engineering degrees, please contact Richard Christensen, Director, U of I Nuclear Engineering Program at 208-533-8102 or email [email protected] .

• Funding Opportunities

The University of Idaho is awarded more than $100 million in annual grants, contracts and research appropriations.

• Idaho National Laboratory Graduate Fellowship Program – Recipients of this competitive fellowship receive full tuition and fees by U of I during their first three years of graduate school. INL covers tuition, fees, and a $60,000 annual salary during the final two years of their doctoral research, to be conducted at INL.
• National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellowship Program – These year-long salaried assignments offer hands-on experience in nuclear security and nonproliferation. Administered by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and open to all engineering disciplines.
• NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) – $25,000 fellowship programs that contribute to NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery. Open to full-time graduate and doctoral students.
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP ) – For outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees.
• National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship – Three-year fellowship with full coverage of tuition and all mandatory fees, including a monthly stipend and up to $1,000 a year in medical insurance.
• DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE Professional) Programs – RISE Professional offers summer research internships in Germany to Master’s and Ph.D. students at companies and non-university research institutions with strong relations to industry.
• Faculty provide funding through a variety of external agencies and industry partners. Contact our faculty   to learn more about these funding opportunities.

For more funding options, visit the College of Graduate Studies’ funding website .

• Clubs & Organizations

Our college offers 20+ clubs and organizations tied to international and national engineering organizations, including national competition teams.

Learn about clubs related to your major:

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (ASABE)
• American Nuclear Society (ANS)
• Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA)
• Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC)
• National Organization for Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCCHE)
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• Job Openings and Salary Range
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Advanced Nuclear Studies

Earn your doctorate in a program that provides the advanced technical education and quality research experiences you need to work in pollution-free energy. You may specialize in nuclear fuel processing, materials, radioactive waste treatment and management, thermal behavior and measurement, nuclear systems design and modeling or applications of nuclear process heat.

Availability

• Work with leading researchers  at the  Idaho National Laboratory (INL)  and through  CAES , a world-class, collaborative education and research environment where advanced, driven engineering students learn from each other, participate in research and other projects and receive guidance from industry professionals as they seek to solve regional energy challenges that can have an impact on a national level.
• No. 1 Best Value Public University in the West – ranked for the third year in a row by U.S. News and World Report . We’re also the only public university in Idaho to be ranked best value by Forbes , Money , and The Princeton Review .
• Highest Salary Earnings for early- and mid-career undergraduate degree recipients than any other public university in Idaho – Payscale
• Personalized Attention from nationally and internationally recognized faculty and staff through 1-on-1 interaction, mentorship, advising and research collaboration. All faculty  hold Ph.D.s in their field.

Feature: Expanding Research for Nuclear Energy

Read About Nuclear Engineering

Meet the Faculty

Nuclear Engineering

Wisconsin Energy Institute

M.s. and ph.d. in nuclear engineering.

Graduate students in Nuclear Engineering may focus their studies on nuclear fission energy for electricity production or fusion science and technology. In the area of fission reactors, UW-Madison has strong programs in reactor safety, thermohydraulics, nuclear materials, neutronics, and the nuclear fuel cycle. In the area of fusion science and technology, UW-Madison has world-class programs in computational, theoretical and experimental plasma physics; imploding fusion targets​; and fusion technology.

Program Website

Nuclear Energy - GREEN CDT

Empowering tomorrow's nuclear leaders

Discover the exciting world of nuclear science and engineering.

EPSRC CDT in Nuclear Energy - GREEN

Our four-year PhD programme in GREEN (Growing skills for Reliable Economic Energy from Nuclear) within our Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) takes place among the next generation of nuclear experts. It proudly stands as a consortium of five leading universities: Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield.

The final cohort for this programme has been recruited, explore our new SATURN CDT for exciting opportunities. We are open to industry partnerships and school engagements.

Explore the CDT

CDT’s programme

Learn about our programme and why this is an exciting time to work in the field.

Our research

Our programme offers a range of nuclear related projects across all five of our partner institutions.

Connect with us

We want our students to tackle society's challenges by sharing knowledge with the public and industry.

Recruiting programmes

Contact our Doctoral Centre

Discover the CDT's staff

Get in touch

Nuclear Engineering (Ph.D.)

Focus: concentrating on advanced research in areas such as nuclear power engineering, radiological engineering, and medical physics.

Imperial College London Imperial College London

Latest news.

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'Living paint’ startup wins Imperial’s top entrepreneurship prize

Imperial wins University Challenge for historic fifth time

EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures: A postgraduate training consortium comprising Bangor University, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and The Open University.  > View our current PhD research opportunities >> View our current PhD research opportunities < <

NEF home links

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures combines innovative research and teaching, guidance from academic and industry experts and a supportive environment to help you make a better energy future.

> Our cause and community" href="http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nuclear-cdt/our-cause-and-community/">>> Our cause and community

Our study programme

Four-year fully-funded PhDs with bursaries are available at one of our partner institutions: begin your research straightaway while benefiting from exciting modules in nuclear energy, cohort-building activities and professional development opportunities.

> Our programme " href="http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nuclear-cdt/programme/">>> Our programme

> Apply" href="http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nuclear-cdt/apply/">>> Apply

Centre for Nuclear Engineering Imperial College London  Royal School of Mines  London, SW7 2AZ Enquiries to: Dr Jonathan Tate , Project Manager +44 (0)207 594 6802

> Contact us link opens in a new window" href="http://www.imperial.ac.uk/nuclear-cdt/contact-us/" target="_blank">>> Contact us

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Nuclear engineering (ph.d., meng, m.s., minor).

The School of Nuclear Science and Engineering offers graduate work leading toward the Master of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Nuclear Engineering.

The nuclear engineering graduate degree is designed to prepare students for careers involved with the many beneficial applications of nuclear energy, radiation, and radioactive materials. Nuclear engineering professions are essential to society’s well-being since they enable significant public benefits through energy security, national defense, medical health, and industrial competitiveness.

Competitive fellowships and research and teaching assistantships are available to incoming graduate students. The U.S. Department of Energy and National Academy for Nuclear Training support a number of fellowship programs each year. We are one of eight participating universities in the U.S. where students may attend graduate school on the Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics, and Applied Health Physics fellowships sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Each year the National Academy for Nuclear Training also supports fellowships for students entering Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics at OSU.

World-class facilities are available for the instructional and research programs of the department. These are housed in the OSU Radiation Center and include a TRIGA Mark II nuclear reactor, the Advanced Thermal Hydraulic Research Laboratory, the APEX nuclear safety scaled testing facility, and laboratories specially designed to accommodate radiation and the use of radioactive materials.

  Nuclear Engineering Website

  College of Engineering

  Graduate Student Handbook

 Corvallis

Primary Contact

Admissions requirements, required tests.

GRE scores are optional.

English Language Requirements ?

English language requirements for international applicants to this program are the same as the standard Graduate School requirements .

Additional Requirements

Additional supplemental information is requested.

Paper applications will not be accepted.

Application requirements, including required documents, letters, and forms, vary by program and may not be completely represented here. The processing of your application will not be completed until these requirements have been met. Please, before applying to this program, always contact the program office to confirm application requirements.

Application Process

Please review the graduate school application process and Apply Online .

Dates & Deadlines ?

Admissions deadline for optimal consideration, admissions deadline for all applicants, funding deadline for all applicants, concentrations , mais participation.

This program is not offered as a MAIS field of study.

AMP Participation ?

This program participates in the Accelerated Masters Platform (AMP)

AMP Contact

Contact info.

Graduate School Heckart Lodge 2900 SW Jefferson Way Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-1102

Phone: 541-737-4881 Fax: 541-737-3313

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Eli Sanchez: Modeling the threat of nuclear war

Ericmoore jossou: optimizing nuclear fuels for next-generation reactors, guoqing wang: exploring quantum phenomena through an engineering perspective, jill rahon: soaring high in the army — and in research, masashi hirose: democratizing access to quantum, isabel naranjo de candido: optimizing construction and operation of nuclear energy facilities, with inspiration from “tetris,” mit researchers develop a better radiation detector, propelling atomically layered magnets toward green computers, nse researchers discover “neutronic molecules”, a first-ever complete map for elastic strain engineering.

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Department of Nuclear Science & Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 24-107 ( map ) Cambridge, MA 02139 [email protected]

Funding accelerates R&D and supports workforce development in essential STEM fields

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced more than $19.1 million to support nuclear energy research and development, university nuclear infrastructure, and undergraduate and graduate education. Projects will help expand access to nuclear energy, moving the nation closer to meeting the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. 

"U.S. universities and colleges are critical incubators of groundbreaking ideas that can move us toward a clean energy future,” said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff . "These awards invest in the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers who will continue to advance nuclear energy as a solution to tackling the climate crisis."

Since 2009, DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy has awarded almost $1 billion to advance nuclear energy research and support the education and training of future nuclear energy visionaries and leaders. Awards being announced today include: 

Distinguished Early Career Program ($2.5 million) - Invests in the innovative research and education programs of four outstanding early career university faculty poised to pave new lines of inquiry and advance mission critical research directions in nuclear energy.

University Nuclear Leadership Program ($6.6 million) - Provides scholarships and graduate fellowships to students pursuing nuclear engineering and other degree programs relevant to nuclear energy. The awards include 93 scholarships and 34 fellowships for students at 42 U.S. trade schools, colleges and universities. 

The Innovations in Nuclear Energy Research Development Student Competition ($34,500) - Recognizes 11 graduate and undergraduate students for their innovative nuclear energy research publications. 

Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) Phase II Research and Development ($4.7 Million) - Six awards enable established teams to extend and build upon previously funded nuclear energy research and development projects.

Scientific Infrastructure Support for CINR ($5.2 Million) - 18 awards will assist universities with acquiring the best resources and equipment available to educate the next generation of nuclear energy leaders.   

To learn more about these awards, visit the Nuclear Energy University Program website. CINR R&D awards will be announced later this spring. 

Media Inquiries: (202)-586-4940 | [email protected]

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MPhil in Nuclear Energy

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The MPhil programme in Nuclear Energy, offered by the Department of Engineering in collaboration with the Cambridge Nuclear Energy Centre is a one-year full-time nuclear technology master's programme for engineers and scientists who wish to make a difference to the problems of climate change and energy security by developing nuclear power generation.

This programme was created in response to the emerging nuclear renaissance in the UK and around the world. In order to realise significant nuclear ambitions, a growing workforce of nuclear-skilled people is required. As well as a thorough education in technical aspects of nuclear energy, the course includes a grounding in the wider policy environment in which nuclear energy sits. It is also a highly flexible course, so that students may tailor the degree to suit their backgrounds, needs and preferences. Some students choose to focus entirely on engineering, while others choose options with greater weight on policy, economics, management or finance. This flexibility reflects the wide and varied needs of the nuclear industry.

The course is designed to cater not only to students wishing to enter the nuclear and energy industries, but also to those considering career paths in areas such as nuclear proliferation prevention, radiological protection, nuclear governance, nuclear medicine and health physics. While the prime focus of the course is to equip students for roles in industry, there is also a substantial research element in the course which would prepare students for a PhD programme.

Learning Outcomes

The course will equip its graduates with a wide range of skills and knowledge, enabling them to fully engage in the nuclear sector.

Graduates will have developed a knowledge and understanding of nuclear technology. They will have received a thorough technical grounding in nuclear power generation, beginning with fundamental concepts and extending to a range of specialist topics. They will also be equipped with an appreciation of the wider social, political and environmental contexts of electricity generation in the 21st century, with a firm grounding in considering issues such as climate change, energy policy and public acceptability.

The programme will cultivate intellectual skills allowing graduates to engage with the technical, business and policy issues that the development and deployment of nuclear energy poses. These include skills in the modelling, simulation and experimental evaluation of nuclear energy systems; critically evaluating and finding alternative solutions to technical problems; applying professional engineering judgment to balance technological, environmental, ethical, economic and public policy considerations; understanding business practice in the areas of technology management, transfer and exploitation.

The programme will also develop transferable skills enabling graduates to work and progress in teams within and across the nuclear sector, including the management of time and information, the preparation of formal reports in a variety of styles, the deployment of critical reasoning and independent thinking.

Finally, graduates will gain research experience, having planned, executed, and evaluated an original investigative piece of work through a major dissertation.

Students will be able to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and understanding, skills and other attributes as follows: 

Knowledge and understanding

• Fundamental concepts and trends in nuclear energy power generation.
• Understand the underlying technology background to nuclear energy power generation systems including reactor technology, the interaction of radiation with matter, nuclear safety and the nuclear fuel cycle.
• Understand the framework and wider issues relating to nuclear energy power generation (including issues such as climate change, energy policy, public acceptability).
• A broad knowledge of nuclear systems in the areas of e.g. reactor technology, waste and decommissioning, materials, safety assessment, technology policy etc.
• Familiarity with a range of specialist topics, e.g. radiation detection and protection, nuclear safety, radioactive waste management, the nuclear fuel cycle and proliferation, and future nuclear energy systems. 
• Good research practice based on university research programmes and the ability to report research outcomes in an appropriate way for the intended audience.
• Understanding business practice and tools in the areas of technology management, technology transfer and exploitation with particular emphasis on the nuclear power industry.

Intellectual skills

• Be able to apply generic skills in modelling, simulating and experimentally evaluating nuclear energy systems.
• Be capable of critically evaluating technical problems and examining alternative approaches and technologies to solve them.
• Take an holistic approach in solving problems and designing systems by applying professional engineering judgment to balance technological, environmental, ethical, economic and public policy considerations.
• Be able to act as a change-agent within an organisation, manage change effectively and respond to changing demands.
• Be able to deal with complex research issues both systematically and creatively, make informed judgements in the absence of complete data and in unpredictable situations.
• Be able to understand commercial exploitation routes for nuclear energy based technologies and evaluate options for technology transfer and/or implementation.
• Plan, execute and critically evaluate an original and individual investigative piece of work through a major dissertation.

Transferable skills

• Prepare formal reports in a range of styles (e.g. journal paper, conference paper, oral and poster presentations, literature review, an extended project report).
• Reason critically, think creatively and demonstrate and exercise independence of mind and thought and communicate ideas.
• Manage time and work to deadlines, work effectively both independently and in groups, and assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others.
• Ability to find information and learn effectively for the purpose of continuing professional development and in a wider context throughout their career.

Students wishing to apply for continuation to the PhD would normally be expected to attain an overall mark of 70%.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

11 months full-time, study mode : taught, master of philosophy, department of engineering, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

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