Program Overview

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Nuclear Engineering, MS

The Nuclear Engineering, MS program at the University of Tennessee is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in nuclear engineering, preparing them for careers in a variety of industries. The program offers two concentrations: Nuclear Safety and Radiological Engineering.

Program Overview

The program builds an educational foundation for students who want to drive major innovations in the medical field, nuclear energy, and agriculture industry. Students have access to first-rate facilities where they can gain real-world experience in the field. The department partners with prominent industry leaders, such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex, providing research opportunities, networking capabilities, and career advancement post-graduation.

Concentrations

• Nuclear Safety: This concentration covers the fundamentals of nuclear criticality safety, including accidents that could potentially happen and the safety standards in place to prevent them. It also includes qualitative and quantitative techniques to assess and improve process systems for reliability and safety.
• Radiological Engineering: This concentration covers the interactions of ionizing radiation with living cells and the effects of radiation on human health. It also includes a course on radiation protection that covers standards and regulations, as well as the chemical and biological effects of radiation.

Why Study Nuclear Engineering at UT?

The nuclear field is diverse, enabling students to apply their interests in a variety of industries. The program has 27 labs where students can put research into practice, including access to a graphite pile, and offers more than $17 million in research expenditures.

Partner Facilities

Students have access to labs on campus and the opportunity to perform research in facilities with actual nuclear companies. The department works closely with ORNL and Y-12, providing necessary experience and networking opportunities.

Career Opportunities

With a MS in Nuclear Engineering, graduates can work in a variety of areas, including:

• Nuclear reactor design
• Plant operation
• Radioactive waste disposal
• Medical imaging
• Fusion research
• Space nuclear power

These professions can be found in industries such as national laboratories, government agencies, and industrial manufacturers.

Featured Courses

Some of the courses that students in the program can choose to take include:

• NE 421 Introduction to Nuclear Criticality Safety: Fundamentals of nuclear criticality safety, criticality accidents, and safety standards.
• NE 542 Management of Radioactive Materials: Technology for processing, treatment, handling, and storage of radioactive nuclides.
• NE 551 Radiation Protection: Fundamental concepts and definitions used in radiation protection, interactions of photons, neutrons, and heavy charged particles with matter, and mechanisms of energy loss.
• NE 585 Process System Reliability and Safety: Qualitative and quantitative techniques for assessing and improving process systems reliability and safety.

Related Programs

Related graduate programs to nuclear engineering include:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Medical Physics

Admissions and Aid

The university provides information on tuition and cost, financial aid opportunities, and admission requirements to help students make an informed decision about pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering.