Nuclear technology plays a crucial role in a wide variety of contexts and sectors in Belgium, including power production, waste management, nuclear fuel production, etc. The Belgian Nuclear Higher Education Network (BNEN) combines the expertise in nuclear education and research of six major Belgian universities (KU Leuven, UGent, VUB, UCL, ULG and ULB) with the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN.
Nuclear technology plays a crucial role in a wide variety of contexts and sectors in Belgium, including:
The Belgium Nuclear Higher Education Network combines the expertise in nuclear education and research of six major Belgian universities (KU Leuven, UGent, VUB, UCL, ULG and ULB) with the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre.
The current programme can be divided into three core blocks:
The collaboration with SCK*CEN makes it possible to include actual use of facilities in the curriculum, supporting the development of skills and competences in a research environment. All subjects are taught by academics appointed by the partner universities, whereas the practical exercises and laboratory sessions are supervised by the experts of SCK*CEN. The Master’s thesis offers an opportunity for internship in industry or in a research laboratory.
All teaching activities take place on the premises of SCK*CEN. Courses are organised in English and in a modular way; teaching in blocks of one to three weeks for each module allows optimal time management for students and lecturers, facilitates registration for individual modules, and allows easy exchange with international students.
BNEN has served as a role model for the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN) which now has become an association of over 60 members (universities, industry, regulators, research centres), aiming at facilitating mobility in Europe for students in nuclear engineering.
One particular aspect of the BNEN degree is that it automatically leads to the recognition as Class I Expert by the Federal Agency of Nuclear Control. In order to receive this accreditation the programme must at least offer 24 credits in Nuclear Safety and 12 credits in Radioprotection.
The Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering programme is an internationally oriented, interuniversity programme organised by BNEN in close collaboration with nuclear research centres and industry. The aim of the BNEN programme is to provide students with all the skills and scientific and technical background necessary to carry out duties at a high level of responsibility in order to ensure the safe and economical operation of nuclear power plants, the regulation and control of nuclear installations or to design new nuclear systems.
A major strength of the BNEN programme, as to its sustainability, is that it allows providing high quality academic education by experts from (or appointed by) the main Belgian universities at low individual cost and thus very efficiently harmonised/rationalised. In addition, the participation of the nuclear research centre SCK*CEN in the consortium provides superb realistic experimental facilities in a difficult (radioactive) environment at low cost for the universities.
A further fundamental strength of the programme can be found in the fact that a well-balanced curriculum is offered where the contents and format have been discussed at length with representatives of the major nuclear companies that are the first potential employers of the graduates. Objectives and programme outcomes were defined that encompass in depth disciplinary specific competences as well as, but in a less pronounced way, transferable skills and competences that are needed for an efficient integration of a graduate in a larger engineering team. There is a nearly complete overlap between objectives and realised competences in courses, electives, exercises and Master’s thesis. This can be ascribed to the following contributing factors:
Graduates possess the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out duties at a high level of responsibility in:
In addition, the degree itself is an important part of the legal qualifications necessary to become a safety professional in a major nuclear installation.
The Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering allows students to acquire a deep degree of knowledge in nuclear energy’s theory and practical fundamentals as well as in the technology that is associated to the production of energy by means of nuclear fission’s mass production.
The Master benefits itself from the existing collaboration with ENDESA and with the -CSN- (Nuclear Security Council). Furthermore, other institutions that are involved in the sector’s research ambit also participate in the Master, both in the educational ambit and in reception of students that are willing to carry out internships. An example of these institutions would be the CIEMAT and Spanish companies such as ENUSA, TECNATOM, ENSA, Initec-Westinghouse and ENRESA, amongst others.
The master is addressed to people with scientific-technological university studies in the following sectors:
This master degree is a combination of theory and practical activities (lecturing classes, autonomous study, resolution of exercises, use of calculus codes and practical sessions in laboratories) with guided visits to several nuclear installations.
An important part of the students’ learning process will come from the resolution of a series of synthesis exercises or transversal projects, by means of PBL activities: Every quarter there will be one subject that will be dedicated to the realization of a project, case or problem, with a transversal character, and with the coordinated participation of the teachers from the different subjects that will be involved.
During the last quarter, the student will carry out a compulsory internship in a company from this sector or in a research and development center. Through the before mentioned quarter, students will also carry out their End of Master Project, preferably with a topic that is related to their internship period.
In Europe, nuclear engineering graduates are in high demand, and not just because of the need to replace those who retire from employment at European nuclear power plants. Economic globalization and the growing presence of European companies in a variety of projects have contributed considerably to the need for qualified staff within the sector. The increased demand for qualified staff that is foreseen is a cause for concern not only for Spanish companies but also for the Nuclear Safety Council, the Spanish regulatory body.
This master’s degree focuses on preparing students for positions of responsibility within the nuclear power sector and producing qualified graduates for employment in research and development, and even teaching, in this field.
Generic competencies
Generic competencies are the skills that graduates acquire regardless of the specific course or field of study. The generic competencies established by the UPC are capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social commitment, knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English), teamwork and proper use of information resources.
Specific competencies
On completion of the course, students will:
This course has been developed in consultation with the nuclear engineering industry to provide advanced theoretical and practical knowledge to work with modern control and instrumentation technologies. This course offers an opportunity not only to specialise in nuclear engineering control, instrumentation and standards for operation and maintenance but also provides sufficient scope for students wishing to develop advanced skills in modern automation and in working with large industrial networks.
You may build valuable skills through a selection of option units and a project to gain advanced knowledge in sustainable energy systems and smart technologies for power system applications or in specialising in embedded systems as well as in applied digital signal processing for industrial applications. The course will also offer opportunities for those interested in combining engineering skills with management practice.
You will learn advanced concepts in the principles and operation of instrumentation for control, including control system architectures, communications, open systems security, hazard analysis, system reliability, safety and protection.
The course enables the appreciation of the practical aspects of control design and maintenance and offers hands-on experience in designing and developing solutions for control problem-solving using the IEC61131-3 standard. The course covers specialist and intelligent sensor systems, PLC-based control, Profibus and Profinet.
Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
-Research in the School of Engineering was rated 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework (REF).
-Many of our academic staff who teach worked in their industry sector and have well-established links and contacts, ensuring that our curriculum is relevant for future employment.
-Engineering facilities are excellent with a dedicated £4m heavy engineering workshop for research and teaching in surface engineering, materials and dynamics, and state-of-the-art kit including rapid prototyping machines and water jet cutters
Our engineering Masters programmes are designed to meet the needs of an industry which looks to employ postgraduates who can learn independently and apply critical thinking to real-world problems. Many of the staff who teach in the School also have experience of working in industry and have well-established links and contacts in their industry sector, ensuring your education and training is relevant to future employment.
Assessment is though a combination of written reports, oral presentations, practical assignments and written examinations.
You can study this programme either full time on campus, part time, or online to fit flexibly around work commitments.
Whilst Safety and Reliability Engineering allows you to apply your skills and knowledge to a wider range of industries, this programme is specifically for the oil and gas industry. It provides you with the knowledge to review reliability of engineering facilities, materials and products and legislative framework at the same time. Safety has always been of paramount concern in the oil and gas industry with a lot of learning and knowledge acquired since the oil industry growth of the 1970s. This knowledge has been scrutinised by University of Aberdeen and the industry to provide professional expertise to manage safety and reliability. Future challenges are being met to some extent by the advent of affordable sensors which manage difficult to reach places, but nonetheless require the knowledge and capabilities of professionals working in this discipline to ensure they are fit for purpose.
The MSc Safety Engineering for Oil & Gas programme provides training in safety engineering, reliability engineering, and loss prevention in the offshore, nuclear, transport, aerospace and process industries and more. Fully accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT).
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
There is also on online delivery
There is also an Online delivery of this programme
Find out about international fees:
Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.
Fees for Online delivery
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Other engineering disciplines you may be interested in:
You can study Safety and Reliability Engineering for Oil and Gas flexibly from anywhere in the world as this delivery is online. You can fit this programme around your work and other commitments part time.
Whilst Safety and Reliability Engineering allows you to apply your skills and knowledge to a wider range of industries, this programme is specifically for the oil and gas industry. It provides you with the knowledge to review reliability of engineering facilities, materials and products and legislative framework at the same time. Safety has always been of paramount concern in the oil and gas industry with a lot of learning and knowledge acquired since the oil industry growth of the 1970s. This knowledge has been scrutinised by University of Aberdeen and the industry to provide professional expertise to manage safety and reliability. Future challenges are being met to some extent by the advent of affordable sensors which manage difficult to reach places, but nonetheless require the knowledge and capabilities of professionals working in this discipline to ensure they are fit for purpose.
The MSc Safety Engineering for Oil & Gas programme provides training in safety engineering, reliability engineering, and loss prevention in the offshore, nuclear, transport, aerospace and process industries and more. Fully accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT).
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about international fees:
Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Other engineering disciplines you may be interested in:
The energy industry has historically provided immense rewards and immense challenges in terms of infrastructure development in very challenging environments. Over time there have been many learning points as a result of process which did not address the challenge sufficiently resulting in new standards of safety, assessing risk and managing the challenges presented in mineral extraction. The industry has come a long way since its inception in Aberdeen in the 1970s and globally and University of Aberdeen has acquired this knowledge and research to work with industry and train the next Safety and Reliability Engineers to continuously improve safety. This programme is highly regarded from a well known provider in the industry. You visit industry and receive technical lectures with practical sessions to provide further awareness of the responsibility involved in the energy industry.
The programme is ideal if you are from an engineering, physics or mathematics background but it is also relevant to you if you studied stress analysis and thermodynamics with experience from the industry. The added value of this programme is that you can apply the discipline to other industries such as nuclear, defence, transport, aerospace, manufacturing and process industries, making you more employable and allowing wider scope for career options at graduation.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
or on campus delivery:
*• There is an online programme available from University of Aberdeen
Find out about fees:
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the latest opportunities page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Other engineering disciplines you may be interested in:
This course is for professional engineers who want to specialise in structural engineering or move into this area of expertise to advance their career. Normally students have an undergraduate degree in engineering or a related discipline. Students who don’t have qualifications in civil engineering usually have relevant work experience in civil engineering structures so they are familiar with working within the specific technical domain.
From analysing how carbon nanofibers can reduce the effect of corrosion in concrete to gaining insight from experts developing the new Forth Bridge, this MSc in Civil Engineering Structures has been designed to be broad in scope so you can develop your own area of structural engineering expertise.
As a department, we have broad interests from defining new structural forms to practical application of new materials. We believe civil engineering is a creative and collaborative profession, as much as a technical one. This course gives you the tools to immerse yourself in both the analytical and experimental side of the subject, so you can investigate diverse problems to generate your own structural solutions.
The Civil Engineering Structures MSc mirrors industry practice, so you will work in groups with your peers from the first term onwards and learn from a group of world-leading engineers with diverse research strengths. From earthquake engineering to sustainable construction, you have the opportunity to learn in breadth and depth using high-end industry software to develop safe solutions for real-world projects.
This degree is accredited as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for candidates who have already acquired a partial CEng accredited undergraduate first degree. the JBM website for further information.
There is a large dedicated lab on site equipped with facilities to investigate different structures and construction materials from concrete to timber. You also have access to other workshops where you can liaise with mechanical or electrical engineers to develop innovative scale models. There is access to specialist soil labs and large-scale equipment including wind tunnels.
We have an extensive library housing all the references, journals and codes of practice that you will need during your studies.
You will be taught by the staff team within the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering and also from visiting industry experts from around the world.
Teaching mainly takes the form of lectures, but IT sessions and seminars also form part of the Masters degree. Modules are shared between two ten-week teaching terms running from October to December and January to March. Although work for the MSc dissertation starts during the second term, you will conduct most of the research work during the summer months.
The length of the full-time degree is 12 months. A part-time route is also available where you can spend either two or three years completing the programme. If you follow the two-year part-time study route, you will need to attend lectures for up to two days each week. Alternatively, you can complete the degree over three years by attending a single day each week. The timetable has been designed to offer flexibility for part-time students.
In the first term you will consider core technical topics and be introduced to new concepts such as structural reliability. In the second term you will begin to focus your studies by selecting your dissertation topic and by selecting options getting involved in a specific areas of your own interest. Spread over the year you will have design presentations, class tests and reports.
If you select an experimental dissertation you will have the opportunity to use a range of materials. Skilled technical support is available in the workshop and you have access to recently refurbished facilities, including specialist geotechnical labs which accommodate a large flexible laboratory space used for centrifuge model preparation and testing. Adjacent to this you have concrete mixing and casting facilities, a temperature-controlled soil element testing laboratory and a concrete durability laboratory.
For the theoretical modules, you will be assessed through a combination of examinations and coursework. Examinations are shared between the January and April/May examination periods. For the design-oriented modules you are normally assessed by coursework only, where you will work both in groups and individually on challenging projects.
There are six core modules which give you a strong technical foundation and three elective modules from which you can choose two. These reflect the specialist expertise on offer within the academic team. These modules will give you unique insight into computer analysis of structures for blast and fire, bridge engineering, and earthquake analysis where you may look at techniques for analysing structures and safe design. In the final part of the programme you undertake a dissertation in which you can explore an area of interest from a proposed list of themes, some of which are industry-related.
As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.
Core modules
Elective modules
You will be able to study two of the following elective modules:
Graduates have secured employment with leading civil engineering consultants, research institutes and government agencies and pursued doctoral studies both in the UK and internationally. The cohort of 2015 have moved on to jobs and further study working within the following organisations:
This programme pathway is designed for students with an interest in the engineering aspects of technology that are applied in modern medicine. Students gain an understanding of bioengineering principles and practices that are used in hospitals, industries and research laboratories through lectures, problem-solving sessions, a research project and collaborative work.
Students study in detail the engineering and physics principles that underpin modern medicine, and learn to apply their knowledge to established and emerging technologies in medical imaging and patient monitoring. The programme covers the engineering applications across the diagnosis and measurement of the human body and its physiology, as well as the electronic and computational skills needed to apply this theory in practice.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of seven core modules (105 credits), one optional module (15 credits), and a research project (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is offered.
A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is offered.
Core modules
Optional modules
Students choose one of the following:
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project within the broad area of physics and engineering in medicine which culminates in a written report of 10,000 words, a poster and an oral examination.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, practicals, assignments and a research project. Lecturers are drawn from UCL and from London teaching hospitals including UCLH, St. Bartholomew's, and the Royal Free Hospital. Assessment is through supervised examination, coursework, the dissertation and an oral examination.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Physics and Engineering in Medicine: Biomedical Engineering and Medical Imaging MSc
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Graduates from the Biomedical Engineering and Medical Imaging stream of the MSc programme have obtained employment with a wide range of employers in health care, industry and academia sectors.
Employability
Postgraduate study within the department offers the chance to develop important skills and acquire new knowledge through involvement with a team of scientists or engineers working in a world-leading research group. Graduates complete their study having gained new scientific or engineering skills applied to solving problems at the forefront of human endeavour. Skills associated with project management, effective communication and teamwork are also refined in this high-quality working environment.
The spectrum of medical physics activities undertaken in UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering is probably the broadest of any in the United Kingdom. The department is widely acknowledged as an internationally leading centre of excellence and students receive comprehensive training in the latest methodologies and technologies from leaders in the field.
The department operates alongside the NHS department which provides the medical physics and clinical engineering services for the UCL Hospitals Trust, as well as undertaking industrial contract research and technology transfer.
Students have access to a wide range of workshop, laboratory, teaching and clinical facilities in the department and associated hospitals. A large range of scientific equipment is available for research involving nuclear magnetic resonance, optics, acoustics, X-rays, radiation dosimetry, and implant development, as well as new biomedical engineering facilities at the Royal Free Hospital and Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.
The global challenge of environmental sustainability highlights the need for holistic design and management of complex environmental and technological systems. This interdisciplinary Master's programme presents environmental issues and technologies within a systems engineering context. Graduates will understand interactions between the natural environment, people, processes and technologies to develop sustainable solutions.
Students will develop an understanding of systems engineering and environmental engineering. Environmental engineering is a multidisciplinary branch of engineering concerned with devising, implementing and managing solutions to protect and restore the environment within an overall framework of sustainable development. Systems engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the development and management of large complex systems.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), a collaborative environmental systems project (30 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and an individual environmental systems dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is offered.
Core modules
Optional modules
Options may include the following:
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project addressing a problem of systems research, design or analysis, which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory classes and projects. The individual and group projects in the synthesis element involve interaction with industrial partners, giving students real-life experience and contacts for the future. Assessment is through written examination, coursework, presentations, and group and individual projects.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Environmental Systems Engineering MSc
Career paths for environmental systems engineers are diverse, expanding and challenging, with the pressures of increasing population, desire for improved standards of living and the need to protect the environmental systems. There are local UK and international opportunities in all areas of industry: in government planning and regulation, with regional and municipal authorities, consultants and contracting engineers, research and development organisations, and in education and technology transfer. Example of recent career destinations include Ford, KPMG, EDF Energy, Brookfield Multiplex, and the Thames Tideway Tunnel Project.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
The discipline of environmental systems engineering is growing rapidly with international demand for multi-skilled, solutions-focussed professionals who can take an integrated approach to complex problems.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
The discipline of environmental systems engineering is growing rapidly with an international demand for multi-skilled professionals who can take an integrated approach to solving complex environmental problems (e.g. urban water systems, technologies to minimise industrial pollution). Environmental engineers work closely with a range of other environmental professionals, and the community.
Skills may be used to:
UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering is an energetic and exciting environment in which to explore environmental systems engineering. Students have the advantages of studying in a multi-faculty institution with a long tradition of excellence in teaching and research, situated at the heart of one of the world's greatest cities.
Accreditation
The progamme is accredited by the Joint Boad of Moderators, which is made up of the Institution of Civil Engineers, The Institution of Structural Engineers, the Chartered Institutions of Highways and Transportation, and the Institute of Highway Engineers.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering
60% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
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