Masters Degrees in Atomic Engineering, United Kingdom

Why take this course?

Effective use of renewable energy and improvements in the efficiency of power generation facilities will enable better energy management in the future and help reduce environmental impact. This course responds to an urgent need for specialists in energy and power systems management, as well as a growing skills shortage of people with core knowledge in this field.

The course provides relevant, up-to-date skills that will equip both graduates and working professionals in the advanced concepts of sustainable electrical power and energy generation. It offers skills for operation, control, design, regulation and management of power systems and networks of the future. You will also receive training in and understanding of energy production, delivery, consumption and efficiency.

What will I experience?

On this course you will:

Benefit from experts in the industry who will deliver part of the course as visiting lecturers, bringing professional expertise and industry-relevant material
Be encouraged to reach a level of competence and professionalism where you can effectively integrate your technical and non-technical knowledge to solve a range of problems of a complex nature
Learn in a challenging and stimulating study environment
Develop a range of key skills by means of opportunities provided in the study units
Being an MSc course, you are encouraged and expected to be able to reach a level of competence and professionalism where you can effectively integrate your technical and non-technical knowledge to solve a range of problems of a complex nature.

What opportunities might it lead to?

The course will help to maximise your career potential in this field and equips you to work as an engineer, at an advanced level, in the fields of energy and power systems management.

Module Details

You will study several key topics and complete a four-month individual project in which you apply your knowledge to a significant, in-depth piece of analysis or design. Projects are tailored to your individual interests and may take place in our own laboratories or, by agreement, in industry. Experts from Industry (STS Nuclear) deliver part of the course as visiting lecturers, bringing professional expertise and industry-relevant material to the programme.

Here are the units you will study:

Power Systems Technology: This unit provides an in-depth overview of contemporary electrical power systems. It covers the elements of electrical power systems including generation, transmission and distribution in the mixed energy source paradigm.

Electrical Machines and drives: Provides an in-depth overview of the operational principles and physical design of DC and AC electrical machines as well as broad understanding of concepts of power electronics and power electronic converters, so that you can describe their application and selection criteria. You will develop an understanding of the issues present in converter design, including the impact of physical layout and heat dissipation.

Energy Systems: Focuses on the techniques and principles of operation of thermodynamics and combustion systems, as well as the provision and management of energy. It also focuses on power generation and combined systems, BioMass processers application of heat and fluid transfer.

Renewable and Alternative Energy: Provides an in-depth coverage of the principles of renewable and alternative energy systems: Winds, Solar, BioMass, Geothermal, Fuel Cells, Hydrogen Technologies and Nuclear Energy.

Nuclear Technology: A study of nuclear engineering including the theory of atomic and nuclear physics, methods and benefits of generating electricity from nuclear power plants, and the effects of ionising radiation. The nuclear fuel cycle and the associated environmental impacts are also considered. The development of international guidance on nuclear and radiological safety and a comparison of national regulatory structures are analysed. The importance of safety cultures, safety behaviours and safety cases is a key element throughout this module.

Energy Management: The unit is specifically designed to provide the students with the basic of economical analysis and evaluation of energy projects and asset management as well as risk and hazard assessment, comprising legislation, hazard identification and quantification, quantified risk analyses, methods of elimination/mitigation, economic appraisal of integrated renewable, and petroleum projects; with numerous pertinent case studies.

Programme Assessment

You will be taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials (personal and academic), laboratory sessions and project work. The course has a strong practical emphasis and you will spend a significant amount of time in our Energy, Power systems and Electronic laboratories.

A range of assessment methods encourages a deeper understanding of engineering and allows you to develop your skills. Here’s how we assess your work:

Written examinations
Coursework
Laboratory-based project work
A major individual project/dissertation

Student Destinations

This course is designed to respond to a growing skills shortage of people with core knowledge in energy and power systems management. It is an excellent preparation for a successful career in this ever expanding and dynamic field.

On successful completion of the course, you will have gained the skills and knowledge that will make you attractive to a wide variety of employers with interests ranging from overall system design to the more detailed development of subsystems. You will acquire the ability to critically evaluate methodologies, analytical procedures and research methods in energy and power systems management and in the use of state-of-the-art computational tools, the design of sustainable electrical power systems and networks and regulatory frameworks. For practicing engineers with professional business experience, the course is an opportunity to update your knowledge of current design practice and also to familiarise themselves with developments in codes and methods of analysis.

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About the course

Run in partnership with fellow members of the Nuclear Technology Education Consortium (NTEC), Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester, the course gives you access to more than 90 per cent of the UK’s academic expertise in nuclear waste immobilisation, decommissioning and clean-up.

You’ll be based in the department’s world-leading NucleUS Immobilisation Science Laboratory, and will take eight modules on the nuclear fuel cycle. Topics include reactor materials and nuclear waste management with each module including one week at one of our partner universities.

A welcoming department

A friendly, forward-thinking community, our students and staff are on hand to welcome you to the department and ensure you settle into student life.

Your project supervisor will support you throughout your course. Plus you’ll have access to our extensive network of alumni, offering industry insight and valuable career advice to support your own career pathway.

Your career

Prospective employers recognise the value of our courses, and know that our students can apply their knowledge to industry. Our graduates work for organisations including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, the National Nuclear Laboratory and Saint-Gobain. Roles include materials development engineer, reactor engineer and research manager. They also work in academia in the UK and abroad.

90 per cent of our graduates are employed or in further study 6 months after graduating, with an average starting salary of £27,000, the highest being £50,000.

Equipment and facilities

We have invested in extensive, world-class equipment and facilities to provide a stimulating learning environment. Our laboratories are equipped to a high standard, with specialist facilities for each area of research.

Materials processing

Tools and production facilities for materials processing, fabrication and testing, including wet chemical processing for ceramics and polymers, rapid solidification and water atomisation for nanoscale metallic materials, and extensive facilities for deposition of functional and structural coatings.

Radioactive nuclear waste and disposal

Our £3million advanced nuclear materials research facility provides a high-quality environment for research on radioactive waste and disposal. Our unique thermomechanical compression and arbitrary strain path equipment is used for simulation of hot deformation.

Characterisation

You’ll have access to newly refurbished array of microscopy and analysis equipment, x-ray facilities, and surface analysis techniques covering state-of-the-art XPS and SIMS. There are also laboratories for cell and tissue culture, and facilities for measuring electrical, magnetic and mechanical properties.

The Kroto Research Institute and the Nanoscience and Technology Centre enhance our capabilities in materials fabrication and characterisation, and we have a computer cluster for modelling from the atomistic through nano and mesoscopic to the macroscopic.

Stimulating learning environment

An interdisciplinary research-led department; our network of world leading academics at the cutting edge of their research inform our courses providing a stimulating, dynamic environment in which to study.

Teaching and assessment

Working alongside students and staff from across the globe, you’ll tackle real-world projects, and attend lectures, seminars and laboratory classes delivered by academic and industry experts.

You’ll be assessed by formal examinations, coursework assignments and a dissertation.

Sample modules

Processing, Storage and Disposal of Nuclear Waste; Nuclear Fuel Cycle; Reactor Physics and Criticality; Risk Management.

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About the course

Home to the world-leading research centre, NucleUS Immobilsation Science Laboratory, the Department is recognised as a centre of excellence for the study of waste immobilisation and the development of new materials for future reactors.

You’ll be taught by staff with international reputations in their field, giving you an excellent grounding in materials science which can be applied to nuclear science and engineering, and across the whole nuclear fuel cycle.

A welcoming department

A friendly, forward-thinking community, our students and staff are on hand to welcome you to the department and ensure you settle into student life.

Your project supervisor will support you throughout your course. Plus you’ll have access to our extensive network of alumni, offering industry insight and valuable career advice to support your own career pathway.

Your career

Prospective employers recognise the value of our courses, and know that our students can apply their knowledge to industry. Our graduates work for organisations including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, the National Nuclear Laboratory and Saint-Gobain. Roles include materials development engineer, reactor engineer and research manager. They also work in academia in the UK and abroad.

90 per cent of our graduates are employed or in further study 6 months after graduating, with an average starting salary of £27,000, the highest being £50,000.

Equipment and facilities

We have invested in extensive, world-class equipment and facilities to provide a stimulating learning environment. Our laboratories are equipped to a high standard, with specialist facilities for each area of research.

Materials processing

Tools and production facilities for materials processing, fabrication and testing, including wet chemical processing for ceramics and polymers, rapid solidification and water atomisation for nanoscale metallic materials, and extensive facilities for deposition of functional and structural coatings.

Radioactive nuclear waste and disposal

Our £3million advanced nuclear materials research facility provides a high-quality environment for research on radioactive waste and disposal. Our unique thermomechanical compression and arbitrary strain path equipment is used for simulation of hot deformation.

Characterisation

You’ll have access to newly refurbished array of microscopy and analysis equipment, x-ray facilities, and surface analysis techniques covering state-of-the-art XPS and SIMS. There are also laboratories for cell and tissue culture, and facilities for measuring electrical, magnetic and mechanical properties.

The Kroto Research Institute and the Nanoscience and Technology Centre enhance our capabilities in materials fabrication and characterisation, and we have a computer cluster for modelling from the atomistic through nano and mesoscopic to the macroscopic.

Stimulating learning environment

An interdisciplinary research-led department; our network of world leading academics at the cutting edge of their research inform our courses providing a stimulating, dynamic environment in which to study.

Teaching and assessment

Working alongside students and staff from across the globe, you’ll tackle real-world projects, and attend lectures, seminars and laboratory classes delivered by academic and industry experts.

You’ll be assessed by formal examinations, coursework assignments and a dissertation.

Core modules

Nuclear Reactor Engineering Studies; Nuclear Fuel Cycle; Nuclear Waste Immobilisation and Disposal; Materials for Nuclear Systems; Science of Materials; Materials Processing and Characterisation; Materials Selection, Properties and Applications; Technical Skills Development; Research project in the area of your choice.

Examples of optional modules

Glasses and Cements; Advanced Materials Manufacturing – Part 1.

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This course is aimed at a new generation of engineers with the intention of ensuring they are equipped with specific training to satisfy the demands of the nuclear industry.

The course will cover all major aspects of the nuclear industry, from the design and build of nuclear power stations and their operations through to decommissioning and final disposal.

The course is multidisciplinary with core courses taught by research leaders from departments across the Faculty of Engineering, with expertise unique to the UK from our Reactor Centre staff at the Silwood Park Campus who operate the CONSORT test reactor.

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There is a substantial continuing need for specialist engineers to service the nuclear industry for the operation and decommissioning of the existing reactors, and a growing worldwide programme of building new reactors. Against this background, The University of Manchester is offering a postgraduate programme in Nuclear Science & Technology to help supply the industry with expertise level to help fill the predicted skills gap.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment is by written examination, assignment and end of year project/dissertation.

Career opportunities

The aim of this programme is to give graduates and professionals a firm grounding in Nuclear Science & Technology in order to facilitate their advancement in this substantial industry.

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The MPhil in Nuclear Energy, provided by the Department in collaboration with the Cambridge Nuclear Energy Centre, is a one year full-time nuclear technology and business masters for engineers, mathematicians and scientists who wish to make a difference to the problems of climate change and energy security by developing nuclear power generation. The combination of nuclear technology with nuclear policy and business makes the course highly relevant to the challenges of 21st century energy needs, whether in the UK or in countries across the globe.

The MPhil is part of the University of Cambridge's Strategic Energy Initiative in response to the prospect of a nuclear renaissance in the UK and around the world. The aim is to provide a masters-level degree course in Nuclear Energy which will combined nuclear science and technology topics with business, management and policy teaching. Students will be equipped with the skills and information essential to responsible leadership of the international global nuclear industry.

The course recognises that, though the prospects for nuclear energy are now better than they have been for twenty years, the nuclear sector is situated within in a wider market for energy technologies, and has no special right to be developed. The political, economic and social contexts for nuclear power are as important as the technical merits of the designs of reactors and systems. The course therefore has a multi-disciplinary emphasis, aiming to be true to the reality of policy-making and business decision-making.

This course is for students who have a good degree in Engineering or related science subject and who wish to gain the knowledge and skills to build a career in the nuclear and energy sectors. Secondary career paths might include 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 a path towards research through preparation for a PhD programme. The modular open architecture of the course allows students to tailor the degree to suit their background, needs and preferences.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egegmpmne

Course detail

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, policy, safety and allied business. 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 business, policy and technical 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; working within an organisation to manage change effectively and respond to changing demand; 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 have research experience having planned, executed, and evaluated an original investigative piece of work through a major dissertation.

Format

The MPhil in Nuclear Energy is based in the Department of Engineering and is run in partnership with Cambridge Judge Business School and the Departments of Materials Science and Metallurgy, and Earth Sciences.

The programme consists of six compuslory courses in nuclear technology and business management, and four elective courses chosen from a broad range of technical and management courses. These elective courses enable the student to tailor the content of the programme to his career needs; they range from wholly management-oriented courses to technical courses in preparation for an engineering role or further research through a PhD. A long research project is required, with topics chosen from a list offered by members of staffed and Industry Club members, and linked to the principal areas of energy research in their respective departments and companies.

Students are also expected to attend field visits, a Distinguished Lecture Series and weekly seminars, and are able to benefit from research skills training offered by the Department.

Assessment

A large individual research project will be undertaken, which will be examined in two parts. The first part will include a report (of up to 4,000 words) and a five-minute oral presentation. The second part is assessed through the writing of a 15,000 word dissertation, including a fifteen minute oral presentation.

All students will be required to complete at least four items of coursework.

All students will take at least three written examinations, of 1.5 hours each.

Continuing

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

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

UK applicants are eligible to apply for scholarships of £7,000; these scholarships are funded by the MPhil's industrial partners.

To apply for a scholarship, eligible applicants must list the Nuclear Energy Scholarship in Section B(4) of the online GRADSAF form. People wishing to be considered for a scholarship must submit their application before the end of May 2016.

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, this MSc in Civil Engineering Structures (Nuclear Power Plants) is the only accredited course in the UK in this critical area.

Who is it for?

This course is for students interested in the structural aspects of nuclear power plants and the broader field of nuclear energy.

Objectives

In this programme, you will study how to design, evaluate, and analyse structural systems, with a special focus on Nuclear Power Plants. You will learn all the principles used for the design of buildings, bridges, special structures and in particular nuclear containment structures.

The emphasis on nuclear structures is a response to the skill shortage reported by employers working in this sector. The UK has recently committed to a long-term nuclear new-build programme that is forecast to generate more than 40,000 jobs, yet no specialised training is available in this area. The programme will therefore provide you with a degree that distinguishes you in the market.

The programme is offered on a one-year full-time or two-year part time basis to allow you maximum flexibility.

Teaching and learning

The course is taught by staff from the School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering with some contribution from industrial experts. Teaching is mainly in the form of lectures, but case studies and IT sessions and seminars are also used where appropriate. Modules are shared between two ten-week teaching terms running October-December and January-March. Although work for the MSc dissertation commences during the second term, most of the research work is carried out during the summer months.

The duration of full-time study is 12 months. A part-time route is also available, where students spend two years completing this programme, in which students attend lectures for up to two days each week

Assessment of theoretical modules is based on a combination of examinations and coursework. Examinations are shared between the January and April/May examination periods. Design-oriented modules are normally assessed by coursework only, where students work both in groups and individually on challenging projects that are varied each year. For the MSc dissertation, students are required to attend a viva following submission of the final report.

In order to pass your programme, you should complete successfully or be exempted from the relevant modules and assessments and will therefore acquire the required number of credits.

The pass mark for each module is 50%. You need to attain a 50% mark for all assessment components.

Modules

There are seven core modules to be taken, plus one elective module, in addition to the research skills module and the dissertation. The number and credits required to gain an award are identified below.

For the following modules: EPM717, EPM711, EPM712, EPM707, EPM720, EPM718, coursework assignments will require you to apply the theory you have learned to specialised problems relating to the field of nuclear power plants. You are required to answer these problems to satisfy the coursework assessment for these modules.

Core modules
-EPM790: Introduction to Nuclear Energy (10 credits)
-EPM717: Advanced Analysis and Stability of Structures (20 credits)
-EPM704: Dynamics of Structures (15 credits)
-EPM711: Design of Concrete Structures (15 credits)
-EPM712: Design of Steel and Composite Structures (15 credits)
-EPM791: Design of Nuclear Structures and Foundations (15 credits)
-EPM707: Finite Element Methods (15 credits)
-EPM697: Research Skills (15 credits)
-EPM698: Dissertation (45 credits)

Elective modules
-EPM720: Earthquake Analysis of Structures (15 credits)
-EPM718: Analysis of Steel and Concrete Structures for Blast and Fire Exposure (15 credits)

Career prospects

This programme is for students interested in the structural aspects of nuclear power plants. Your career will take you to the broader field of nuclear energy. The types of roles we would expect our graduates to achieve are: an on-site engineer or as a design office engineer, building designing or constructing new plants or evaluating and maintaining existing plants or decommissioning plants at the end of their life cycle. You could also go to the research arena conducting innovative research in the area of nuclear science at research labs or in academia.

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This MSc delivers a solid grounding in the science and engineering principles that underpin the global nuclear industry. Throughout the programme you will benefit from a connection, via the South West Nuclear Hub, to the University of Bristol’s UK-leading industrial research. This environment of collaboration with key industrial partners enriches your learning experience and exposes you to the scientific and engineering challenges facing nuclear energy today.

The programme offers you the opportunity to gain skills and experience highly sought after by the nuclear industry. As you learn about five key themes of nuclear science and engineering from experts in the field you will develop skills in problem-solving, team-building, communication and scientific writing.

During the challenge project element of the programme you will join a multi-disciplinary team in approaching a genuine industry problem. The challenge is set by industry partners, who will act as your industrial supervisors, provide guidance on your work and attend your final presentation. Previous industry partners include Sellafield, EDF Energy and the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy.

This area of scientific study demands state-of-the-art facilities, and the programme gives you access to a suite of multi-million pound, cutting-edge analytical equipment, supported by dedicated technicians. Facilities include profiling systems, x-ray microscopes, a 200-acre site focused on robotics and device sensor development, and the largest earthquake simulator in the UK.

Programme structure

The five key themes that run through the programme are: the nuclear cycle; nuclear reactor materials and design; nuclear structural integrity; nuclear professionalism and nuclear systems; infrastructure, hazards and risk.

Teaching consists of core lecture-based units in science and engineering:
-Fundamentals of Nuclear Science
-Nuclear Reactor Engineering
-Nuclear Material Behaviour
-Nuclear Reactor Physics
-Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The Research Skills and Group Project units help develop the skills needed to work in this area, including industry-focused workshops, an industry-set challenge and a major individual research project, for which the practical work takes place over the summer.

Careers

Graduates will leave equipped with a familiarity with the nuclear industry and its unique safety culture, and they will be prepared to enter the industry or continue towards further research in academia.

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This programme aims to provide you with a sound understanding of Advanced Mechanical Engineering principles and the ability to undertake teamwork and communicate ideas.

The core modules studied on the programme will develop your understanding and knowledge of the principles of Advanced Mechanical Engineering to an advanced level. They include specialist knowledge in thermo and fluid dynamics, combustion in IC engines, alternative and conventional energy generation methods and nuclear engineering. You will be taught techniques for managing projects and research, giving you highly desirable skills for working in industry.

This programme aligns with the current accredited Undergraduate integrated Masters MEng 4th year in Mechanical Engineering with co-taught M level modules from the existing programme organised in two 12-week semesters with examinations at the end of each semester worth 120 credits from a total of 180. This is then combined with an MSc advanced research project over the summer term worth the remaining 60 credits.

Projects

Project work which contributes 60 credits, will be based on a topic of industrial or scientific relevance, and will be carried out in laboratories in the University or at an approved placement in industry. The project is examined by dissertation, and award of the MSc (Eng) degree will require evidence of in-depth understanding, mastery of research techniques, ability to analyse assembled data, and assessment of outcomes.

Why School of Engineering?

In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, our research was ranked 5th in UK for 4* and 3* research (world leading and internationally excellent research)

Our teaching programmes are also highly rated and this is underpinned by an extensive programme of research.

Outstanding facilities

The School of Engineering has a welldeserved and highly respected reputation for its excellent experimental and computational facilities. Our £32 million redevelopment includes the state-of-theart ‘Active Learning Labs’, a cutting-edge teaching facility, one of the largest and best equipped in Europe. We have two research-standard full motion flight simulators (one of which is unique in the academic world), mechanical robotics, wind turbines, water flumes, additive layer manufacturing and many more facilities.

Career prospects

We equip our students for rewarding careers and our graduates have found jobs in a wide range of industries and organisations, both in the UK and abroad.

Programmes include a strong practical element and incorporate the latest academic and industry research, enabling you to work effectively at the forefront of engineering.

When you graduate you can count on the University's Careers and Employability Service to help you plan your future.

Employers

We've consistently achieved the highest grades in research assessments and many of our research programmes are supported by industrial companies such:-

- Agusta Westland
- Airbus
- BAE Systems
- QinetiQ
- Unilever
- Jaguar
- Ford
- National and international bodies such as EPSRC and the European Commission.

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New digital technologies are transforming the workplace as companies improve their operational efficiencies and grow using new hybrid business models. This Master's degree develops your career with this in mind, giving you the knowledge and skills to develop and work with the next generation of smart technologies.

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