Nuclear Science and Engineering Minor

A student majoring in most fields of engineering and science should have the necessary technical and mathematics background to pursue a minor in the Nuclear Science and Engineering area of specialization.

The Nuclear Science and Engineering minor opens up additional avenues for employment and career growth in nuclear industry jobs related to lifecycle management of nuclear fuel, safe and economical operation of nuclear power plants, design of new facilities, radiation protection and control, nuclear non-proliferation and security, and the industrial and medical application of nuclear technology.

The Nuclear Science and Engineering minor consists of 18 credits of approved course work. Three core courses are required of all majors and they form the basis of the nuclear science and engineering focus. The core courses from the nuclear minor may also satisfy technical electives requirements of the major program. Completion of the minor allows the student to receive recognition of this accomplishment on their degree certificate.

Required Courses (9 credits)

The core sequence provides an overview of pertinent topics in fundamental nuclear physics, nuclear reactor theory and shielding, health physics concepts, heat generation and removal in a nuclear reactor, power conversion, and overall system integration and safety. They also highlight several concepts related to the operation and integration of the various systems needed in any nuclear reactor facility.

  • ENGY.3310 Fundamentals of Nuclear Science and Engineering   
  • ENGY.4350 Nuclear Reactor Engineering      
  • ENGY.4320 Nuclear Systems Design and Analysis

Electives (9 credits)

The additional three courses for the Nuclear Science and Engineering minor enable students to focus on the broader science and engineering needs of nuclear technology. These courses come directly from the existing science and engineering programs at UMass Lowell.

Nuclear Science & Engineering Focused

Other

Notes:

  • Only courses in which a student earns a grade of C or better can be applied to the Nuclear Science and Engineering minor.
  • Courses transferred from other educational institutions can be applied to the Nuclear Science and Engineering minor, but at least three of the courses applied to the minor must be taken at UMass Lowell.

For additional information or to declare a minor, contact Valmor F. de Almeida, Ph.D., Nuclear Engineering Program Director.