Dr. Hayward in the FNS

Nuclear Decommissioning and Environmental Management Minor

Although the world is moving towards using nuclear power, there are instances where the plants and facilities need to be safely dismantled. Studying nuclear decommissioning and environmental management prepares you to be a part of the deconstruction process to keep society and the environment safe during this process. 

Program Overview 

Through our nuclear decommissioning and environmental management minor program, you’ll learn about the procedures, regulations, and other important policies in place to ensure the safety of human life and environment during the dismantling process of a nuclear facility. Study nuclear fuel, radiological engineering, construction engineering, and more in preparation for a possible future in the nuclear field. 

Why Get a Minor in Nuclear Decommissioning and Environmental Management? 

The nuclear engineering field is a growing industry, but decommissioning is a normal part of a facility’s lifetime. Planning and implementing a decommissioning project provides engineers with a complex, multi-disciplinary challenge. You’ll get to use knowledge you learn in this program through real-world applications. 

Featured Courses

NE 404 Nuclear Fuel Cycle

This course covers all relevant components of the commercial nuclear fuel cycle, including methods for mining and milling, physics of uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, in-core fuel management strategies, reactor physics, spent fuel storage, reprocessing, and disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. 

NE 433 Principles of Health Physics

This class covers Radiation quantities, limits and risk assessment, external and internal dosimetry, biological effects of radiation, radiation detection, radiation interactions and decay, applications.  

NE 486 Nuclear Licensing

In this course, students will learn about nuclear licensing rules and regulations for both commercial and government nuclear facilities that are administered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. 

NE 406 Radiation Shielding

Learn about the types of radiation sources, fundamentals of gamma ray and neutron attenuation, biological effects, approximate methods of shield design, and use of modern analysis tools. 

Admissions and Aid

Choosing the right university to pursue an engineering degree is an important decision—and a significant investment. We want to make sure that you have the information you need to both apply and make attending UT affordable.