Nuclear Power Engineering Minor
In nuclear power facilities, nuclear engineers make up only 15% of the engineering workforce with the remaining roles being filled largely by mechanical, civil, chemical, electrical, and industrial and systems engineers as well as cybersecurity specialists. The minor in nuclear power engineering prepares students pursuing majors in other engineering disciplines for a career in the nuclear power industry.
Program Overview
With a nuclear power engineering minor, you’ll gain a basic understanding of the nuclear engineering field and how it relates to various industries. Learn about the fundamentals of nuclear reactors, radiation interactions, power plant design concepts, and more.
Why Get a Minor in Nuclear Power Engineering?
The nuclear power field is only continuing to grow, so obtaining a minor in nuclear power engineering minor would be beneficial to the career of many engineers. With the ability to choose courses in varied topics, you can take charge of the direction of nuclear engineering you want to study.
Featured Courses
Below are some of the courses that students in our program can choose to take. For a list of all courses, visit the undergraduate catalog.
NE 301 Foundations of Radiation Protection
Radiation quantities, limits and risk assessment, external and internal dosimetry, biological effects of radiation, radiation detectors, radioactive materials management, radiation interactions and decay, including a few selected hands-on exercises.
NE 302 Foundations of Nuclear Power
Fuel Cycle Basics, Power Plant Systems and Components including Instrumentation, Basic Reactor Theory.
NE 303 Foundations of Nuclear Operations
Safety Culture, Quality Assurance, Work Management Systems, NRC Regulatory Environment, Reliability and Safety.
MSE 260 Materials Engineering Thermodynamics
Thermodynamic laws, entropy, internal energy, and state functions. One-component and two-component phase equilibria. Characteristics of small and large molecular systems. Surface energy, elasticity, and material defects.
Admissions and Aid
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Ready to Join Us?
See yourself on Rocky Top? We’ve made it easier than ever to apply for admission. Learn more about our admission requirements and the steps to apply to be an Engineering Vol.