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Program Description
The overall educational objective of the Nuclear Engineering Minor is to help prepare graduates to apply the knowledge and capabilities gained in their main program of study to a wide range of career paths related to nuclear engineering. Many nuclear applications require a multi-disciplinary approach, and nuclear engineers frequently specialize in subfields such as power reactors, reactor thermal hydraulics, nuclear materials for harsh environments, radiation detection, nuclear fusion and plasma science, biomedical applications, health physics, radiochemistry, or nuclear security and non-proliferation.
Students completing the Nuclear Engineering Minor will learn fundamental concepts within nuclear engineering, but will also have the flexibility to choose electives to build a minor program focusing on topics relevant to their primary field of study and/or particular career goals.
What is Nuclear Engineering?
Nuclear Engineering is a multidisciplinary field that extends well beyond providing nuclear power for electricity production. Many other areas of science and technology intersect with nuclear engineering, such as biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, environmental science, and materials science. Professionals in STEM fields with additional knowledge of nuclear concepts can contribute to a wide range of technological development, including, but not limited to:
- Advanced materials to withstand harsh environments, including fusion applications
- Radiation-assisted methods to protect our food supply and sterilize important health-related consumer goods
- Thermal-fluids applications for nuclear systems
- Nuclear safeguards, security, and cybersecurity
- Nuclear forensics
- Radioisotope production and radiation- and radioisotope-based medical diagnostic techniques and treatments
- Development and use of computer codes to model existing and new reactor concepts, including reactors for space exploration
- Chemical process development within the nuclear fuel cycle.
- Radioactive waste management
- Risk assessment analyses and regulatory structures
You Might Like This Program If...
You are a STEM major with an interest in nuclear technologies or who would like to expand your skills for a growing, multidisciplinary industry. Penn State is also a unique place to study nuclear engineering, as our facilities include the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor, a premier research facility and the oldest continuously operating research reactor in the United States.
Entrance to Minor
For entrance to the nuclear engineering minor, students must:
- be admitted to a major other than nuclear engineering; and
- have a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or higher.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18-20 |
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| NUCE 301 | Fundamentals of Reactor Physics | 4 |
| NUCE 310W | Issues in Nuclear Engineering | 2 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 0-8 credits in Reactor Design and Thermodynamics from the following: | 0-8 | |
| Introduction to Reactor Design | ||
| Analytical Techniques for Nuclear Concept | ||
| Introduction to Thermal-Fluid Sciences for Nuclear Engineers - I | ||
or CHE 220 | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | |
or CHEM 450 | Physical Chemistry - Thermodynamics | |
or EMCH 302H | Thermodynamics, Heat Conduction, and Principles of Modeling, Honors | |
or EME 301 | Thermodynamics in Energy and Mineral Engineering | |
or MATSE 401 | Thermodynamics of Materials | |
or ME 201 | Introduction to Thermal Science | |
or ME 300 | Engineering Thermodynamics I | |
| Introduction to Thermal-Fluid Sciences for Nuclear Engineers - II | ||
or AERSP 311 | Aerodynamics I | |
or CE 360 | Fluid Mechanics | |
or CHE 330 | Process Fluid Mechanics | |
or EME 303 | Fluid Mechanics in Energy and Mineral Engineering | |
or ME 320 | Fluid Flow | |
| Select 6-12 credits of 400-Level Courses. Students should consult the Department of Nuclear Engineering for the up-to-date list of approved 400-level courses that meet this requirement. | 6-12 | |
Some prescribed or additional courses may require prerequisites and/or concurrent enrollment in courses not required by the minor. Students are advised to consult the current bulletin listing for each course to ensure prerequisites and concurrent requirements are satisfied prior to enrollment in courses for the minor.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Emily Bowmer
Academic Adviser, Nuclear Engineering
113B Hallowell Building
University Park, PA 16802
emw155@psu.edu
Book an appointment with Emily in Starfish
Career Paths
Penn State's nuclear engineering program relates theory to practice in a way that most universities cannot. Penn State is one of the few universities where undergraduate students can work with a functioning nuclear reactor. The Breazeale Nuclear Reactor is the longest operating licensed research reactor in the country and is one of the premier nuclear research facilities in the world.
Careers
Many nuclear engineering graduates work for electric power companies that use nuclear power plants or help service and maintain these plants. Other graduates work in industries that use radioactivity or radiation, such as medicine, food, and agriculture. These fields need nuclear engineers to detect problems, monitor processes, and protect the public. The federal government also hires nuclear engineers to design next-generation reactors for submarines, aircraft carriers, and space probes; regulate nuclear power or radiation uses; and develop advanced technologies that will be used in future power plants.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES WITH A MINOR IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Penn State University is home to the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor, one of the premier reactor research facilities in the country. Our students have the unique opportunity to learn and research in state-of-the-art experimental facilities under the supervision of internationally renowned faculty, scientists, and engineers. We have especially strong research programs in nuclear power, reactor design, nuclear science, and nuclear materials.
Contact
University Park
KEN AND MARY ALICE DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
206 Hallowell Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2653
amj15@psu.edu