Bachelor of Science in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering

The undergraduate curriculum in nuclear and radiological engineering is structured to meet the needs of both the student who contemplates employment immediately after graduation and the student planning to pursue graduate study. It provides maximum flexibility in the form of options for each student to develop their unique interests and capabilities. The core curriculum covers the basic principles of nuclear engineering, nuclear reactor core design, reactor systems engineering, nuclear power economics, reactor operations, radiation sources and detection instruments, radiation transport, radiation protection, criticality safety, regulatory requirements, and radioactive materials management.

Program Educational Objectives

The program educational objectives reflect the needs of the program's constituencies and have been reviewed and validated by our constituents:

  • NRE graduates will positively contribute to nuclear and radiological engineering and related fields.
  • NRE graduates will conduct themselves with the highest professional and ethical principles that include considerations of public safety and the environment.
  • NRE graduates will engage in lifelong learning through graduate and continuing education, professional development activities, or other career-appropriate options.

Cooperative Plan

Since 1912, Georgia Tech has offered a five-year Undergraduate Cooperative Program to those students who wish to combine career-related experience with classroom studies. The program is the fourth oldest of its kind in the world and the largest optional co-op program in the country.

Students alternate between industrial assignments and classroom studies until they complete three semesters of work. Co-op students with nuclear and radiological engineering majors complete the same coursework on campus that is completed by regular four-year students. Most co-op students begin the program as freshman or sophomores and are classified as full-time students regardless whether they are attending classes on campus or are full-time at an employer's location.

Students who participate in the program have the opportunity to develop career interests, become more confident in their career choices, and develop human relation skills through their work experience. Graduates of the program receive a bachelor's degree with a Cooperative Plan Designation. Woodruff School students have traditionally been the largest group participating in the program.

Students can also complete work assignments in a foreign country as part of the International Cooperative Program. This program is a great opportunity to utilize foreign language skills, gain a global perspective, and experience a diverse culture. Proficiency in a foreign language is necessary to earn the International Cooperative Plan degree designation. For more information on the Cooperative Program, go to http://career.gatech.edu/co-op.

The Undergraduate Professional Internship Program is for nuclear and radiological engineering students who do not participate in the Cooperative Program, but want some career-related experience before graduation. Students generally work for one semester, usually in the summer, with an option for more work. Students must have completed at least thirty hours of coursework at Georgia Tech before they can participate in the program. For more details, see: http://career.gatech.edu/internships.

In addition, there is a Work Abroad Program (www.workabroad.gatech.edu), which complements a student's formal education with paid international work experience directly related to nuclear and radiological engineering. Participating students typically include juniors and seniors. The international work assignments are designed to include practical training, cross-cultural exposure and learning, and the acquisition of needed skills.

For more information about all of the programs in the Center for Career Discovery and Development, visit www.careerdiscovery.gatech.edu.

The BS/MS Program

The Woodruff School offers a BS/MS program for those students who demonstrate an interest in and ability for additional education beyond the BS degree. Woodruff School students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible to apply for the program after completion of 30 credit hours at Georgia Tech, but before the completion of seventy-five credit hours, including transfer and advanced placement credits. Students who have more than 75 credit hours will be considered for the program on a case-by-case basis

Participants in the BS/MS Program in the Woodruff School can obtain a master's degree in mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, medical physics, or in Georgia Tech's interdisciplinary bioengineering graduate program. There are two options to consider:

Non-Thesis Option

The Non-Thesis Option is completed by taking 10 classes according to the MS degree requirements. In many cases, two courses can be counted towards both a student's BS and MS degrees, thereby streamlining the process. With proper planning, most MS non-thesis degrees could be completed in one year.

Thesis Option

The Thesis Option involves working with a faculty member on a project in a wide range of research topics being investigated by Woodruff School faculty members. This will give you hands-on experience in working with a faculty mentor; the opportunity to work in a laboratory or a research environment; and the chance to perform theoretical and experimental work. These events will foster your career interests and expand your selection of possible employers. In some cases, a student will receive a graduate research assistantship, which includes a stipend and a tuition waiver. The time to graduation depends on your thesis project, your advisor, and your work ethic.

During the first year of your graduate studies, you will be encouraged to continue for the PhD In many cases, you might be working on an interesting topic of study as part of your master's degree research that could provide the basis for doctoral research.