Nuclear Engineering

General information

The four-year honours Bachelor of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering program was designed to meet a worldwide need for graduates in the field of nuclear engineering. Although the primary focus of the program is nuclear power plant engineering, the curriculum is sufficiently broad based that graduates will be well qualified for careers in many applications of nuclear technology and energy-related fields.

The first two years of study provide students with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of mathematics and sciences, with years three and four concentrating on engineering sciences and specific nuclear engineering courses.

Students who choose Nuclear Engineering and Management  take two semesters of business and management courses after successfully completing third year. The regular fourth year of the engineering program is then taken in the fifth year of the program.

Learning takes place in a variety of settings including lectures, tutorials, field visits, laboratories and via computer simulation.

Admission requirements

Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.

Current Ontario secondary school students must complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with six 4U or 4M credits including English (ENG4U) with a minimum average of 60 per cent, Advanced Functions (MHF4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U), Chemistry (SCH4U), and Physics (SPH4U). In addition, a combined minimum 70 per cent average in math and science courses is required, with no grade below 60 per cent. All other applicants should refer to admissions  for the requirements for their specific category of admission.

Professional designation

The undergraduate Nuclear Engineering program is designed to meet the requirements of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. Each graduate is eligible to apply for licensing as a professional engineer (PEng) in any province or territory in Canada.

Program details and degree requirements

To be eligible for an honours Bachelor of Engineering degree in Nuclear Engineering, students must successfully complete 132 credit hours, including all courses outlined in the following program map.

Although reasonable efforts will be made to adhere to the following program map, course requirements and term offerings may change. For the most up-to-date list of course offerings, please visit the faculty website at engineering.ontariotechu.ca.

Year 1 (33 credit hours)

• COMM 1050U – Technical Communications
• ENGR 1015U – Introduction to Engineering
• MATH 1010U – Calculus I
• MATH 1850U – Linear Algebra for Engineers
• PHY 1010U – Physics I
• CHEM 1800U – Chemistry for Engineers
• ENGR 1200U – Introduction to Programming for Engineers
• ENGR 1025U – Engineering Design
• MATH 1020U – Calculus II
• PHY 1020U – Physics II
• SSCI 1470U – Impact of Science and Technology on Society

Year 2 (36 credit hours)

• ELEE 2790U – Electric Circuits
• ESNS 2140U – Problem Solving, Modelling and Simulation
• MANE 2220U – Structure and Properties of Materials
• MATH 2860U – Differential Equations for Engineers
• NUCL 2500U – Interaction of Radiation with Matter
• NUCL 2860U – Fluid Mechanics
• Liberal Studies elective*
• ENGR 2100U – Computational Engineering Applications
• NUCL 2010U – Thermodynamic Cycles
• NUCL 2950U – Radiation Protection
• NUCL 2240U – Nuclear Engineering Fundamentals
• STAT 2800U – Statistics and Probability for Engineers

Year 3 (30 credit hours)

• ESNS 3380U – Strength of Materials
• NUCL 3740U – Scientific Instrumentation
• NUCL 3820U – Nuclear Reactor Physics
• NUCL 3930U – Heat Transfer
• NUCL 4640U – Nuclear Plant Operation
• Liberal Studies elective*
• ENGR 3360U – Engineering Economics
• NUCL 4610U – Corrosion for Engineers
• NUCL 4780U – Nuclear Reactor Design
• ESNS 3750U – Integrated Engineering Laboratory

Year 4 (33 credit hours)

• Engineering elective*
• NUCL 4625U – Radioactive Waste Management Design
• NUCL 4700U – Nuclear Plant Design and Simulation
• NUCL 4730U – Reactor Control
• NUCL 4994U – Capstone Design I
• Engineering elective*
• ENGR 4760U – Ethics, Law and Professionalism for Engineers
• ESNS 4660U – Risk Analysis Methods
• NUCL 4460U – Nuclear Power Systems
• NUCL 4525U – Nuclear Plant Safety Design
• NUCL 4998U – Capstone Design II

*Electives

Engineering electives

Courses selected for the Engineering elective must be approved by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Engineering courses from other engineering programs may be allowed as engineering electives provided students have the prerequisites and the courses extend the students’ knowledge through greater depth in an advanced area, or greater breadth in a complementary field. Not all of the listed Engineering electives will necessarily be offered each year.

The following are approved courses as Engineering electives:

• ENGR 3840U – Fuel Cell Design
• NUCL 4000U – Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering
• NUCL 4510U – Nuclear Plant Chemistry
• NUCL 4670U – Shielding Design
• NUCL 4680U – Nuclear Materials
• NUCL 4810U – Nuclear Fuel Cycles
• NUCL 4880U – Principles of Fusion Energy
• RADI 3200U – Medical Imaging
• RADI 3570U – Environmental Effects of Radiation
• RADI 4440U – Radioisotopes and Radiation Machines
• RADI 4550U – Radiation Detection and Measurement

Liberal Studies electives

Complementary studies, including courses in humanities, social sciences, arts, management, engineering economics, ethics and communication, are included in engineering programs to complement the technical content of the curriculum and thereby provide graduates with a broader perspective of their role in society. Inclusion of complementary studies also satisfies several accreditation criteria of the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. Courses or parts of courses covering engineering economics, ethics, and the impact of technology on society, as well as courses that develop the student’s capability to communicate orally, visually and in writing, are essential to the education of an engineer and therefore are included in all of our engineering programs.

Liberal studies electives are included in each engineering program to ensure adequate coverage of subject matter that deals with central issues, methodologies and thought processes of the humanities and social sciences. Such material is required in the education of an engineer. Liberal studies electives can include, but are not limited to, courses dealing with cultural analysis; historical analysis; literature and the arts; knowledge, cognition, and moral reasoning; and social and behavioural analysis.

Foreign language and business courses may not be used as liberal studies. Courses can be approved as liberal studies electives for students in engineering programs at the university by the dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (or designate), in accordance with these principles.

Courses selected for the liberal studies electives must be approved by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Liberal studies electives are subject to change. An updated list of liberal studies electives will be maintained online at engineering.ontariotechu.ca.

Program learning outcomes

The following outcomes outline the knowledge and skills students will have achieved upon completion of the program.