Diploma in Transient Safety in LWR Reactors
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in Transient Safety in LWR Reactors. 8 modules covering light water reactors, safety systems, PWR and BWR transients, ATWS and station blackout (10 CFR 50.62, 50.63), loss of coolant (10 CFR 50.46) and emergency procedures and operation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Transient Safety in LWR Reactors — studying from Australia
Defence is one of Australia's largest engineering employers, with major programmes in land systems, naval platforms, aircraft and integrated systems managed through the Department of Defence. Land systems engineering supports armoured vehicles, weapons and logistics equipment, often through prime contractors and local industry partners. Industry involvement is strongly encouraged through the Defence industry policy framework. Engineers work on sustainment, capability development, systems integration and safety assurance, typically in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and regional defence precincts.
Fees for Australia: A$1,740 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
How does defence engineering recognition work in Australia?
Defence engineering in Australia is largely run through the Department of Defence and its industry partners, which set their own security clearance and qualification requirements. Engineers Australia is the professional body for accreditation. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so recognition is for employers or the relevant body to decide.
Which Australian employers hire in defence and land systems?
Australia has defence prime contractors, the Department of Defence, and specialist land systems firms. Many of these roles require Australian security clearances, which depend on citizenship and background checks rather than course completion. Ask employers how they weigh private qualifications against experience and clearance requirements.
Is the course manageable with a job, and does it need a visa?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from Australia without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. An assigned technical tutor supports you, fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the design and safety systems of PWR and BWR reactors.
Analyse the characteristic transients of light water reactors.
Assess the behaviour of emergency cooling systems.
Simulate transients with thermal-hydraulic codes.
Apply the specific regulatory requirements for ATWS and station blackout.
Interpret emergency operating procedures.
Propose safety improvements based on analysis.
Who it's for
- Nuclear safety analysts.
- Plant operations engineers.
- Thermal-hydraulics engineers.
- Operator instructors.
- Emergency procedures engineers.
- Nuclear safety inspectors.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the nuclear energy sector.
What you'll work with
- 10 CFR 50.46 (ECCS acceptance criteria for light water reactors)
- 10 CFR 50.62 (reduction of risk from ATWS)
- 10 CFR 50.63 (loss of all alternating current power)
- IAEA SSR-2/1 Rev.1 (safety of nuclear power plants: design)
- IAEA SSG-2 Rev.1 (deterministic safety analysis)
- NUREG-0800 Chapter 15 (transient and accident analysis)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.157 (best-estimate ECCS calculations)
- RELAP5-3D
- TRACE
- PCTRAN
- MAAP
- SNAP
8 modules
1.1PWR design1.2BWR design1.3Primary and secondary circuits1.4Reactor instrumentation1.5Kinetics and feedback1.6Control systems1.7Fuel and cladding1.8Containment1.9Advanced light water reactors1.10Case study: comparison of PWR and BWR designs
2.1Reactor protection systems2.2Safety injection2.3Emergency core cooling2.4Auxiliary feedwater2.5Pressure relief systems2.6Emergency electrical power2.7Passive systems2.8Containment systems2.9Design criteria2.10Practical exercise: functional analysis of an injection system
3.1Loss of feedwater3.2Steam line break3.3Steam generator tube rupture3.4Main coolant pump trip3.5Boron dilution3.6Pressurised thermal shock3.7Primary overpressure3.8Overcooling transients3.9Operator response3.10Lab: simulation of a tube rupture with PCTRAN
4.1Main steam isolation4.2Power instabilities4.3Loss of recirculation flow4.4Pressure regulator failure4.5Loss of feedwater in a BWR4.6Isolation cooling systems4.7Pressure suppression4.8Containment venting4.9Operating experience4.10Practical exercise: simulation of a main steam isolation
5.1Anticipated transients without scram5.210 CFR 50.62 requirements5.3ATWS mitigation systems5.4Station blackout5.510 CFR 50.63 requirements5.6Coping capability5.7Portable equipment5.8Lessons from Fukushima5.9Margin analysis5.10Lab: simulation of an ATWS
6.1LOCA in PWRs and BWRs6.2Phases of a LOCA6.310 CFR 50.46 criteria6.4Best-estimate methodologies6.5Fuel behaviour6.6Long-term cooling6.7Recirculation and sump strainers6.8Uncertainty analysis6.9Simulation with TRACE6.10Case study: analysis of a small-break LOCA
7.1Emergency operating procedures7.2Symptom-based approach7.3Critical safety functions7.4Severe accident management guidelines7.5Simulator training7.6Human factors7.7Control room communication7.8Lessons from TMI7.9Procedure improvement7.10Workshop: walkthrough of an emergency procedure
8.1Selection of reactor and transient8.2Plant modelling8.3Transient simulation8.4Assessment of safety margins8.5Procedure assessment8.6Sensitivity analysis8.7Proposed improvements8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulation and applied exercises. The working software is RELAP5-3D, TRACE, PCTRAN, MAAP and SNAP, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: simulating an ATWS in a PWR, analysing a station blackout in a BWR and assessing emergency operating procedures. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: 10 CFR 50.46, 10 CFR 50.62, 10 CFR 50.63, IAEA SSR-2/1 Rev.1, IAEA SSG-2 Rev.1, NUREG-0800 Chapter 15, NRC Regulatory Guide 1.157.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with RELAP5-3D, TRACE, PCTRAN, MAAP and SNAP, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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