Master’s in Corrosion, SCC and Chemical Compatibility Engineering in Primary Circuits
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in corrosion, SCC and chemical compatibility engineering for primary circuits. 12 modules covering corrosion electrochemistry, primary and secondary chemistry, corrosion mechanisms, stress corrosion cracking, environmental fatigue, dose sources, materials compatibility and mitigation, with the EPRI PWR Water Chemistry Guidelines and CHECWORKS, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Corrosion, SCC and Chemical Compatibility Engineering in Primary Circuits — studying from Australia
Australia does not operate nuclear power plants, but nuclear science and technology play important roles in research, medicine, mining and regulation. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation operates research reactors and produces radiopharmaceuticals, while uranium mining is conducted in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Nuclear engineering skills support regulatory oversight, radiation safety and decommissioning activities. Employers include ANSTO, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, mining companies and specialist consultancies.
Fees for Australia: A$15,800 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does this programme meet Australian nuclear licensing or regulatory requirements?
No. SEIUM qualifications are private and are not accredited by any national body. Nuclear activities in Australia are regulated by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency and related authorities, which set their own competency requirements. Check directly with the regulator and your employer about any qualifications needed for a specific role.
Which Australian organisations might consider this training for nuclear-related roles?
Australian employers in this area include research organisations, radiation protection services, mining and resources companies, and consultancies working on nuclear-related projects. Hiring depends on each organisation's requirements and on security and licensing needs. A private qualification is unlikely to be sufficient alone, so combine it with relevant experience.
Is the programme workable alongside a job, and how is it funded?
The programmes are delivered entirely online in English with an assigned technical tutor, allowing study from Australia around work commitments. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Review the programme length, from 300 to 1,900 hours, and plan carefully.
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
Apply electrochemistry to corrosion processes in circuits.
Control primary and secondary circuit chemistry.
Identify corrosion and stress corrosion cracking mechanisms.
Assess environmental fatigue in components.
Reduce dose sources through chemistry control.
Select materials compatible with the environment.
Design corrosion mitigation and monitoring programmes.
Who it's for
- Nuclear power plant chemists.
- Corrosion engineers.
- Materials engineers.
- Steam generator specialists.
- Piping integrity engineers.
- Stress corrosion cracking researchers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the nuclear power industry.
What you'll work with
- EPRI PWR Primary Water Chemistry Guidelines (primary chemistry control)
- EPRI PWR Secondary Water Chemistry Guidelines (secondary chemistry control)
- NUREG/CR-6909 (environmental fatigue in reactor water)
- ASME BPVC Section XI (in-service inspection and flaw evaluation)
- ASTM G129 (slow strain rate testing for environmentally assisted cracking)
- ISO 7539 (stress corrosion testing)
- NUREG-1801 GALL Report (generic ageing lessons learned)
- CHECWORKS
- OLI Studio
- MULTEQ
- Gamry Echem Analyst
- Abaqus
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Anodic and cathodic reactions1.2Nernst equation and equilibrium potentials1.3High-temperature Pourbaix diagrams1.4Butler-Volmer kinetics1.5Polarisation and mixed potential1.6Passivation and oxide films1.7High-temperature reference electrodes1.8Impedance spectroscopy1.9Electrochemical noise measurement1.10Laboratory: polarisation curve in an autoclave
2.1PWR chemistry: boron and lithium2.2pH at temperature and its control2.3Dissolved hydrogen control2.4Zinc injection2.5BWR chemistry: normal water and HWC2.6Noble metals and OLNC2.7Water radiolysis2.8Impurities: chlorides, sulphates and oxygen2.9EPRI and VGB guidelines2.10Practical exercise: calculation of primary pHT
3.1All-volatile treatment (AVT)3.2Amines and their selection3.3Oxygen control3.4Corrosion products in the secondary circuit3.5Steam generator fouling3.6Chemical cleaning of steam generators3.7Condenser chemistry3.8Use of polymeric dispersants3.9Turbine condensate3.10Case study: amine optimisation in the secondary circuit
4.1General corrosion of carbon steels4.2Flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC)4.3Liquid droplet erosion-corrosion4.4Intergranular corrosion in sensitised zones4.5Pitting and crevice corrosion4.6Galvanic corrosion in dissimilar joints4.7Microbiologically influenced corrosion in auxiliary circuits4.8Boric acid corrosion4.9Fretting wear4.10Practical exercise: FAC model with the Chexal-Horowitz equation
5.1Factors: material, stress and environment5.2Initiation and growth5.3IGSCC in BWR stainless steels5.4PWSCC in Alloy 600 and 82/182 welds5.5Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking5.6Chloride-induced transgranular SCC5.7Effect of cold work5.8Predictive crack growth models5.9CERT and crack growth tests5.10Laboratory: slow strain rate test
6.1Fatigue in reactor water6.2Fen factor according to NUREG/CR-69096.3Effects of temperature, oxygen and strain rate6.4Thermal stratification in lines6.5Nozzle fatigue6.6Transient monitoring6.7Cumulative usage assessment6.8Management programmes6.9Operating experience in environmental fatigue6.10Workshop: CUF calculation with the Fen factor
7.1Release of corrosion products7.2Transport and deposition7.3Cobalt activation7.4CRUD fouling7.5Management of cobalt in materials7.6Zinc injection to reduce dose7.7Chemical decontamination of systems7.8Filtration and purification7.9Experience in dose reduction7.10Case study: chemistry and dose during refuelling
8.1Zirconium corrosion in the primary circuit8.2Effect of lithium8.3Hydrogen pickup8.4CRUD and AOA8.5Nodular corrosion in BWR cladding8.6Fuel failures8.7Chemical behaviour of ATF cladding8.8Interaction between chemistry and fuel8.9Failure surveillance8.10Practical exercise: CIPS risk assessment
9.1Materials selection for compatibility9.2Alloy 690 and its welds9.3Low-carbon steels9.4Coatings and cladding9.5Compatibility in boron systems9.6Compatibility with ion exchange resins9.7Molten salts and liquid metals9.8Compatibility in supercritical water reactors9.9Compatibility testing9.10Case study: materials selection for a heat exchanger
10.1Laser and water jet peening10.2Component replacement10.3Structural weld overlays10.4Nozzle repair10.5Stress-relief heat treatments10.6Chemistry control as mitigation10.7Cathodic protection in auxiliary circuits10.8Inhibitors in auxiliary circuits10.9Effectiveness assessment10.10Workshop: PWSCC mitigation plan for a power plant
11.1Ultrasonic inspection11.2Eddy current testing of steam generators11.3Wall thickness measurement for FAC11.4Online monitoring11.5Corrosion coupons11.6In-plant chemical analysis11.7Inspection data management11.8Risk-informed inspection11.9System health indicators11.10Practical exercise: wall thickness measurement programme with CHECWORKS
12.1Identification of the corrosion problem12.2Characterisation of the system and its chemistry12.3Mechanism analysis12.4Testing or modelling12.5Remaining life assessment12.6Mitigation proposal12.7Monitoring plan12.8Conclusions of the corrosion study12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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, making it compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is CHECWORKS, OLI Studio, MULTEQ, Gamry Echem Analyst and Abaqus, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for autoclave corrosion testing, FAC assessment in piping and primary chemistry studies. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: EPRI PWR Primary Water Chemistry Guidelines, EPRI PWR Secondary Water Chemistry Guidelines, NUREG/CR-6909, ASME BPVC Section XI, ASTM G129, ISO 7539 and NUREG-1801 GALL Report.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with CHECWORKS, OLI Studio, MULTEQ, Gamry Echem Analyst and Abaqus, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme 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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