Diploma in Experimental Fuel Testing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in experimental fuel testing. 8 modules covering test reactor programmes, fabrication and characterisation, in-reactor instrumentation, RIA and LOCA testing, out-of-pile tests and accident-tolerant fuels under NUREG-0800 Section 4.2, 10 CFR 50.46 and Regulatory Guide 1.236, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Experimental Fuel Testing — studying from Canada
Canada's defence sector is centred on procurement and sustainment through the Department of National Defence and Defence Research and Development Canada. Industrial activity spans land vehicles, naval systems, avionics and electronics, with firms in Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Companies such as General Dynamics Land Systems Canada and Lockheed Martin Canada are notable employers, alongside a broad base of small and medium suppliers. Engineers work on systems integration, vehicle protection, logistics and sustainment, operating within strict security and export control frameworks.
Fees for Canada: C$2,010 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Which Canadian bodies or processes govern defence engineering recognition?
Defence engineering in Canada often involves government procurement and security clearances, and engineers typically hold provincial Professional Engineer licences where a title is required. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not official state degrees or accredited by a national body, so they do not confer licensing or clearance. Recognition is for employers or the relevant body to decide, so verify this first.
Would Canadian defence or land systems employers accept this training?
Canadian defence employers and contractors generally rely on security clearance, licensing and demonstrated experience. A private qualification may support your application, but it is unlikely to replace those requirements, and its acceptance is up to each employer. A SEIUM final project can help show applied skill, so discuss expectations with prospective employers early.
Can I study remotely while working, and what are the costs and language demands?
Yes, the programmes are fully online, so you can study from Canada or elsewhere without a student visa, and fit sessions around work. Specialist courses are 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. Teaching is in English, supported by an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be available.
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 fuel test programmes and test reactors.
Characterise pellets and rods before irradiation.
Select suitable instrumentation for in-reactor tests.
Interpret reactivity insertion tests.
Analyse loss-of-coolant and quench tests.
Plan complementary out-of-pile tests.
Design qualification strategies for advanced fuels.
Who it's for
- Nuclear experimental engineers.
- Fuel researchers.
- Nuclear instrumentation technicians.
- Fuel qualification engineers.
- Experimental data analysts.
- Reactor safety specialists.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to work in nuclear research centres.
What you'll work with
- NUREG-0800 Section 4.2 (NRC standard review plan for fuel system design)
- 10 CFR 50.46 (acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems)
- Regulatory Guide 1.236 (PWR control rod ejection and BWR control rod drop accidents)
- ASTM C776 (sintered UO2 pellets for light water reactors)
- ASTM B811 (wrought zirconium alloy seamless tubes for fuel cladding)
- ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (competence of testing and calibration laboratories)
- FRAPCON
- FRAPTRAN
- TRANSURANUS
- MATLAB
- ImageJ
8 modules
1.1Objectives of experimentation1.2Halden, ATR and BR2 test reactors1.3Jules Horowitz Reactor1.4Integral and separate-effects tests1.5Qualification of new fuel1.6Design of experiments1.7Safety of experiments1.8OECD/NEA joint projects1.9IFPE database1.10Practical exercise: analysis of a Halden experiment
2.1Sintering of UO2 pellets2.2Density and porosity2.3Microstructure and grain size2.4Oxygen-to-metal ratio2.5Surface roughness2.6Dimensional control2.7Fabrication defects2.8End plug welding2.9Fuel rod inspection2.10Laboratory: density by the Archimedes method
3.1High-temperature thermocouples3.2LVDT transducers for pressure and elongation3.3Neutron flux measurement3.4Self-powered detectors3.5Fibre-optic sensors3.6Ultrasonic transducers3.7Sensor calibration3.8Irradiation-induced degradation3.9Data acquisition3.10Workshop: selection of instrumentation for a capsule
4.1Phenomenology of the RIA accident4.2NSRR reactor4.3CABRI reactor and its international programme4.4TREAT facility4.5Failure thresholds4.6Deposited energy4.7Pellet-cladding mechanical interaction4.8Interpretation of results4.9Development of regulatory criteria4.10Case study: data from a CABRI test
5.1LOCA phenomenology5.2Cladding ballooning and burst5.3High-temperature oxidation5.4Fragmentation, relocation and dispersal5.5LOCA tests at Halden5.6Argonne out-of-pile tests5.7Quench tests5.8Residual ductility5.9Acceptance criteria5.10Case study: interpretation of a quench test
6.1Corrosion autoclaves6.2Cladding creep tests6.3Burst tests6.4Grid tests6.5Thermal-hydraulic loops6.6Critical heat flux measurement6.7Fretting tests6.8Handling tests6.9Model validation6.10Laboratory: cladding burst test
7.1Chromium-coated cladding7.2FeCrAl cladding7.3SiC/SiC cladding7.4Chromium-doped pellets7.5Uranium silicide7.6TRISO particles7.7Metallic fuels7.8International ATF programmes7.9Qualification strategy7.10Case study: qualification plan for a coated cladding
8.1Objective of the experiment8.2Review of previous experiments8.3Specimen design8.4Instrumentation8.5Irradiation or test conditions8.6Safety analysis8.7Post-irradiation examination plan8.8Use of results in models8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme 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 the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is FRAPCON, FRAPTRAN, TRANSURANUS, MATLAB and ImageJ, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for instrumented irradiation in test reactors, transient tests in pulsed reactors and out-of-pile oxidation and quench tests. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: NUREG-0800 Section 4.2, 10 CFR 50.46, Regulatory Guide 1.236, ASTM C776, ASTM B811, ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
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 able to run 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 FRAPCON, FRAPTRAN, TRANSURANUS, MATLAB and ImageJ, 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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