Diploma in Radioactive Material Cask Design
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in radioactive material cask design, structured in 8 modules covering cask functions, regulatory design requirements, shielding, criticality, thermal and structural analysis, and fabrication and ageing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Radioactive Material Cask Design — studying from Canada
Canada is a global leader in nuclear technology, most notably through CANDU reactor design and the development of medical isotopes. Ontario operates the largest nuclear fleet in the country, with major facilities at Pickering, Darlington and Bruce, while Atomic Energy of Canada Limited leads reactor research at Chalk River. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates all nuclear activity. Engineers work on reactor design, fuel cycle technologies, decommissioning and radiation protection.
Fees for Canada: C$2,330 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Is this programme recognised by professional bodies in Canada for nuclear engineering?
SEIUM's qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and carry no national accreditation in Canada. Nuclear activities are regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and professional engineering titles are provincially regulated. Nuclear roles often require specific licences or clearances, which a private qualification does not provide. Confirm with employers or the regulator.
Could this qualification help with nuclear career opportunities in Canada?
Canadian nuclear operators, utilities, fuel cycle firms and regulators' supplier networks employ engineers, but they set their own criteria. Many nuclear roles prioritise experience, security clearances and regulator-recognised training. The programme can add technical depth to your profile, but it does not guarantee entry or advancement in this tightly regulated field.
Can I study this online from Canada, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, and no student visa is required if you study from home. Specialist courses are 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and you receive an assigned technical tutor for guidance.
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 safety functions of casks.
Apply the regulatory design requirements for packages.
Carry out shielding analyses.
Carry out criticality analyses.
Analyse the thermal behaviour of the cask.
Assess structural behaviour under regulatory tests.
Manage cask fabrication and ageing.
Who it's for
- Cask design engineers
- Shielding analysts
- Criticality analysts
- Nuclear structural engineers
- Licensing engineers
- Nuclear quality technicians
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into nuclear equipment manufacturing
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSR-6 (regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material)
- 10 CFR Part 71 (US NRC packaging and transport of radioactive material)
- 10 CFR Part 72 (US NRC independent storage of spent fuel)
- IAEA SSG-26 (advisory material for the IAEA transport regulations)
- ISO 7195 (packaging of uranium hexafluoride for transport)
- NUREG-2215 (standard review plan for spent fuel dry storage systems)
- ANSI N14.5 (leakage tests on packages for radioactive materials)
- ISO 12807 (leakage testing on packages)
- MCNP
- SCALE
- ANSYS Mechanical
- LS-DYNA
- ANSYS Fluent
8 modules
1.1Containment functions1.2Radiation shielding1.3Criticality control1.4Decay heat removal1.5Transport and storage casks1.6Dual-purpose casks1.7Type A, B and C packages1.8Low-level waste containers1.9Examples of international designs1.10Case study: analysis of a dual-purpose cask
2.1IAEA SSR-6 Regulations2.2Requirements for Type B packages2.3Requirements for fissile packages2.4Dry storage requirements2.510 CFR Part 712.610 CFR Part 722.7Design approval by the competent authority2.8Design safety case2.9Design quality assurance2.10Workshop: requirements matrix for a Type B package
3.1Gamma and neutron radiation sources3.2Spent fuel source terms3.3Shielding materials3.4Dose rate calculation3.5Monte Carlo methods for shielding3.6The MCNP code in shielding3.7Shielding optimisation3.8Dose rate limits3.9Experimental validation of shielding3.10Laboratory: shielding calculation with MCNP
4.1Physics of nuclear criticality4.2Effective multiplication factor4.3Use of neutron absorbers4.4Burnup credit4.5Moderation conditions4.6Calculations with SCALE4.7Subcriticality margins4.8Validation against critical experiments4.9Accident scenarios4.10Practical exercise: keff calculation for a fuel basket
5.1Fuel decay heat5.2Heat transfer within the cask5.3Natural convection and radiation5.4Cladding temperature limits5.5800 °C fire analysis5.6Thermal finite element models5.7CFD simulation of the cask5.8Storage in concrete modules5.9Thermal validation tests5.10Laboratory: thermal analysis with ANSYS
6.19-metre free drop test6.2Puncture test6.3Immersion test6.4Finite element impact analysis6.5Impact limiters6.6Structural materials and ductile cast iron6.7Closures and seals6.8Scale model testing6.9Design certification6.10Practical exercise: drop simulation with LS-DYNA
7.1Cask fabrication7.2Quality control in fabrication7.3Pool loading operations7.4Drying and helium backfilling7.5Inspection and surveillance in storage7.6Ageing management7.7Extended dry storage7.8Transport after storage7.9Operating lessons learned7.10Case study: ageing management programme
8.1Definition of the contents8.2Design requirements8.3Conceptual design of the cask8.4Shielding analysis8.5Criticality analysis8.6Thermal and structural analysis8.7Design conclusions8.8Safety case8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online 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 it fits alongside your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. You work with MCNP, SCALE, ANSYS Mechanical, LS-DYNA and ANSYS Fluent in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for drop and impact tests, shielding and criticality analyses and thermal analyses under fire conditions. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final capstone project.
Standards covered: IAEA SSR-6, 10 CFR Part 71, 10 CFR Part 72, IAEA SSG-26, ISO 7195, NUREG-2215, ANSI N14.5, ISO 12807.
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 MCNP, SCALE, ANSYS Mechanical, LS-DYNA and ANSYS Fluent, 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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