Course in Radiological Shielding Technology
Online 300-hour course in radiological shielding technology. 6 modules covering NCRP Report 147 (shielding of X-ray facilities), NCRP Report 151 (shielding of megavoltage facilities) and MicroShield. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Radiological Shielding Technology — studying from New Zealand
New Zealand has no nuclear power generation, and its nuclear-related activity is limited to research, isotope applications and the regulation of imported radioactive materials. The country maintains a firm policy position against nuclear power under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987. Relevant professional roles mainly involve radiation protection, medical and industrial applications, and international safeguards cooperation, overseen by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Health.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,580 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Does New Zealand have nuclear engineering registration or recognition?
New Zealand has no domestic nuclear power industry, and its nuclear-related activity is regulated mainly through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for the Environment under the Radiation Protection framework. Engineering New Zealand is the general professional body. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their recognition is for employers to decide.
Where could nuclear-related engineering skills be used in New Zealand?
Relevant work in New Zealand is limited and mostly found in research, radiation safety, medical physics, and the handling of radioactive materials in industry and health. Employers in these areas generally require specific accredited training and licensing. A private qualification alone is unlikely to satisfy those requirements.
Can I study this from New Zealand without relocating?
Yes. The course is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from New Zealand and no student visa is needed. Specialist courses total 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is 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
Explain the interaction of photons and neutrons with matter.
Calculate shielding using attenuation methods and buildup factors.
Select shielding materials for gamma and neutron radiation.
Design radiotherapy bunker shielding in accordance with NCRP 151.
Apply point-kernel and Monte Carlo codes.
Evaluate leakage and weak points in shielding.
Prepare a shielding study for a typical facility.
Who it's for
- Shielding engineer who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Radiation physicist who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Radiation protection technician who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Design engineer for radioactive facilities who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Radiological safety consultant who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Shielding materials engineer who wants to specialise in Radiological Shielding Technology.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter the nuclear industry.
What you'll work with
- NCRP Report 147 (shielding of X-ray facilities)
- NCRP Report 151 (shielding of megavoltage facilities)
- IAEA Safety Reports Series No. 47 (design of radiotherapy facilities)
- ANSI/ANS-6.4 (concrete shielding)
- ANSI/ANS-6.4.3 (gamma attenuation coefficients)
- IEC 61331 (protective devices against X-ray radiation)
- Royal Decree 1029/2022 (protection of health against ionising radiation)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What is shielded and against what: photons, neutrons and charged particles1.2Exponential attenuation and the linear attenuation coefficient1.3Half-value layer and tenth-value layer1.4Buildup factor and why simple calculation falls short1.5Source geometry: point, line and area sources1.6Inverse square law: distance as the first shield1.7Time, distance and shielding as the protection triad1.8Reference quantities for design1.9Dose criteria in occupied and unoccupied areas1.10Exercise: calculate the thickness required for a point source
2.1Lead: properties, commercial formats and limitations2.2Ordinary concrete and barytes concrete2.3Steel, tungsten and high-density materials2.4Borated polyethylene and neutron moderation2.5Leaded glass and transparent screens2.6Composite materials and lead-free alternatives2.7Fire behaviour and structural requirements2.8Ageing, fatigue and shielding maintenance2.9Cost, weight and constructional feasibility2.10Practice: compare three solutions for the same requirement
3.1Workload, use factor and occupancy factor3.2Primary barriers and secondary barriers3.3Scatter radiation and leakage radiation3.4Calculation methods and reference standards3.5Doors, service penetrations and weak points3.6Diagnostic radiology, CT and interventional radiology rooms3.7Mobile equipment and non-conventional rooms3.8Experimental verification of installed shielding3.9Calculation documentation for the competent authority3.10Practice: design the shielding of a diagnostic radiology room
4.1Particularities of unsealed sources4.2Gamma scintigraphy, PET and why they demand different things4.3Shielding for gamma cameras, hot cells and containers4.4Patient wards for treated patients4.5Radiotherapy bunkers: geometry and maze4.6Neutron production in high-energy accelerators4.7Activation of materials and their subsequent management4.8Brachytherapy and high dose-rate sources4.9Shielded doors, interlocks and safety systems4.10Practice: size the maze of a bunker
5.1Industrial radiography and irradiation enclosures5.2In-process nuclear measurement equipment5.3Irradiators and sterilisation plants5.4Transport containers and package categories5.5Temporary stores and holding areas5.6Signage, zone classification and access control5.7Radiological monitoring of the facility's surroundings5.8Decommissioning and removal of activated shielding5.9Management of lead and contaminated material5.10Practice: assess an existing radiography enclosure
6.1Definition of the facility and its sources6.2Design criteria and adopted dose limits6.3Barrier calculation and material selection6.4Plans and constructional details of the shielding6.5Budget and evaluated alternatives6.6Verification plan after construction6.7Documentation for licensing and for the authority6.8Shielding maintenance plan6.9Technical report6.10Project defence
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded lessons and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MicroShield, MCNP, QAD-CGGP, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The assignments are based on real procedures for calculating shielding thicknesses, verifying radiation levels and selecting shielding materials. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the interaction of photons and neutrons with matter.
Calculate shielding using attenuation methods and buildup factors.
Select shielding materials for gamma and neutron radiation.
Design radiotherapy bunker shielding according to NCRP 151.
Apply point-kernel and Monte Carlo codes.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses MicroShield, MCNP, QAD-CGGP and advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. This is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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