Course in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories
Online 300-hour course in academic management of irradiation laboratories. 6 modules covering OIEA SSG-8 (radiation safety of gamma, electron and X-ray irradiation facilities), Royal Decree 1836/1999 (regulation of nuclear and radioactive facilities) and MCNP. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has a long history in nuclear engineering and maintains a substantial sector spanning reactor operation, decommissioning, fuel cycle and new build projects. Sites at Sellafield, Hinkley Point, Dounreay and Harwell host work on fuel cycle, waste management and advanced reactor technology. Organisations such as the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, EDF, Rolls-Royce SMR and Urenco UK employ engineers in design, safety and operations. Nuclear activities are overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, which sets strict safety and security requirements.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £619 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK regulators and bodies govern nuclear engineering, and how do they treat private training?
The Office for Nuclear Regulation regulates nuclear safety in the UK, and the Nuclear Institute is the main professional body. Competence requirements for licensed sites are set by the operator and regulator. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and not accredited by any national body, so they carry no regulatory standing and recognition is at the discretion of employers and the Nuclear Institute.
Do UK nuclear operators and fuel cycle employers hire people with private online qualifications?
UK nuclear employers typically require security clearance, specific competence assessments and qualifications recognised within the industry. A private online qualification may add to your profile but is unlikely to replace formal requirements. Employers decide its value, so check the entry criteria for roles you want before investing in the programme.
How intensive is the programme, and can I fund it through employer sponsorship in the UK?
Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours, all online in English with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments. Employer sponsorship is possible, and many UK nuclear employers run their own training schemes, so ask whether your employer would fund this specifically.
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
Describe the types of irradiation laboratories and facilities.
Interpret the authorisation regime for radioactive facilities.
Apply operational radiation protection in the laboratory.
Ensure the dosimetry and quality of irradiations.
Organise academic management, user management and access to the service.
Implement a quality system in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025.
Draft a management plan for an irradiation laboratory.
Who it's for
- Irradiation laboratory manager who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Radioactive facility supervisor who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Dosimetry specialist who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Laboratory quality technician who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Scientific and technical services manager who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Researcher in radiation effects who wants to specialise in Academic Management of Irradiation Laboratories.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter universities.
What you'll work with
- OIEA SSG-8 (radiation safety of gamma, electron and X-ray irradiation facilities)
- Royal Decree 1836/1999 (regulation of nuclear and radioactive facilities)
- Royal Decree 1029/2022 (protection of health against ionising radiation)
- ISO/ASTM 51702 (dosimetry in gamma irradiation facilities)
- ISO/ASTM 51261 (selection and calibration of dosimetry systems)
- ISO/IEC 17025 (competence of testing and calibration laboratories)
- ISO 11137-1 (sterilisation by radiation)
- IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Types: gamma sources, accelerators and reactors1.2Co-60 and Cs-137 irradiators1.3Electron and ion accelerators1.4Research reactors: TRIGA and BR21.5Spallation neutron sources1.6Applications: materials, biology and electronics1.7Radiation hardness testing1.8European networks: RADIATE and ARIEL1.9Facility lifecycle1.10Case study: profile of a university irradiation laboratory
2.1Directive 2013/59/Euratom2.2Regulation of nuclear and radioactive facilities2.3Authorisation of radioactive facilities2.4Licensed supervisor and operator2.5Radiation protection service2.6Physical security of high-activity sources2.7HASS sources directive2.8Regulatory inspections2.9Event notification2.10Practice: preparing authorisation documentation
3.1Classification of areas and workers3.2Personal and area dosimetry3.3Shielding and access control3.4Interlocks and safety systems3.5Entry procedures for the irradiation room3.6Management of activated samples3.7Laboratory radioactive waste3.8Internal emergency plan3.9Training of staff and users3.10Laboratory: shielding calculation for a gamma irradiation room
4.1Reference dosimetry: Fricke and alanine4.2Radiochromic films4.3Ionisation chambers and calibration4.4Dose uniformity and mapping4.5Metrological traceability4.6ISO/IEC 17025 in testing laboratories4.7Standards ISO/ASTM 51702 and 512614.8Uncertainty of the delivered dose4.9Irradiation records and certificates4.10Case study: dose mapping in an irradiator
5.1Access model: internal, external and transnational5.2Calls for proposals and evaluation5.3Beam time allocation5.4Fees and cost recovery5.5Industry contracts5.6Data management and publications5.7Insurance and civil liability5.8Scientific productivity indicators5.9Maintenance and renewal plan5.10Workshop: designing a user access procedure
6.1Definition of the facility and its mission6.2Regulatory requirements6.3Radiation protection plan6.4Quality system and dosimetry6.5Access model and fees6.6Economic and maintenance plan6.7Management indicators6.8Plan synthesis6.9Report and presentation6.10Final 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: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MCNP, MicroShield, FilmQA Pro, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies cover real dose mapping procedures for an irradiation chamber, auditing of a quality management system, and planning of irradiation campaigns. Assessment is continuous, module by 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.
Describe the types of irradiation laboratories and facilities.
Interpret the authorisation regime for radioactive facilities.
Apply operational radiation protection in the laboratory.
Ensure the dosimetry and quality of irradiations.
Organise academic management, user management and access to the service.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The course works with MCNP, MicroShield, FilmQA Pro 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 qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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