Course in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection
Online 300-hour course in gamma, beta and alpha radiation detection. 6 modules covering ISO 11929 (decision threshold and detection limit), IEC 61526 (active personal dosimeters) and Genie 2000 (Mirion). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection — 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: £664 (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
Explain the interaction of alpha, beta and gamma radiation with matter.
Describe the operation of gas-filled detectors.
Compare scintillation detectors and their applications.
Analyse the performance of semiconductor detectors.
Process spectra using electronics and analysis software.
Calculate detection limits in accordance with ISO 11929.
Design a measurement system for a specific application.
Who it's for
- Nuclear instrumentation technician wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Spectrometry specialist wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Radioactivity laboratory technician wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Detector engineer wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Radiological protection technician wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Radiation physics researcher wishing to specialise in Gamma, Beta and Alpha Radiation Detection.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter nuclear power plants.
What you'll work with
- ISO 11929 (decision threshold and detection limit)
- IEC 61526 (active personal dosimeters)
- IEC 62327 (portable radionuclide identification instruments)
- ISO/IEC 17025 (competence of testing laboratories)
- ICRU Report 95 (operational quantities)
- ISO 7503 (measurement of surface contamination)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Alpha, beta and gamma decay1.2Stopping power and range of alphas1.3Electron interaction and bremsstrahlung1.4Photoelectric effect, Compton scattering and pair production1.5Attenuation coefficients1.6Activity, energy and decay schemes1.7Counting statistics and Poisson distribution1.8Natural background radiation1.9Detection efficiency and geometry1.10Workshop: calculation of gamma attenuation in lead
2.1Ionisation chamber2.2Proportional counter2.3Geiger-Müller counter2.4Dead time and correction2.5Alpha/beta gas-flow detectors2.6Surface contamination monitors2.7Area monitors2.8Chambers for dose measurement2.9Calibration of gas-filled detectors2.10Laboratory: plateau curve of a Geiger counter
3.1Inorganic scintillators NaI(Tl) and CsI3.2Organic and plastic scintillators3.3Photomultipliers and SiPMs3.4Liquid scintillation for beta3.5Pulse shape discrimination3.6LaBr3 and high resolution3.7Zinc sulphide for alpha3.8Applications in security portal monitors3.9Energy resolution3.10Practical: gamma spectrum of Cs-137 with NaI
4.1High-purity germanium (HPGe)4.2Silicon detectors for alpha4.3PIPS detectors4.4Room-temperature CdZnTe4.5Cooling and cryostats4.6Resolution and efficiency4.7Alpha spectrometry with thin sources4.8Alpha sample preparation4.9Radionuclide identification4.10Laboratory: gamma spectrometry with HPGe
5.1Preamplifiers and amplifiers5.2Multichannel analysers5.3Digital pulse processing5.4Energy and efficiency calibration5.5Peak and background analysis5.6Minimum detectable activity (MDA)5.7ISO 11929 characteristic limits5.8Genie, ISOCS and GammaVision software5.9ISO/IEC 17025 quality control5.10Case study: unknown environmental sample
6.1Definition of the application6.2Selection of detector type6.3Geometry and shielding design6.4Electronic chain6.5Calibration6.6MDA calculation6.7Measurement procedure6.8Uncertainty evaluation6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment window, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Genie 2000 (Mirion), GammaVision (ORTEC), Geant4, ROOT (CERN), Python (NumPy), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real gamma spectrometry procedures with HPGe, detector calibration with reference sources, and alpha and beta contamination measurement. 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 alpha, beta and gamma radiation with matter.
Describe the operation of gas-filled detectors.
Compare scintillation detectors and their applications.
Analyse the performance of semiconductor detectors.
Process spectra using electronics and analysis software.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- Sufficient Spanish-language level to follow the reading of 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 comprises 300 total hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with full-time work.
Work is carried out with Genie 2000 (Mirion), GammaVision (ORTEC), Geant4, ROOT (CERN), Python (NumPy). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM 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 recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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