Course in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA)
Online 300-hour course in the principles of radiological protection (ALARA). 6 modules covering ICRP Publication 103 (2007 Recommendations), ICRP Publication 101b (optimisation of protection) and MicroShield. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA) — 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: £373 (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 physical and biological foundations of radiological protection.
Describe the protection system based on justification, optimisation and limitation.
Apply the ALARA principle to the planning of work involving exposure.
Control contamination and select personal protective equipment.
Use cost-benefit analysis and dose constraints in optimisation.
Implement an ALARA programme and foster a culture of protection.
Develop an integrative project on optimising work involving exposure.
Who it's for
- Radiological protection technician looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- ALARA coordinator looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- Supervisor of work in controlled areas looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- Dosimetry technician looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- Occupational health and safety manager looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- Consultant in protection optimisation looking to specialise in Principles of Radiological Protection (ALARA).
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter the nuclear industry.
What you'll work with
- ICRP Publication 103 (2007 Recommendations)
- ICRP Publication 101b (optimisation of protection)
- IAEA GSR Part 3 (radiation protection)
- IAEA GSG-7 (occupational radiation protection)
- Directive 2013/59/Euratom (basic safety standards)
- ISO 15382 (dose monitoring for the lens of the eye, skin and extremities)
- Royal Decree 1029/2022 (protection against ionising radiation)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Types of ionising radiation and their interaction with matter1.2Range and penetration power of alpha, beta, gamma and neutron radiation1.3Activity, half-life and decay1.4Absorbed dose, equivalent dose and effective dose1.5Radiation and tissue weighting factors1.6Deterministic and stochastic effects1.7Thresholds for acute effects1.8Low-dose risk model1.9Orders of magnitude of dose in everyday life1.10Exercise: convert and compare real doses
2.1Justification of the practice2.2Optimisation of protection: the ALARA principle2.3Individual dose limitation2.4Dose constraints and reference levels2.5Planned, existing and emergency exposure situations2.6Classification of workers and areas2.7Protection of the public and the environment2.8Protection during pregnancy2.9Responsibilities of the licence holder and the worker2.10Practical: apply the three principles to a case
3.1Time, distance and shielding as basic tools3.2Calculation of dose rate and accumulated dose3.3Inverse-square law and its limits3.4Shielding calculations using attenuation layers3.5Choice of shielding materials according to the radiation3.6Workstation design and ergonomics3.7Remote tools and automation3.8Advance work planning and mock-up trials3.9Collective dose as an optimisation indicator3.10Practical: optimise a task by reducing dose
4.1Difference between irradiation and contamination4.2Fixed and non-fixed surface contamination4.3Internal contamination: routes of intake4.4Containment barriers and differential pressures4.5Personal protective equipment and its limitations4.6Correct sequence for donning and doffing4.7Access control and changing facilities4.8Decontamination of persons and surfaces4.9Management of waste generated4.10Practical: simulated work in a contaminated area
5.1Elements of an optimisation programme5.2ALARA committee and how it operates5.3Dose objectives and monitoring5.4Prior analysis of high-dose work5.5Post-job review and lessons learned5.6Radiological performance indicators5.7Staff training and awareness5.8Optimisation versus cost: decision criteria5.9Programme documentation5.10Practical: design an ALARA programme for a unit
6.1Selection of the facility and the task to be optimised6.2Baseline radiological characterisation6.3Dose estimation using the current method6.4Identification of improvement opportunities6.5Technical and organisational proposal6.6Dose estimation after improvement6.7Cost and feasibility analysis6.8Revised work procedure6.9Optimisation report6.10Defence of the work
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, 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 MicroShield, RadPro Calculator, advanced Excel (ALARA planning), NEA ISOE Database, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The case studies are based on real ALARA planning procedures for work in controlled areas, cost-benefit analysis of protection measures, and refuelling outage case studies. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the physical and biological foundations of radiological protection.
Describe the protection system based on justification, optimisation and limitation.
Apply the ALARA principle to the planning of work involving exposure.
Control contamination and select personal protective equipment.
Use cost-benefit analysis and dose constraints in optimisation.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No previous qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme’s software.
- Sufficient 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 between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with MicroShield, RadPro Calculator, advanced Excel (ALARA planning) and the NEA ISOE Database. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor will indicate the open-source alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM in-house diploma on passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It 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 advanced programme. Please check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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