Course in Radioactive Waste Typology
300-hour online course in radioactive waste typology. 6 modules covering IAEA GSG-1 (classification of radioactive waste), IAEA GSR Part 5 (predisposal management of radioactive waste) and advanced Excel. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Radioactive Waste Typology — 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: £455 (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
Classify radioactive waste according to the IAEA GSG-1 scheme.
Identify the origins of waste in the nuclear fuel cycle, medicine and industry.
Describe the management routes for each type of waste.
Prepare basic radiological inventories.
Analyse the European and Spanish regulatory framework.
Compare temporary and final storage solutions.
Evaluate the ethical and social aspects of waste management.
Who it's for
- Radioactive waste management technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Radiological inventory analyst looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Nuclear regulation technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Environmental consultant looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Radiological protection technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Waste project manager looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter radioactive waste management.
What you'll work with
- IAEA GSG-1 (classification of radioactive waste)
- IAEA GSR Part 5 (predisposal management of radioactive waste)
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- Royal Decree 102/2014 (responsible management of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSR-5 (disposal of radioactive waste)
- Law 25/1964 on Nuclear Energy
- Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Where it comes from: fuel cycle, medicine, industry and research1.2Radionuclides of interest and their half-lives1.3Activity, specific activity and heat generation1.4Alpha, beta and gamma emitters: the problem each one poses1.5Solid, liquid and gaseous waste1.6Short-lived versus long-lived waste1.7NORM and TENORM materials1.8National waste inventory and orders of magnitude1.9Common sector vocabulary and documentation1.10Exercise: classify a list of real waste by origin
2.1Classification criteria: activity, half-life and heat2.2The IAEA scheme and its categories2.3The Spanish classification and very low-level waste2.4Comparison with other national systems2.5Clearance levels and conditional release2.6What each classification decision costs the project2.7Borderline cases and problematic waste2.8Mixed waste: radioactive and chemically hazardous2.9Disused sealed sources2.10Practice: assign a category to a batch using characterisation data
3.1Representative sampling and the most common errors3.2Gamma spectrometry and difficult-to-measure radionuclides3.3Scaling factors and key nuclides3.4Total alpha and total beta measurement3.5Non-destructive characterisation of packages3.6Measurement uncertainty and traceability3.7Waste declaration and acceptance by the waste operator3.8Chemical characterisation and material compatibility3.9Package registration, labelling and traceability3.10Practice: prepare the characterisation record for a drum
4.1Minimisation at source: the management that costs nothing4.2Segregation and decontamination4.3Compaction, incineration and melting4.4Treatment of liquid effluents4.5Immobilisation in cement, bitumen and glass4.6Waste matrix acceptance requirements4.7Containers: types, testing and service life4.8Quality control of the conditioned package4.9Temporary storage at the facility itself4.10Practice: choose the conditioning route for three waste streams
5.1Centralised temporary storage5.2Dry storage of spent fuel5.3Transport: package categories and documentation5.4Near-surface disposal for low and intermediate-level waste5.5The concept of deep geological disposal5.6Multiple barriers and long-term safety assessment5.7Post-closure monitoring and institutional memory5.8Regulatory framework and bodies involved5.9Costs, management funds and allocation of responsibility5.10Practice: trace the complete route of a waste item from its origin
6.1Choice of the producing facility6.2Inventory and characterisation of the waste streams6.3Classification and justification of each category6.4Minimisation and segregation plan6.5Proposed treatment and conditioning routes6.6Acceptance requirements and associated documentation6.7Estimate of waste management costs6.8Monitoring and control plan6.9Technical report6.10Defence of the project
How you'll learn
Fully 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 intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The software used is advanced Excel, Python (pandas), SCALE (ORIGEN), Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work covers real procedures for classifying waste streams, preparing radiological inventories, and case studies of national plans. Assessment is continuous across each 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.
Classify radioactive waste according to the IAEA GSG-1 scheme.
Identify the origins of waste in the nuclear fuel cycle, medicine and industry.
Describe the management routes for each type of waste.
Prepare basic radiological inventories.
Analyse the European and Spanish regulatory framework.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient command of 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 is 300 total hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with advanced Excel, Python (pandas), SCALE (ORIGEN), Power BI. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM's own diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
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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