Diploma in Accident-Tolerant Fuels (ATF)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in accident-tolerant fuels (ATF), structured in 8 modules covering the rationale for ATF, coated, FeCrAl and SiC cladding, advanced pellets, accident behaviour, fuel performance simulation and licensing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Accident-Tolerant Fuels (ATF) — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom maintains a substantial defence industry, with prime contractors such as BAE Systems and Babcock, and a wide supply chain across the Midlands, the North West, Bristol and Scotland. Land systems, armoured vehicles, munitions and military engineering programmes provide long-term employment for engineers in design, integration, test and sustainment. The Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory oversee procurement and research. Security clearance requirements shape recruitment, and professional standards are maintained through UK defence engineering frameworks.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £1,070 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies and regulators are relevant to defence and military land systems engineering?
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence sets its own engineering standards and the Engineering Council regulates professional registration. Professional bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Royal Engineers' professional structures are relevant. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so recognition for security-cleared or MOD roles is decided by the employer and the relevant authority.
Will a private qualification help with UK defence industry careers?
UK defence employers, including primes and suppliers, often prioritise security clearance eligibility, relevant experience and formal qualifications recognised by the MOD or industry bodies. A private qualification may support your profile but is unlikely to replace these requirements. Ask prospective employers how they would assess it before enrolling.
Is it practical to study this online while working in the UK, and what about language and funding?
Online study means you can continue working in the UK, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Teaching is in English, so good technical English is essential. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers offer training sponsorship, though policies vary. Each programme has a fixed number of hours and an assigned technical tutor. Confirm the workload and costs before enrolling.
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
Understand the rationale and objectives of accident-tolerant fuels.
Evaluate chromium-coated cladding.
Analyse FeCrAl and SiC cladding concepts.
Assess advanced pellets and their properties.
Study the accident behaviour of the new fuels.
Simulate their behaviour with specialised codes.
Plan licensing and industrial deployment.
Who it's for
- Nuclear fuel engineers.
- Researchers in advanced materials.
- Reactor safety analysts.
- Licensing engineers.
- Fuel performance simulation specialists.
- Nuclear manufacturing engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into nuclear fuel manufacturing.
What you'll work with
- 10 CFR 50.46 (acceptance criteria for emergency core cooling systems)
- NUREG-0800 Section 4.2 (NRC Standard Review Plan for fuel system design)
- Regulatory Guide 1.236 (pellet-cladding interaction and fuel acceptance criteria)
- ASTM B811 (wrought zirconium alloy seamless tubes for nuclear fuel cladding)
- ASTM C776 (sintered uranium dioxide pellets)
- BISON
- FRAPCON
- MELCOR
- TRACE
- Serpent
8 modules
1.1Lessons from the Fukushima accident1.2High-temperature zirconium oxidation1.3Hydrogen generation1.4Objectives of ATF fuels1.5DOE and OECD/NEA programmes1.6Safety margins1.7Evaluation criteria1.8Economic impact1.9Deployment timeline1.10Practical exercise: calculation of hydrogen from oxidation
2.1Chromium coatings on zirconium2.2Physical vapour deposition2.3Cold spray2.4Coating adhesion2.5Steam oxidation2.6Cr-Zr interdiffusion2.7Behaviour under LOCA2.8Fretting wear2.9Industrial manufacturing2.10Laboratory: steam oxidation of coupons
3.1Composition of FeCrAl alloys3.2Neutronic penalty3.3Tritium permeation3.4SiC/SiC composites3.5Hermeticity3.6Joints and end plugs3.7Behaviour under irradiation3.8Tube manufacturing3.9Comparison of concepts3.10Case study: neutronic penalty of FeCrAl
4.1Chromia-doped pellets4.2Uranium silicide4.3Uranium nitride4.4High uranium density4.5Thermal conductivity4.6Fission gas retention4.7Compatibility with water4.8Manufacturing4.9Behaviour under irradiation4.10Workshop: comparison of pellet properties
5.1Loss-of-coolant accident5.2Reactivity-initiated accident5.3Station blackout5.4Coping time5.5Hydrogen production5.6Ballooning5.7Fragmentation, relocation and dispersal5.8Accident modelling5.9Experimental data5.10Case study: coping time in a station blackout
6.1The BISON code6.2FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN6.3The MELCOR code6.4The TRACE code6.5Material properties6.6Validation6.7Uncertainty6.8Multiphysics coupling6.9International benchmarks6.10Practical exercise: simulation of a coated fuel rod
7.1NRC ATF project plan7.2Lead test rods and assemblies7.3Experience at Vogtle and Hatch7.4Burnup extension7.5Enrichment above 5%7.6Revision of criteria7.7Manufacturing supply chain7.8Economic analysis7.9CSN oversight7.10Case study: lead test rod insertion plan
8.1Concept selection8.2Plant requirements8.3Materials analysis8.4Normal operation behaviour8.5Accident behaviour8.6Neutronic impact8.7Licensing pathway8.8Economic assessment8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is BISON, FRAPCON, MELCOR, TRACE and Serpent, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: high-temperature steam oxidation tests, irradiation of lead test rods and simulation of loss-of-coolant accidents. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: 10 CFR 50.46, NUREG-0800 Section 4.2, Regulatory Guide 1.236, ASTM B811, ASTM C776.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read 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 totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with BISON, FRAPCON, MELCOR, TRACE and Serpent, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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