Diploma in Decommissioning Planning Strategies
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in decommissioning planning strategies, structured in 8 modules covering decommissioning strategies, initial planning, radiological characterisation, activity sequencing, waste and materials planning, digital planning tools and project organisation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Decommissioning Planning Strategies — 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: £1,490 (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
Compare decommissioning strategies.
Prepare decommissioning plans.
Plan radiological characterisation.
Sequence project activities.
Plan waste and materials management.
Use digital planning tools.
Organise the management of a decommissioning project.
Who it's for
- Decommissioning planners
- Nuclear project engineers
- Radiological characterisation technicians
- Waste managers
- Radiation protection technicians
- Decommissioning project managers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into nuclear decommissioning
What you'll work with
- IAEA GSR Part 6 (general safety requirements for decommissioning of facilities)
- IAEA SSG-47 (decommissioning of nuclear power plants, research reactors and other fuel cycle facilities)
- IAEA SSG-49 (decommissioning of medical, industrial and research facilities)
- Royal Decree 1836/1999 – RINR (Spanish regulation on nuclear and radioactive facilities)
- Directive 2013/59/Euratom (EU basic safety standards for radiation protection)
- WENRA Decommissioning Safety Reference Levels (European regulators’ safety reference levels)
- CSN Instruction IS-11 (Spanish Nuclear Safety Council instruction)
- Oracle Primavera P6
- VRdose
- MicroShield
- Autodesk Navisworks
- MCNP
8 modules
1.1Immediate dismantling strategy1.2Deferred dismantling strategy1.3Entombment (in situ confinement)1.4Strategy selection criteria1.5End state of the site1.6Release from regulatory control1.7International decommissioning experience1.8Decommissioning in Spain1.9Lessons from completed projects1.10Case study: the strategy for the Garoña nuclear power plant
2.1Decommissioning plan from the design stage2.2Initial radiological characterisation2.3Inventory of materials and waste2.4Study of alternatives2.5Waste management plan2.6Resource planning2.7Project schedule2.8Interface management2.9Licensing documentation2.10Practical exercise: structure of a decommissioning plan
3.1Characterisation objectives3.2Sampling and in situ measurements3.3Gamma spectrometry measurements3.4Activation calculations3.5Radionuclide vectors3.6Producing radiological maps3.7Characterisation databases3.8Soil characterisation3.9Final radiological characterisation3.10Laboratory: calculating radionuclide vectors
4.1Transition phase after shutdown4.2Fuel offloading4.3System decontamination4.4Component dismantling4.5Reactor vessel segmentation4.6Building demolition4.7Site remediation4.8Project critical path4.9Sequence optimisation4.10Practical exercise: dismantling sequence for a circuit
5.1Classification of materials5.2Clearance strategy5.3Waste minimisation5.4Metal recycling5.5Storage capacity5.6Waste logistics5.7Waste acceptance criteria5.8Material traceability5.9Waste balance5.10Workshop: materials balance for a project
6.1Planning with Primavera P66.23D models and BIM6.3Virtual reality for planning6.4Dose simulation6.5Information management6.6Digital twins for decommissioning6.7Project risk management6.8Progress indicators6.9Lessons-learned register6.10Laboratory: dose simulation in a virtual environment
7.1The licensee’s organisation7.2Transition of operating staff7.3Knowledge management7.4Selection of specialist contractors7.5Safety culture7.6Operational radiation protection7.7Stakeholder communication7.8Relationship with the regulator7.9Change control7.10Case study: transition from operation to decommissioning
8.1Selection of the facility8.2Analysis of strategies8.3Preliminary radiological characterisation8.4Sequence of activities8.5Waste plan8.6Schedule and resources8.7Planning conclusions8.8Identified project risks8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits alongside your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. You work with Oracle Primavera P6, VRdose, MicroShield, Autodesk Navisworks and MCNP in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for radiological characterisation campaigns, dose simulations of work activities and analyses of strategy alternatives. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final capstone project.
Standards covered: IAEA GSR Part 6, IAEA SSG-47, IAEA SSG-49, Royal Decree 1836/1999 (RINR), Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, WENRA Decommissioning Safety Reference Levels, CSN Instruction IS-11.
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 Oracle Primavera P6, VRdose, MicroShield, Autodesk Navisworks and MCNP, 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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