Diploma in Neutronic-Thermal Modelling of Advanced Fuels
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in neutronic-thermal modelling of advanced fuels. 8 modules covering reactor neutronics, deterministic and Monte Carlo methods, thermal-hydraulic coupling, advanced fuels and reactors, uncertainty quantification and licensing of methods under NUREG-0800 Sections 4.3 and 4.4 and Regulatory Guide 1.203, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Neutronic-Thermal Modelling of Advanced Fuels — 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: £910 (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
Solve neutron transport problems with deterministic and Monte Carlo methods.
Generate homogenised cross sections for core calculations.
Couple neutronic and thermal-hydraulic models.
Assess the behaviour of advanced fuels.
Analyse the characteristics of advanced reactors.
Quantify uncertainties and validate models.
Understand the licensing requirements for calculation methods.
Who it's for
- Reactor physics engineers.
- Nuclear safety analysts.
- Multiphysics simulation specialists.
- Core design engineers.
- Advanced reactor researchers.
- Nuclear code developers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter nuclear engineering.
What you'll work with
- NUREG-0800 Section 4.3 (NRC standard review plan for nuclear design)
- NUREG-0800 Section 4.4 (NRC standard review plan for thermal and hydraulic design)
- Regulatory Guide 1.203 (transient and accident analysis methods, EMDAP)
- ASME NQA-1 (quality assurance requirements for nuclear facilities)
- IAEA SSG-52 (design of the reactor core for nuclear power plants)
- ANSI/ANS-19.6.1 (reload startup physics tests for PWRs)
- OpenMC
- Serpent
- MCNP
- CASMO/SIMULATE
- MOOSE
8 modules
1.1Neutron transport equation1.2Diffusion approximation1.3Cross sections and resonances1.4ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3 libraries1.5Self-shielding1.6Thermal and fast spectra1.7Reactivity and coefficients1.8Isotopic evolution and burnup1.9Fission poisons1.10Practical exercise: cell calculation with OpenMC
2.1Method of characteristics2.2Discrete ordinates2.3Nodal methods2.4Continuous-energy Monte Carlo2.5Variance reduction2.6Serpent, OpenMC and MCNP2.7CASMO-SIMULATE code chain2.8Cross-section homogenisation2.9Discontinuity factors2.10Laboratory: Serpent versus deterministic calculation
3.1Conservation equations3.2Subchannel models3.3CTF code3.4Doppler and moderator feedback3.5Picard iteration3.6MOOSE multiphysics framework3.7Coupled transients3.8Convergence criteria3.9Validation of the coupling3.10Workshop: simplified neutronic-thermal coupling
4.1Accident-tolerant fuels4.2Uranium silicide4.3Uranium nitride4.4Doped pellets4.5TRISO particles4.6U-Zr metallic alloys4.7MOX fuel4.8HALEU uranium4.9Thermophysical properties4.10Case study: neutronic impact of FeCrAl cladding
5.1Small modular reactors5.2High-temperature reactors5.3Sodium-cooled fast reactors5.4Lead-cooled fast reactors5.5Molten salt reactors5.6Microreactors5.7Fast-spectrum neutronics5.8Reactivity coefficients5.9Passive safety5.10Case study: reactivity coefficients of a high-temperature reactor
6.1OECD/NEA UAM benchmark6.2ICSBEP and IRPhE databases6.3Nuclear data covariance matrices6.4Statistical sampling6.5Sensitivity analysis6.6VVUQ framework6.7Critical experiments6.8Calculation biases6.9Validation documentation6.10Practical exercise: uncertainty propagation by sampling
7.1NUREG-0800 Sections 4.3 and 4.47.2Thermal and neutronic margins7.3Acceptance criteria7.4Approved methodologies7.5Software quality to NQA-17.6EMDAP process of RG 1.2037.7Startup physics tests7.8Oversight by the CSN (Spanish Nuclear Safety Council)7.9Licensing reports7.10Case study: analysis of thermal margins
8.1Definition of the reactor and fuel8.2Neutronic model8.3Thermal-hydraulic model8.4Coupling strategy8.5Steady-state calculation8.6Analysis of a transient8.7Uncertainties and sensitivities8.8Discussion of margins8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme 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 the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OpenMC, Serpent, MCNP, CASMO/SIMULATE and MOOSE, in free, academic or evaluation versions. The practical work is based on real procedures for cell and core calculations, coupled multiphysics simulation and uncertainty analysis with benchmarks. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: NUREG-0800 Section 4.3, NUREG-0800 Section 4.4, Regulatory Guide 1.203, ASME NQA-1, IAEA SSG-52, ANSI/ANS-19.6.1.
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 able to run 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 OpenMC, Serpent, MCNP, CASMO/SIMULATE and MOOSE, 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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