Diploma in Weld Integrity under Irradiation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in weld integrity under irradiation: 8 modules covering irradiation damage in metals, welding metallurgy, reactor vessel embrittlement, stress corrosion cracking, in-service inspection, fracture mechanics and repair and ageing management, under ASME BPVC Section XI, ASME BPVC Section III and ASTM E1921, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Weld Integrity under Irradiation — 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: £1,250 (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
Explain the mechanisms of irradiation damage in metals.
Relate welding metallurgy to in-service behaviour.
Evaluate reactor vessel embrittlement and surveillance programmes.
Analyse stress corrosion cracking in welds.
Apply qualified in-service inspection techniques.
Carry out integrity assessments using fracture mechanics.
Plan repairs and ageing management.
Who it's for
- Structural integrity engineers.
- Nuclear welding engineers.
- In-service inspection specialists.
- Nuclear materials engineers.
- Ageing management analysts.
- Non-destructive testing inspectors.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to move into the nuclear energy sector.
What you'll work with
- ASME BPVC Section XI (in-service inspection of nuclear power plant components)
- ASME BPVC Section III (construction of nuclear facility components)
- ASTM E1921 (master curve for fracture toughness)
- ASTM E185 (surveillance programmes for reactor vessels)
- 10 CFR 50.61 (fracture toughness requirements for protection against pressurised thermal shock)
- USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.99 (Rev. 2) (radiation embrittlement of reactor vessel materials)
- IAEA SSG-48 (ageing management for nuclear power plants)
- ASTM E23 (notched bar impact testing)
- Abaqus
- SRIM
- ANSYS Mechanical
- CIVA
8 modules
1.1Atomic displacements and dpa1.2Point defects and dislocation loops1.3Hardening and embrittlement1.4Radiation-induced segregation1.5Swelling1.6Helium and transmutation1.7Irradiation creep1.8Neutron spectrum and fluence1.9Ion irradiation simulation1.10Case study: dpa calculation with SRIM
2.1Welding thermal cycles2.2Heat-affected zone2.3Weld microstructures2.4Residual stresses2.5Ferritic reactor vessel steels2.6Austenitic stainless steels2.7Nickel alloys 82 and 1822.8Dissimilar metal welds2.9Internal cladding2.10Laboratory: macrograph of a welded joint
3.1Ductile-to-brittle transition curve3.2RTNDT shift3.3Influence of copper, nickel and phosphorus3.4Surveillance programmes3.5Charpy specimens3.6ASTM E1921 master curve3.7Regulatory Guide 1.993.810 CFR 50.61 requirements3.9Thermal annealing3.10Practical exercise: estimating the transition temperature shift
4.1Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking4.2PWSCC in Alloy 1824.3Primary water chemistry4.4Crack growth rate4.5Mitigation by peening and MSIP4.6Weld overlays4.7Inspection of susceptible locations4.8Industry cases4.9Predictive models4.10Workshop: SCC risk assessment
5.1ASME XI requirements5.2Phased array ultrasonics5.3TOFD technique5.4Inspection qualification5.5Remote in-vessel inspection5.6Eddy currents5.7Radiography5.8Access and personnel dose5.9Interpretation of indications5.10Laboratory: phased array inspection of a weld
6.1Linear elastic fracture mechanics6.2J-integral6.3Flaw evaluation according to ASME XI6.4Pressurised thermal shock6.5Leak-before-break criterion6.6Environmentally assisted fatigue6.7Finite element analysis6.8Probabilistic methods6.9Safety margins6.10Practical exercise: evaluating a detected flaw
7.1Repair welding7.2Welding of irradiated material7.3Helium-induced cracking7.4Ageing management programmes7.5Long-term operation7.6IAEA SSG-48 guide7.7Documentation and traceability7.8Lessons from operating experience7.9Research lines7.10Case study: repair plan for a nozzle
8.1Component selection8.2Irradiation history8.3Metallurgical characterisation8.4Embrittlement assessment8.5Inspection plan8.6Integrity assessment8.7Ageing management plan8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Abaqus, SRIM, ANSYS Mechanical and CIVA, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for Charpy testing of surveillance specimens, phased array ultrasonic inspection of welds and fracture mechanics flaw evaluations. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ASME BPVC Section XI, ASME BPVC Section III, ASTM E1921, ASTM E185, 10 CFR 50.61, USNRC Regulatory Guide 1.99 (Rev. 2), IAEA SSG-48, ASTM E23.
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 Abaqus, SRIM, ANSYS Mechanical and CIVA, 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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