Master’s in Radioactive Waste Management and Deep Geological Disposal Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in radioactive waste management and deep geological disposal engineering. 12 modules covering waste origin and classification, predisposal management, disposal concepts, site selection, geological and hydrogeological characterisation, engineered barriers, THMC processes, long-term safety assessment, radionuclide transport, repository operation and the regulatory and financial framework, with Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-5 and GoldSim, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Radioactive Waste Management and Deep Geological Disposal Engineering — 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: £8,280 (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
Understand the origin and classification of radioactive waste.
Understand the concept of deep geological disposal.
Apply site selection criteria.
Characterise the geological and hydrogeological environment.
Design engineered barriers and assess their performance.
Prepare long-term safety assessments.
Interpret the regulatory and financial framework for disposal.
Who it's for
- Geological disposal engineers.
- Nuclear hydrogeologists.
- Safety assessment specialists working on repository safety cases.
- Geochemists interested in radionuclide behaviour in the near and far field.
- Engineered barrier engineers.
- Radioactive waste management technicians moving into disposal.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter radioactive waste management.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (EU framework for the responsible management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSR-5 (disposal of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSG-23 (the safety case and safety assessment for the disposal of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSG-14 (geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste)
- Royal Decree 102/2014 (Spanish regulation on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (international treaty on spent fuel and waste safety)
- 10 CFR Part 63 (US rules for disposal of high-level waste in a geological repository)
- GoldSim
- PFLOTRAN
- CODE_BRIGHT
- PHREEQC
- COMSOL Multiphysics
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Waste from nuclear power plants1.2Waste from medical and industrial applications1.3Fuel cycle waste1.4Spent fuel as waste1.5Vitrified high-level waste1.6Long-lived waste1.7National waste inventory1.8IAEA classification1.9National management policy1.10Case study: waste inventory and projection to 2100
2.1Waste minimisation2.2Treatment and conditioning2.3Waste packages2.4Interim storage in pools2.5ATC and ATI (centralised and individual interim storage facilities)2.6Acceptance criteria2.7Package traceability and records2.8Quality assurance2.9Transport to facilities2.10Practical exercise: design of a package traceability register
3.1Principle of isolation and containment3.2Multiple barrier system3.3Engineered barriers3.4Role of the geological barrier3.5Repositories in crystalline rock3.6Repositories in clay formations3.7Repositories in salt formations3.8KBS-3 and Cigéo concepts3.9Reversibility and retrievability3.10Workshop: comparison of repository concepts
4.1Technical selection criteria4.2Socio-economic and territorial criteria4.3Process phases4.4Finland's experience4.5Sweden and France's experience4.6Switzerland and Canada's experience4.7Public participation in selection4.8Voluntarism and consent4.9Intergenerational ethical aspects4.10Case study: multi-criteria analysis of sites
5.1Structural geology of the rock mass5.2Boreholes and core logging5.3Hydraulic testing in boreholes5.4Hydrogeochemistry of deep groundwater5.5Underground research laboratories5.63D geological models5.7Seismicity and neotectonics5.8Long-term climate evolution5.9Glaciations and their effects5.10Laboratory: interpretation of a hydraulic test
6.1Copper canisters6.2Steel canisters6.3Canister corrosion6.4Bentonite barrier6.5Properties of bentonite6.6Seals and plugs6.7Tunnel backfills6.8Bentonite-concrete interaction6.9FEBEX tests at Grimsel6.10Practical exercise: lifetime calculation of a copper canister
7.1Coupling of thermal, hydraulic and chemical processes7.2Waste heat7.3Bentonite saturation7.4Gas generation and migration7.5Near-field geochemistry7.6Spent fuel dissolution7.7Radionuclide transport7.8Sorption and diffusion7.9Colloid-facilitated transport7.10Workshop: THM simulation with CODE_BRIGHT
8.1Structure of the safety case8.2Scenarios derived from FEPs8.3Reference and alternative scenarios8.4Performance assessment models8.5Uncertainties and their treatment8.6Complementary safety indicators8.7Human intrusion scenarios8.8Natural analogues as evidence8.9Confidence and robustness8.10Case study: FEP list for a repository in granite
9.1Advection and dispersion9.2Matrix diffusion9.3Retardation and Kd coefficients9.4Flow models in fractured media9.5Modelling with GoldSim9.6Modelling with PFLOTRAN9.7Dose to the biosphere9.8Biosphere models9.9Probabilistic dose analysis9.10Practical exercise: transport model with GoldSim
10.1Tunnel design10.2Tunnel excavation methods10.3Emplacement operations10.4Handling robotics10.5Operational safety of the repository10.6Radiation protection during operation10.7Quality control10.8Near-field monitoring10.9Repository closure10.10Case study: emplacement sequence at Onkalo
11.1Directive 2011/70/Euratom and national programmes11.2IAEA SSR-5 standards11.3Spanish framework and the PGRR (General Radioactive Waste Plan)11.4Repository licensing11.5Funds and financing11.6Responsibility towards future generations11.7Preservation of memory11.8Safeguards at the repository11.9Communication with society11.10Workshop: analysis of Posiva's licensing framework
12.1Problem statement12.2Review of international experience12.3Definition of the concept and generic site12.4Assessment model12.5Scenario analysis12.6Uncertainty quantification12.7Safety conclusions12.8Recommendations for the national programme12.9Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training 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 the programme is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, CODE_BRIGHT, PHREEQC and COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures for long-term safety assessment, radionuclide transport modelling and multi-criteria site analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-5, IAEA SSG-23, IAEA SSG-14, Royal Decree 102/2014, Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, 10 CFR Part 63.
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
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, CODE_BRIGHT, PHREEQC and COMSOL Multiphysics, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience, plus 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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