Diploma in Deep Geological Repository Design
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in deep geological repository design, structured in 8 modules covering the repository concept, site characterisation, engineered barriers, underground facility design, long-term safety assessment, coupled processes modelling and licensing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Deep Geological Repository Design — studying from the United States
The United States operates the world's largest nuclear fleet, and nuclear engineering remains a critical sector across regions including the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Utilities, reactor vendors and national laboratories such as Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratory conduct research in reactor design, fuel cycle technologies and advanced reactors. Safety and licensing are governed by strict federal oversight, making regulatory knowledge essential. Engineers also contribute to decommissioning, waste management and fuel fabrication.
Fees for the United States: US$1,440 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
How is nuclear engineering regulated in the United States?
Nuclear activities are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and, for some areas, the Department of Energy. Professional bodies include the American Nuclear Society. Individual licensed roles, such as reactor operators, are certified under NRC rules. SEIUM's private qualifications do not grant any NRC license or accreditation, and their use is decided by employers.
What career opportunities exist in US nuclear fuel cycle work?
Opportunities arise with reactor operators, fuel fabricators, enrichment and fuel services companies, national laboratories, and consultancies. Roles include reactor engineer, fuel cycle analyst, and radiation safety engineer. Security clearances and NRC-specific qualifications can be required, so check the requirements of each specific role.
Can I study nuclear topics online from the US?
Yes, programmes are fully online and taught in English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Hours range from 300 for specialist courses to 1,900 for master's programmes. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Because nuclear employers have strict requirements, confirm with them how they view private training.
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 concept of deep geological disposal.
Analyse the characterisation of repository sites.
Design engineered barriers.
Design underground disposal facilities.
Assess long-term safety.
Model coupled processes in the repository.
Analyse licensing and the social dimension of repositories.
Who it's for
- Geological disposal engineers
- Site geologists
- Hydrogeologists
- Long-term safety analysts
- Geotechnical engineers
- Transport modelling specialists
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into radioactive waste management
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSR-5 (safety requirements for the disposal of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSG-14 (geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSG-23 (safety case and safety assessment for disposal)
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (EU framework for spent fuel and radioactive waste management)
- WENRA Waste and Spent Fuel Storage Safety Reference Levels (European regulators’ safety reference levels)
- Royal Decree 102/2014 (Spanish regulation on spent fuel and radioactive waste management)
- ICRP Publication 122 (radiological protection in geological disposal)
- PFLOTRAN
- COMSOL Multiphysics
- CODE_BRIGHT
- FLAC3D
- GoldSim
8 modules
1.1Principles of geological disposal1.2The multi-barrier system concept1.3Safety timescales1.4Spent fuel and high-level waste1.5Granite, clay and salt formations1.6International reference programmes1.7The Onkalo project in Finland1.8Experience in Sweden and France1.9Status of the Spanish programme1.10Case study: comparison of repository concepts
2.1Site selection criteria2.2Regional and structural geology2.3Hydrogeology of the rock mass2.4Geochemistry of deep groundwater2.5Seismicity and tectonic stability2.6Underground research laboratories2.7Boreholes and characterisation techniques2.8Descriptive site models2.9Characterisation uncertainties2.10Practical exercise: interpreting borehole data
3.1Copper and steel canisters3.2Compacted bentonite buffer3.3Thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of the buffer3.4Tunnel backfill and seals3.5Interaction between barriers3.6Canister corrosion3.7Bentonite degradation3.8Full-scale tests3.9Barrier design requirements3.10Laboratory: thermal behaviour of a bentonite
4.1Layout of tunnels and disposal cells4.2Vertical and horizontal emplacement4.3Thermal design of the repository4.4Applied rock mechanics4.5Excavation and support4.6Surface facilities4.7Ventilation and services4.8Transfer systems4.9Repository construction phases4.10Practical exercise: thermal spacing between canisters
5.1The repository safety case5.2Evolution scenarios5.3Features, events and processes (FEP)5.4Radionuclide migration5.5Transport models in fractured rock5.6Long-term dose calculation5.7Uncertainty analysis5.8Natural analogues as evidence5.9Regulatory safety criteria5.10Workshop: FEP list for a repository
6.1Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes6.2Flow modelling in fractured media6.3Reactive transport models6.4Gas generation and migration6.5Climate evolution and glaciations6.6Modelling tools6.7Validation against experiments6.8DECOVALEX international projects6.9Model management6.10Laboratory: transport simulation with PFLOTRAN
7.1Stepwise licensing process7.2Monitoring during operation7.3Closure and institutional control7.4Preservation of records and memory7.5Retrievability of waste7.6Community participation7.7Social acceptance of sites7.8Intergenerational ethical aspects7.9Risk communication7.10Case study: the site selection process in Sweden
8.1Definition of the concept8.2Selection of the host rock8.3Design of the barriers8.4Design of the facility8.5Thermal analysis of the design8.6Preliminary safety assessment8.7Design conclusions8.8Design recommendations8.9Report 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 PFLOTRAN, COMSOL Multiphysics, CODE_BRIGHT, FLAC3D and GoldSim in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for full-scale barrier tests, hydrogeological characterisation in boreholes and radionuclide migration simulation. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final capstone project.
Standards covered: IAEA SSR-5, IAEA SSG-14, IAEA SSG-23, Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom, WENRA Waste and Spent Fuel Storage Safety Reference Levels, Royal Decree 102/2014, ICRP Publication 122.
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 PFLOTRAN, COMSOL Multiphysics, CODE_BRIGHT, FLAC3D and GoldSim, 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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