Course in Radioactive Waste Typology
300-hour online course in radioactive waste typology. 6 modules covering IAEA GSG-1 (classification of radioactive waste), IAEA GSR Part 5 (predisposal management of radioactive waste) and advanced Excel. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Radioactive Waste Typology — studying from South Africa
South Africa is one of the few African countries with an operating nuclear power programme, centred on the Koeberg power station near Cape Town, operated by Eskom. The country also has nuclear research and fuel cycle activity through the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, known as Necsa, based at Pelindaba near Pretoria. Nuclear engineers work on reactor operation, safety, fuel management and decommissioning. The National Nuclear Regulator is the independent authority that licenses and oversees nuclear activities.
Fees for South Africa: R 10 200 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body, so they are not official state degrees. Nuclear activities in South Africa are regulated by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), and professional registration runs through ECSA. Acceptance of a private qualification in this regulated field rests with employers or the relevant authority, so verify before enrolling.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in nuclear engineering?
Nuclear employers, including Eskom and specialist contractors, typically require formally recognised qualifications, security clearances and regulatory competence. A private SEIUM qualification may add background knowledge but is unlikely to meet formal requirements on its own. Discuss this with employers in the nuclear sector to understand how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from South Africa without a student visa. Master's programmes require 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments and employer sponsorship is possible. Ask SEIUM about time-zone and workload details 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
Classify radioactive waste according to the IAEA GSG-1 scheme.
Identify the origins of waste in the nuclear fuel cycle, medicine and industry.
Describe the management routes for each type of waste.
Prepare basic radiological inventories.
Analyse the European and Spanish regulatory framework.
Compare temporary and final storage solutions.
Evaluate the ethical and social aspects of waste management.
Who it's for
- Radioactive waste management technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Radiological inventory analyst looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Nuclear regulation technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Environmental consultant looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Radiological protection technician looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Waste project manager looking to specialise in Radioactive Waste Typology.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter radioactive waste management.
What you'll work with
- IAEA GSG-1 (classification of radioactive waste)
- IAEA GSR Part 5 (predisposal management of radioactive waste)
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- Royal Decree 102/2014 (responsible management of radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSR-5 (disposal of radioactive waste)
- Law 25/1964 on Nuclear Energy
- Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Where it comes from: fuel cycle, medicine, industry and research1.2Radionuclides of interest and their half-lives1.3Activity, specific activity and heat generation1.4Alpha, beta and gamma emitters: the problem each one poses1.5Solid, liquid and gaseous waste1.6Short-lived versus long-lived waste1.7NORM and TENORM materials1.8National waste inventory and orders of magnitude1.9Common sector vocabulary and documentation1.10Exercise: classify a list of real waste by origin
2.1Classification criteria: activity, half-life and heat2.2The IAEA scheme and its categories2.3The Spanish classification and very low-level waste2.4Comparison with other national systems2.5Clearance levels and conditional release2.6What each classification decision costs the project2.7Borderline cases and problematic waste2.8Mixed waste: radioactive and chemically hazardous2.9Disused sealed sources2.10Practice: assign a category to a batch using characterisation data
3.1Representative sampling and the most common errors3.2Gamma spectrometry and difficult-to-measure radionuclides3.3Scaling factors and key nuclides3.4Total alpha and total beta measurement3.5Non-destructive characterisation of packages3.6Measurement uncertainty and traceability3.7Waste declaration and acceptance by the waste operator3.8Chemical characterisation and material compatibility3.9Package registration, labelling and traceability3.10Practice: prepare the characterisation record for a drum
4.1Minimisation at source: the management that costs nothing4.2Segregation and decontamination4.3Compaction, incineration and melting4.4Treatment of liquid effluents4.5Immobilisation in cement, bitumen and glass4.6Waste matrix acceptance requirements4.7Containers: types, testing and service life4.8Quality control of the conditioned package4.9Temporary storage at the facility itself4.10Practice: choose the conditioning route for three waste streams
5.1Centralised temporary storage5.2Dry storage of spent fuel5.3Transport: package categories and documentation5.4Near-surface disposal for low and intermediate-level waste5.5The concept of deep geological disposal5.6Multiple barriers and long-term safety assessment5.7Post-closure monitoring and institutional memory5.8Regulatory framework and bodies involved5.9Costs, management funds and allocation of responsibility5.10Practice: trace the complete route of a waste item from its origin
6.1Choice of the producing facility6.2Inventory and characterisation of the waste streams6.3Classification and justification of each category6.4Minimisation and segregation plan6.5Proposed treatment and conditioning routes6.6Acceptance requirements and associated documentation6.7Estimate of waste management costs6.8Monitoring and control plan6.9Technical report6.10Defence of the project
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The software used is advanced Excel, Python (pandas), SCALE (ORIGEN), Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work covers real procedures for classifying waste streams, preparing radiological inventories, and case studies of national plans. Assessment is continuous across each module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Classify radioactive waste according to the IAEA GSG-1 scheme.
Identify the origins of waste in the nuclear fuel cycle, medicine and industry.
Describe the management routes for each type of waste.
Prepare basic radiological inventories.
Analyse the European and Spanish regulatory framework.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient command of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 is 300 total hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with advanced Excel, Python (pandas), SCALE (ORIGEN), Power BI. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM's own diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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