Master’s in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering (Front-/Back-End)
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in nuclear fuel cycle engineering (front end and back end). 12 modules covering mining, conversion and enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage and transport, reprocessing, back-end waste management and fuel cycle economics, with Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-6 and ORIGEN (SCALE), with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering (Front-/Back-End) — 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 185 000 (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
Understand every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle.
Calculate mass balances and enrichment requirements.
Describe fuel fabrication processes and their quality control.
Design interim storage solutions for spent fuel.
Apply the regulations for the transport of radioactive material.
Compare open and closed fuel cycle strategies.
Assess the economics and sustainability of the fuel cycle.
Who it's for
- Fuel cycle engineers.
- Spent fuel management engineers.
- Uranium market analysts.
- Interim storage engineers.
- Radioactive material transport specialists.
- Consultants advising on fuel cycle policy.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join a nuclear fuel manufacturer.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2011/70/Euratom (responsible management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
- IAEA SSR-6 (safe transport of radioactive material)
- IAEA SSR-4 (safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities)
- IAEA GSG-1 (classification of radioactive waste)
- Joint Convention (safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste management)
- 10 CFR Part 72 (independent storage of spent fuel)
- Royal Decree 102/2014 (Spanish regulation on spent fuel and radioactive waste management)
- ORIGEN (SCALE)
- SERPENT
- DYMOND
- CLASS
- MATLAB
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Stages of the open and closed cycle1.2Fuel cycle mass balance1.3Uranium and thorium resources1.4Uranium and enrichment markets1.5Fuel cycle sustainability indicators1.6Environmental impact of each stage1.7IAEA and NEA fuel cycle scenarios1.8National fuel cycle policies1.9The fuel cycle in advanced reactors1.10Case study: mass balance of a nuclear fleet
2.1Geology of uranium deposits2.2Open-pit and underground mining2.3In-situ leaching2.4Milling processes: yellowcake2.5Management of tailings and mining waste2.6Restoration of mining sites2.7Radiation protection in mining2.8ENUSA's experience at Saelices2.9Mining and radiological regulations2.10Practical exercise: environmental assessment of a closed mine
3.1Chemistry of conversion to UF63.2Properties and handling of UF63.3Principles of isotope separation3.4Separative work units3.5Optimisation of tails assay3.6Enrichment market and suppliers3.7HALEU for advanced reactors3.8Chemical safety of UF63.9Safeguards at enrichment facilities3.10Workshop: calculation of SWU and natural uranium required
4.1Reconversion to UO24.2Pellet pressing and sintering4.3Fabrication of cladding and skeletons4.4Fuel assembly manufacturing4.5Factory quality control4.6The Juzbado plant4.7MOX fuel fabrication4.8Criticality safety in fabrication plants4.9Licensing of fabrication facilities4.10Case study: pellet quality control plan
5.1In-core fuel management5.2Discharge burnup and its optimisation5.3Isotopic inventory of spent fuel5.4Decay heat and activity5.5ORIGEN and depletion codes5.6Fuel failures and their management5.7Management of damaged fuel5.8Cycle extension strategies5.9Data for the back end5.10Practical exercise: isotopic inventory with ORIGEN
6.1Spent fuel pools6.2Reracking and pool capacity6.3Dry cask storage6.4Individual interim storage facility (ATI)6.5Centralised interim storage facility6.6Thermal analysis of casks6.7Criticality and burnup credit6.8Cask shielding6.9Ageing during extended storage6.10Workshop: thermal analysis of a metal cask
7.1IAEA SSR-6 Regulations7.2Type A, B and C packages7.3Packages for fissile material7.4Transport of UF67.5Transport of spent fuel7.6ADR, RID and IMDG agreements7.7Package design approvals7.8Transport emergency plans7.9Physical protection in transport7.10Case study: documentation for a fuel shipment
8.1PUREX process chemistry8.2Separation of uranium and plutonium8.3Vitrification of high-level waste8.4Recycling into MOX and RepU8.5Experience at La Hague and Sellafield8.6Partitioning and transmutation8.7Pyrometallurgical separation processes8.8Fast reactors and multi-recycling8.9Safeguards in reprocessing8.10Practical exercise: comparison of open and closed cycles
9.1Waste classification according to GSG-19.2High-level waste9.3Spent fuel as waste9.4Deep geological disposal9.5Experience at Onkalo and Forsmark9.6Spain's General Radioactive Waste Plan9.7Back-end financing9.8Social acceptance and public participation9.9Retrievability of disposed waste9.10Case study: analysis of the 7th General Radioactive Waste Plan (PGRR)
10.1Levelised fuel cost10.2Front-end costs10.3Back-end costs10.4Uranium supply contracts10.5Strategic inventory management10.6Geopolitical supply risk10.7Economic sensitivity analysis10.8Waste funds10.9International cost comparison10.10Workshop: fuel cycle cost for different strategies
11.1Criticality safety11.2Radiation protection across the fuel cycle11.3Nuclear material accountancy11.4Proliferation resistance as a design criterion11.5Ethics of the fuel cycle11.6Carbon footprint of the fuel cycle11.7Circular economy in the fuel cycle11.8Dynamic scenarios with DYMOND and CLASS11.9INPRO sustainability indicators11.10Practical exercise: dynamic fleet transition scenario
12.1Definition of the fuel cycle strategy to be studied12.2Collection of fleet data12.3Mass balance model12.4Technical assessment of alternatives12.5Economic assessment of alternatives12.6Impact and sustainability assessment12.7Strategy recommendations12.8Conclusions and recommended strategy12.9Master's Thesis 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, making it compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ORIGEN (SCALE), SERPENT, DYMOND, CLASS and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for fuel cycle scenario modelling, spent fuel storage analysis and economic assessment of back-end strategies. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-6 Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, IAEA SSR-4 Safety of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities, IAEA GSG-1 Classification of Radioactive Waste, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, 10 CFR Part 72 and Royal Decree 102/2014 on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 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 ORIGEN (SCALE), SERPENT, DYMOND, CLASS and MATLAB, 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), a computer able to run the programme 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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