Inquiry about nuclear engineering

[HemaGh]

I am majoring in renewable energy and planning on specializing in nuclear engineering. I want to know what course line or what courses does a nuclear engineer have to know ?

 

[Astronuc]

I am majoring in renewable energy and planning on specializing in nuclear engineering. I want to know what course line or what courses does a nuclear engineer have to know ?

Usually nuclear engineering students take introductory math, physics, chemistry and engineering courses. Nuclear engineering uses math intensively, and ultimately one must be comfortable with partial differential equations.

By the second year, one should have accomplished an introductory level in modern physics with some quantum mechanics and relativity, and EM theory, very much equivalent to a second year physics major. Many departments offer an introductory course on modern physics including nuclear physics with some introductory particle physics. Basically, one learns about forms of radiation and the radiation interaction with matter.

In addition to the basic physics, nuclear engineering students need course work in mechanics of materials, materials science/engineering, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid flow, and electrical engineering (circuits and electromechanics). The electrical engineering is necessary to understand instrumentation and power generation.

Upper level courses include nuclear reactor theory, including neutron diffusion and transport, nuclear plant design, radiation detection and measurement, and so on.

 

[HemaGh]

Thank you for your reply. I am on my second year and it's going well, but I want to get a little bit ahead through self study. would you advice me to start with a specific course ? or should I go with the study plan of the university ?

 

[Astronuc]

Thank you for your reply. I am on my second year and it's going well, but I want to get a little bit ahead through self study. would you advice me to start with a specific course ? or should I go with the study plan of the university ?

I would recommend self-study and if possible, an actual course in physics. What courses did one take during freshman year and this year with respect to math, physics and engineering.

Computational physics is become more and more part of advanced engineering. Many corporations and laboratories do more complex simulations these days with the objective of learning from simulations to guide or supplement experiments.

Learning a programming language and how to program effectively/efficiently, as well as numerical analysis, are critical these days.

Ideally one learns both theory and application in physics and engineering (and a good foundation in mathematics is fundamental to that).