MS in nuclear engineering or mechanical engineering

AI Thread Summary
Choosing between a master's in nuclear or mechanical engineering involves weighing interests and job prospects. Nuclear engineering focuses on developing safer fission reactors and offers potential for a PhD in fusion, but job opportunities in the U.S. are currently limited. In contrast, a master's in mechanical engineering with a focus on simulation-based engineering (FEA, CFD) may provide broader job opportunities in both research and industry. The nuclear industry is thriving in countries like China, but language skills can significantly impact career prospects. Ultimately, the decision should consider both personal interests and market conditions.
boyongo
Messages
27
Reaction score
0
Hi, I am currently trying to decide between a master in nuclear or mechanical engineering. I did my BS in mechanical engineering.

If I dicide in a MS in nuclear engineering I am planning in focusing in the development of better and safer fission reactors and later on doing a PhD in fussion. I find nuclear engineering more interesting for some reason. I am always interested in learning new physics. I believe nuclear power is a great alternative for clean energy. On the other hand, I have been reading that the nuclear industry is not doing so well and that finding a job is very hard(is that true?)

If I dicide in a MS in mechanical engineering I am planning on focusing in simulation base engineering: FEA, CFD, etc. I feel that with the MS in mechanical engineering, specializing in simulation based engineering, I will have many job oportunities in both research and industry. But i think that learning how to do simulations (FEA and CFD) can be achieved by school work and work experience since that is how I have learned what I know on the subject.

What do you guys think?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
How the nuclear industry is doing depends on the country, and what languages you are fluent in.

https://www.masterresource.org/nucl...construction-moves-forward-except-in-the-u-s/

If you were fluent in Mandarin then the nuclear industry is a huge growth industry. The graph on this page understates the number of reactors under construction in China. There are about 30 currently under construction, and quite likely to be 30 more after that. The graph may have been accurate in 2009 when this article was published, but China is moving forward on nuclear with, as they say, determination. Quite likely within the next 10 years there will be another 30 started. And in China they build them on time and under budget.

After that you want Russian, Hindu, or Korean.

Don't speak one of those languages? Maybe nuclear isn't the safest career choice.
 
I am planning on studying in the US. It appears that the nuclear industry in the US is in fact not good at the moment. Btw I am fluent in spanish and english.
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...
Back
Top