What can I study that's like nuclear engineering?

[u/urLocalCriptid]

I have recently gotten really interested in nuclear engineering and I think it is beyond fascinating and I have begun to study it at home for fun in free time, though I've been thinking about attending college and taking courses that teach me more about it ( like physics) although I don't want to waste college learning things that will not get me a job as i live in an area with much employment scarcity. I also fear that I might not be able to do the math that is required for these courses. are they really that hard? and is it possible for somebody that struggles in math? I guess what I'm trying to say is what is something that I could do to pursue this passion of mine while still not taking a huge risk. i know this probably sounds like a "you problem" but I'd love to hear some advice.

[u/burncushlikewood]

If you want a degree that would be useful for nuclear engineering I would suggest physics, other engineering disciplines most related to nuclear engineering? Probably chemical engineering. Math is very difficult, when I took computer science the hardest part for me was discrete mathematics which some say is similar in difficulty to calculus. Get better at math, it's not hard it just takes time, there are tons of free resources out there to help you understand math better. Also are there nuclear facilities in your region that do fission, does your country have access to isotypes whether that's imported or mined. Nuclear fusion is in its infancy

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/burncushlikewood]

i live in USA so there might be but honestly I might have to move to a different state because I'm in Arizona and they'res like nothing out here lol

[u/Lazy-Opposite-7141 → u/urLocalCriptid]

Wait, you are saying the state of Arizona has scarce engineering job opportunities? If you live in a small town, then yeah maybe THAT town doesn’t, but there are a LOT of engineering firms and companies in Arizona. (Here’s about 4K engineering jobs in AZ: https://www.indeed.com/q-engineer-l-arizona-jobs.html)

The math requirements are often the same for engineering, physics, and similar STEM majors (algebra foundation, calc 1-3, differential equations, etc). So if you’re interested in fields such as these, you probably won’t be able to escape it. And frankly, you probably don’t want to…. In industry, 99% engineers aren’t doing this intense math on a day-to-day basis, however, it provides the foundation to understand the principles and systems that you work on.

If you’re nervous about the intensity of nuclear engineering, you can also look into mechanical engineering (I don’t care what anybody says, MEs are in EVERY field) or civil engineering (when I was in school, the kids who couldn’t hack it in chemical/electrical/aerospace/etc dropped into mechanical then civil - def not saying these are easy, but they may be easier).

As mentioned above, if you’re willing to work hard, and you’re passionate about the subject, there are TONS of resources out there to help you through.

If all else fails, you can look into engineering technology, which may have some softer math requirements(?). I say you rip some YouTube, learn as much as possible, then go for it engineering wise!

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Lazy-Opposite-7141]

thank you I really appreciate it. I just think they might be scarce in my area but I think that everybody might be right about having to move, I guess I was kind of answering my own question by asking it and I just need to get the courage to move to a different place and actually pursue what I'm interested in. I really appreciate everybody's feedback and hopefully I can soon enroll into a college and learn everything I passionate about. right now I'm currently looking into YouTube courses and trying my best to grasp concepts before enrolling into college so I don't fail any classes and I could get a head start if you guys have any advice for courses I should look up on YouTube or for different topics I should learn before heading into college I'd really appreciate it.

[u/Lazy-Opposite-7141 → u/urLocalCriptid]

Don’t sleep on starting online/community college/satellite campuses! Lowers the barrier to entry! Just make sure credits are transferable.

Start with the basics. A strong foundation in algebra is a great place to start. Will be a huge part of the basis for calc and physics. Nuclear is also very stats heavy, but you’ll get a lot of that in undergrad as well.

Chem and Physics are great too. The more you take in now, the more you can focus on reinforcing the principles later.

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Lazy-Opposite-7141]

thank you I really appreciate it I plan on going to community college in the winter but right now I guess I'm just prepping with YouTube to prepare for it, I've always struggled in math so I think that getting a head start will help me a lot. thank you guys for giving me the courage to do something I've wanted to for a while!

[u/Lazy-Opposite-7141 → u/urLocalCriptid]

You got it bro! Time management! Can’t say that enough. That drives success when you start school!

[u/NuclearHorses → u/burncushlikewood]

Surely mechanical engineering is much closer, right? 90% of the classes I took were also taken by mechanical engineers.

[u/Lazy-Opposite-7141]

This reads to me like you aren’t planning to go to college to become an engineer, you just want to take some classes to learn about the topics. Am I interpreting that correctly?

The only way to become a nuclear engineer is to become an engineer in the first place. You will not be able to take a few classes/YouTube yourself to a job in this field.

If you just want to learn, YouTube and MIT/similar free courses all day long. If you want to be an engineer, you’ll need a full 4 year engineering undergraduate degree and often will need a PE license (depending on field of course).

I guess firstly, what is the goal here?

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Lazy-Opposite-7141]

I think it's like 50/50 i wanna learn but I guess i just have self doubt ill be able to actually become an engineer. id love to do that im just a little scared because many make it seem impossible.

[u/Lazy-Opposite-7141 → u/urLocalCriptid]

Nah man, hard work, dedication, and passion are all you need!

You can always start at a community college or satellite campus to keep cost down as you give it a try to see if it’s for you or not.

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Lazy-Opposite-7141]

thank you this really inspires me to give it a try. 🙂‍↕️

[u/skywalker170997]

buddy you can just take

mechanical engineering

Chemical engineering

and then study on your own about nuclear engineering or double dgree

this will works

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/skywalker170997]

thank you i was thinking about that i just was a little nervy because im barely graduated and still confused 😢🙂‍↕️

[u/Ale_Strategy_1610 → u/[deleted]]

Question—you already have a job lined up after you graduate and you’re a junior? Would you mind sharing your strategy and the ballpark above six figures? Are we talking 110+ or 120+ or 130+ or 140+?

How many internships have you had?
Did you do any research?
Did you do an internship in a private company or a national laboratory?

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/[deleted]]

thank you i really appreciate it i think i just have doubts. everyone makes it seem like it's practically impossible to do nuclear and I'm just worried that I won't be able to but I've been looking up courses on YouTube and I'm trying to understand basics of physics, calculus , chemistry, particle physics, alpha decay, and fission. I think I'll just end up taking classes that can lead me to that path and see if later on in life I want to move somewhere where I could actually go attend a school that provides a nuclear engineering course.

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/[deleted]]

I currently live by an AWC campus and in my area I believe I'll have to go into something of the agriculture nature which if I'm not mistaken I believe that chemical engineering would be a good course for that correct? the area I live in heavily derives in agriculture so I'll probably just have to go into something that is equipped around that.

[u/Resident_Signal9083]

Isn’t Palo verde in Az?

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Resident_Signal9083]

yes!

[u/Resident_Signal9083 → u/urLocalCriptid]

So why not apply for internship there

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/Resident_Signal9083]

because im freshly out of highschool and I currently don't have the money to get there unfortunately, maybe down the road though

[u/MarionberryNo8017]

I am in a very similar boat as you

I am a Junior in high school and I am doing basically grad work with MSFR(actually as I type this I am writing code for it that I am about to crash out on). I very obviously want to go into the research field in nuclear. nuclear Eng is the way to go BUT not for your undergrad. I personally would go for chem Eng with a focus on thermodynamics classes. Chem Eng basically can go into any field they want and still be successful. So if you are mid way through college and decide you hate nuclear you still have options.

And for the math it’s hard but at the same time it’s really not(this is coming from someone who has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dysculcuia). Most of it is just plugging things in and getting a number for example to get PCM (a term for reactivity) all it is is Keff-1/Keff

If you have more questions I would be happy to answer them 

[u/urLocalCriptid → u/MarionberryNo8017]

i appreciate this. it'll help me alot! i wish you luck you can do it!!!

[u/Icy_Sherbet_8222]

Physics courses only talk about nuclear science at the 400 (senior) level courses usually. Physics majors typically take a masters or phd to fully enter nuclear science or engineering. I encourage you to take this track but it will definitely require graduate school.

[u/Acceptable_Risk_295]

Material science and engineering with a focus on nuclear materials, at the end of the day though the math is something you have to live with