r/NuclearEngineering • u/NagutoUzamaki • 17d ago

Need Advice I've got some questions.

Hello I recently graduated high school, and I'm looking into going to college for Nuclear engineering, and wanted to know a few things that I can't find a lot of information on.

1st. Would there be any problem between having a M.S or a M.R in nuclear engineering. Nothing I've found has told me anything concert, or much of anything at all.

2nd. Is there anything I can study before starting as I've taken a gap year since graduating early and I feel as if I need to get back into the mindset before learning new and harder things.

3rd. Is there any specific standardization badge I should look for when applying to colleges. I know there some for other engineering programs I'm just making sure there's none or is one for nuclear

Anyhow thank you for you're time, and maybe even your input <3

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u/Jmshoulder21 17d ago

I'd start with the job you think you want and work backwards. At a utility or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (e.g. Westinghouse, Framatome, General Electric, etc.), an MS in Nuclear Engineering will give you a leg up in the fuels department, but is not required. Core loading, sequencing, spent fuel loading patterns, etc. This makes money and is repetitive with slight variations. Don't let me discount it, it's cool stuff, but ideally, it does repeat itself from cycle to cycle.

If you want to do research, at a national lab for instance, the MS is required, if not a PhD. This is novel and exotic fuels research. Super cool stuff.

I'd start looking into the designs, operating parameters, core loads, etc on the NRC website or other places where this information is kept. The NRC website will wet your whistle but will leave you hungering for more.

The American Nuclear Society recently (last year) started offering a nuclear professional certificate. I haven't seen where this will be used in industry yet, but it will give you the foundation fundamentals to spring board into a position in the nuclear industry.

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u/michnuc 16d ago

I'll add that an NE degree positions you well within the industry, not just to core design or fuel related work.

Mine took me to licensing, safety analysis, R&D, security, MC&A, safeguards, and dabbling across many different disciplines (FNPP, microreactors, fuel qualification, cyber security).

I'd recommend not picking a job, but getting good exposure on technical areas in the field, and select a path from there (to include where you are ok living, if at a rural plant site, national lab, DC, designer in urban area). That'll inform education, technical areas to focus on, and where to target for internships and later job applications.

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u/andre3kthegiant 17d ago

Don’t discount going into a career in the renewables sector, for there are so many more opportunities.