Educational programme

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Definition

Educational programme is A set of organized and purposeful learning experiences with a minimum duration of one school-year (or academic year), usually offered in an educational institution Source: Nuclear engineering education: A competence-based approach in curricula development

Summary

One paragraph which summarises the main ideas of the article.

Description

University programmes in nuclear engineering

Engineering education has been offered for many decades along several different tracks. One approach is to have two levels in the academic education: the Bachelor’s, or undergraduate degree, based on approximately three to four years of study at the university level and a more advanced degree, the Master’s, which involves one or two years of study beyond the Bachelor’s. Another approach that has been widely used, especially in Europe, is the Diploma. It typically involves five years of study. A third approach is the Engineer degree consisting of five to six years of study. This has been the tradition in, for example, France, Russian Federation and the Ukraine. This picture is, however, changing. In June 1999, the Ministers of Education in the European Union entered into the Bologna Process (The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements between European countries designed to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher education qualifications. Visit [1] for more details). This has led to the adoption of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at most European universities, which replace the Diploma or the Engineer degree. France focuses the nuclear engineering education either at the Engineer degree (five years usually, six years in some instances) within its specific ‘Grandes Ecoles’ approach, or as a Master’s degree (five years) in harmony with the Bologna Process. Russian Federation is taking a two-tier approach in which the Bachelor’s/Master’s programmes will be implemented. This is a key part of the strategy for international engagement. However, the degree of Engineer will be retained in Russian Federation and Ukraine to satisfy the needs of the domestic industry.

Engineering education is country and region dependent. There is no unique model and it is important to adapt pragmatically to the educational, institutional and industrial framework. However, in this report, it is important to specify that the Bachelor’s level can be reached after three to four years, and the Master’s level requires one or two additional years. This amount of time is necessary to acquire the qualifications listed and to become a competent engineer with the required industrial background.

This report deals with the common curriculum requirements resulting from a competence- based approach for the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nuclear engineering, applying to all nuclear application but focusing mainly on nuclear power. The expectations of degree recipients at each level are the following:

• On completion of a Bachelor’s degree level qualification, it is expected that the student will have comprehension and knowledge of nuclear engineering systems and will be able to solve problems and determine technical solutions for real processes;
• On completion of a Master’s degree level qualification, it is expected that the student will be able to analyse, synthesize and evaluate knowledge gained, and apply this knowledge to nuclear power plant systems.

Beyond these expectations, it is further recognized that there are a set of specific outcomes that should result from the completion of the curriculum. At the Master’s degree level (or Engineer’s degree), graduates should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Identify, assess, formulate and solve complex nuclear engineering problems creatively and innovatively;
• Apply advanced mathematics, science and engineering from first principles to solve complex nuclear engineering problems;
• Design and conduct advanced investigations and experiments;
• Use appropriate advanced engineering methods, skills and tools, including those based on information technology;
• Communicate effectively and authoritatively at a professional level, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences and the community at large, including outreach;
• Work effectively as an individual, in teams and in complex, multidisciplinary and multicultural environments;
• Have a critical awareness of, and diligent responsiveness to, the impact of nuclear engineering activity on the social, industrial and physical environment with due cognisance to public health and safety.

In terms of specific technical areas, the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nuclear engineering bring together a number of key areas that are integrated into a nuclear engineering academic degree programme. This scope is depicted in Figure 2.

FIG. 2. Scope of nuclear engineering academic programmes (Adapted from the Nuclear Engineering Programme data, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE).

The areas shown in the Figure 2 generally represent the key fields of study required to prepare a nuclear engineer for employment in a nuclear power plant. For the nuclear engineer, it is important that these topics are well integrated together to produce a well-prepared graduate who can enter into the training programmes for a specific nuclear power plant and reach the required level of competence to successfully carry out his or her responsibilities for safe, secure and economical operation.

For universities developing new programmes, a more detailed description is useful. In the two following sections, the competencies are defined at both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree levels with the focus on those who will specifically be employed at nuclear power plants. In addition, requirements of the graduate are given in more detail, and involve what each student should possess: a specified level of knowledge (Knowledge), be able to demonstrate - application of the knowledge (Demonstration), and know when to implement the knowledge (Implementation). This can be represented as a ‘knowledge ladder’ (see Figure 3).

FIG. 3. The knowledge ladder.

Requirements for a graduate with a master of nuclear engineering

As noted above, the Master’s degree recipient is expected to have additional capabilities beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of the degree of Master of Nuclear Engineering for nuclear power plants, the student must know the following (Knowledge), be able to demonstrate application of the knowledge (Demonstration), and know when to implement the knowledge (Implementation):

Knowledge

• M1.1 Advanced concepts of differential and integral calculus, probability theory and mathematical statistics, theory of functions of complex variables, vector and harmonic analysis, differential equations and partial differential equation systems, Green’s functions, and advanced mathematical analysis.
• M1.2 Electrical and magnetic phenomena, quantum mechanics and statistical physics, and physics of atomic nucleus.
• M1.3 Neutron transport theory and Monte Carlo analysis.
• M1.4 Basic elements of reactor experiments, approach to critical, measurement of reactor parameters, feedback mechanisms, analysis of data and the relationship to reactor theory.
• M1.5 Laws of heat and mass exchange, and the characterization of thermo physical processes in heat exchangers, steam generators and safety systems for heat removal in nuclear power plants.
• M1.6 Methods for detection of ionizing radiation, principles and design of radiation shielding, utilization of the ALARA principle and health effect of ionizing radiations.
• M1.7 Structural analysis of complex systems.
• M1.8 Use of information technology and numerical analyses, problem definition, and evaluation of results.
• M1.9 The various types of nuclear power plant systems, the principal components and their roles.
• M1.10 The role and importance of reactor safety, and the practices and procedures in a nuclear power plant to assure safe operation.
• M1.11 The components of the nuclear fuel cycle, the open and the closed fuel cycles, classifications of waste, handling, storage and disposal of the various types of radioactive waste, short-term and long-term biological effects of ionizing radiation.
• M1.12 Issues of nuclear non-proliferation, the role of safeguards, the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and international agreements, and role of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• M1.13 Concepts of physical protection of nuclear installations, nuclear security applied to nuclear materials, radioactive sources and nuclear facilities.
• M1.14 Principles of project management, and the utilization of these principles in an industrial organization.
• M1.15 The role of the regulatory authority, and how regulations are implemented and followed in a nuclear power plant.
• M1.16 Awareness of the technical and regulatory literature relating to nuclear power plants and their operation, familiarity of how to access and evaluate reports and articles.

Demonstration

• M2.1 Draw from the technical literature and develop independent analyses for nuclear power plant technology related problems.
• M2.2 Calculate main characteristics of random values, to solve the problems as applied to any real processes.
• M2.3 Develop mathematical models of thermo physical and neutronic processes in nuclear power facilities.
• M2.4 Utilize recognized and accepted computer codes to determine technical solutions, and evaluate the validity of those solutions.
• M2.5 Develop designs for new technical devices with accounting for the requirements previously defined.
• M2.6 Carry out testing of the main components in nuclear power plants, and perform technical analysis of the operation of these components.
• M2.7 Develop the methodologies for safety upgrading of nuclear technologies.
• M2.8 Develop projects meeting technical requirements and standards as needed in a nuclear power plant.
• M2.9 To perform economic analyses for new procedures, systems or strategies that might be used in a nuclear power plant.
• M2.10 Develop management strategies for carrying out the mission of a nuclear power plant to generate electricity in a safe, economical and secure way.

Implementation

• M3.1 Design and implement the realization of new products or systems with applications to nuclear plant.
• M3.2 Design and implement the realization of new products or systems with application to radioprotection, nuclear safety, and nuclear security.
• M3.3 Design and realize new rules or processes for improving the management, the quality, the safety within a nuclear environment.
• M3.4 Technical English with usages and applications to a nuclear power plant and its associated technology.
• M3.5 Analytical and numerical methodologies for solving algebraic and differential equations, and processing of experimental data.
• M3.6 Methodologies for theoretical and numerical studies of thermo physical and neutronic processes.
• M3.7 Current computing techniques solving special problems. Standard computer code packages, various and finite-difference methodologies for solving second-order ordinary differential equations, and for the solution of boundary- value stationary problems, and the evaluation of experimental errors.
• M3.8 Methodologies for planning and conducting experiments, for fabrication of experimental installations, and for the organization of research and development studies.
• M3.10 Technical documents and publications, progress reports, handbooks and other information resources.
• M3.11 Methodologies for the design of components for nuclear power plants.
• M3.12 Project management skills to carry out collaborative efforts with other team members, for assessing the quality and efficiency of the personnel, and upgrading the personnel performance.
• M3.13 Organizational and managerial decision tools including knowledge management to achieve optimum outcomes with respect to quality, reliability, economy, safety and the protection of the environment.
• M3.14 Legislative and regulatory requirements for the safe and environmentally sound operation of a nuclear power plant.
• M3.15 Basic presentation and pedagogical skills.

Source: Nuclear engineering education: A competence-based approach in curricula development

References

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