MSc in Nuclear Engineering - Khalifa University

The degree of Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering (MSc in NUCE) is awarded by Khalifa University of Science and Technology for successfully completing the requirements of a program of study which includes taught courses as well as thesis. The thesis is an independent investigation of specialized areas within the general field of Nuclear Engineering and associated disciplines. The MSc in NUCE gives candidates the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in the broad field of NUCE and contribute to the process of discovery and knowledge creation through the conduct of original research. Candidates for this degree are taught and supervised by experienced faculty and are expected to demonstrate initiative in their approach and innovation in their work. In addition to successfully completing the taught course component of the program, candidates prepare and present a thesis on their chosen area. Research may be undertaken in several topics corresponding to the areas of focus identified by the University.

Career Opportunities
The Program is aimed to provide MSc. students with deep knowledge and specialization in nuclear engineering and enables them to relate nuclear engineering theory to practice. The Nuclear Engineering MSc. program is intended to equip graduates with design, problem solving and research skills in nuclear engineering concentration which will prepare them for careers as nuclear engineering professionals. Graduates of this MSc who join industry following the completion of the program would have acquired the advanced level of knowledge that would help them make their particular industries, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), and Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), more productive. Graduates also go through rigorous training and research experience to enable them to pursue their studies at PhD level.

GOALS

The educational goals (objectives) of the MSc in Nuclear Engineering program are to produce graduates who:

Advance professionally and be recognized as leaders in their chosen fields.
Apply their technical expertise to address the needs of society in critical, creative,
Further develop their knowledge and skills through graduate education and professional schools

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

A student graduating with the MSc in Nuclear Engineering will be able to:

Identify, formulate, and solve advanced Nuclear Engineering problems through the application of advanced knowledge of mathematics and engineering science.
Acquire knowledge of contemporary issues and demonstrate an advanced level of understanding in the field of Nuclear Engineering.
Design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze, interpret data and make decisions.
Conduct research in a chosen area of specialization and document and defend the research results.
Function on teams in design, analysis and or/safety and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Understand legal, professional, regulatory and ethical responsibilities.

The MSc in Nuclear Engineering (NUCE) program consists of a minimum of 30 credit-hours. The required program credits are distributed as follows: 12 credits of Program Core courses, 9 credits Program Electives courses, and 9 credits of NUCE Master’s Thesis work. A student may organize the selection of the elective courses and the master’s thesis topic to follow a specialization track within the broad field of NUCE. In such cases the track will be noted on the student’s transcript. The table below presents a summary of the MSc in NUCE degree program structure and requirements. All the MSc in NUCE program courses, with the exception of the Seminar in Research Methods (0 credits) and the Master’s Thesis (9 credits), have a credit rating of three credits each.

Summary of MSc in NUCE Degree Program Structure and Requirements

Category	Credits Required
Program Core	12
Program Electives	9
Seminar in Research Methods	0
NUCE Master’s Thesis	9
Total	30

Students seeking the degree of MSc in NUCE must successfully complete a minimum of 30 credited hours as specified in the categories detailed in this section with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0.

Program Core

The MSc in NUCE degree program core requires a minimum of 12 credits consisting of 12 credits of NUCE core courses, and seminar in research methods course, which has zero credit rating. The courses for each one of the core categories are specified below.

NUCE Core Courses (12 credits):

Students must select at least two courses from the list below:

NUCE 601 Thermal Hydraulics in Nuclear Systems
NUCE 602 Nuclear materials, Structural Integrity and Chemistry
NUCE 603 Nuclear Reactor Theory
NUCE 606 Radiation Measurements and Applications
ENG 695 Seminar in Research Methods (0 credits)

Program Electives

Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits of electives. The list of electives that students can select from includes the courses not used to meet the NUCE Core requirement above as well as those listed below. Students can also select up to two elective courses (6 credits) from other M.Sc. programs in the College of Engineering at KU subject to the approval of their research advisor.

NUCE 611 Nuclear Systems Design and Analysis
NUCE 612 Nuclear Safety and Probabilistic Safety Assessment
NUCE 613 Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safeguards
NUCE 614 Nuclear Nonproliferation and Security
NUCE 621 Nuclear Instrumentation and Control
NUCE 622 Thermal Hydraulics Computations & Modelling
NUCE 623 Radiological Environmental Impact Assessment
NUCE 624 Radiation Damage and Nuclear Fuels
NUCE 625 Advanced Core Physics for Light Water Reactors
NUCE 694 Selected Topics in NUCE

NUCE Master’s Thesis

NUCE 699 Master’s Thesis (minimum 9 credits)

A student must complete a master’s thesis that involves creative research-oriented work within the broad field of NUCE, under the direct supervision of a main advisor, who must be a full-time faculty in the NUCE Department, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as co-advisor. The research findings must be documented in a formal thesis and defended successfully in a viva voce examination. Furthermore, the research should lead to publishable quality scholarly articles.

Program Tracks

A student may select a group of elective courses to form an optional specialization track within the MSc in NUCE program. The track will be noted on the student’s academic record (transcript) provided that the student completes:

A minimum of 9 credits from the group of courses designated by the track plus 3 credits from any of the other electives
A master research thesis within the domain of the track.

The tracks supported by the MSc in NUCE program and the required courses for each of the tracks are set out below.

Nuclear Systems and PSA [Track 1]
NUCE 611	Nuclear Systems – Design and Analysis
NUCE 612	Nuclear Safety & Probabilistic Safety Assessment
NUCE 621	Nuclear Instrumentation and Control

Nuclear Reactor Design [Track 2]
NUCE 611	Nuclear Systems – Design and Analysis
NUCE 622	Thermal Hydraulics – Computation and Modeling
NUCE 625	Advanced Core Physics for Light Water Reactors

Nuclear Safeguards, Security and the Fuel Cycle [Track 3]
NUCE 612	Nuclear Safety & Probabilistic Safety Assessment
NUCE 613	Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safeguards
NUCE 614	Nuclear Nonproliferation and Security

Nuclear Materials and Radiation Damage [Track 4]
NUCE 612	Nuclear Safety & Probabilistic Safety Assessment
NUCE 613	Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safeguards
NUCE 624	Radiation Damage and Nuclear Fuels

Nuclear and Radiation Safety [Track 5]
NUCE 612	Nuclear Safety & Probabilistic Safety Assessment
NUCE 613	Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Safeguards
NUCE 623	Radiological Environmental Impact Assessment

Students must consult with their respective advisors on the courses that they will enroll in, the required pre-requisites, and the thesis topic selection. Full-time graduate students must register for 9 to 12 credits, including thesis credits, during a regular semester (Fall and Spring) and a maximum of 6 credits during a Summer term. In the case of part-time students, the credit load is normally 6 credits during a regular semester as well as the summer term.

Students can only register for thesis credits after successfully completing a minimum of 9 credits of the core courses of the master’s program they are enrolled in. It is to be noted that the minimum pass grade for graduate courses is a “C” letter grade. Students should consult the Graduate Catalog to learn about the graduate programs, the grading system, graduation requirements, and other pertinent matters.