I'm looking for grad school to do my master's degree in nuclear engineering. I have a B.Sc. in Nuclear Science which I obtained in 2009. My undergraduate studies doesn't focus much on nuclear and reactor engineering training but I did learn a lot of fundamental topics like atomic physics, nuclear physics, radiation detection, radiochemistry, health physics, and some introductory course on nuclear reactor type and technology.
I'm an non-destructive testing (NDT) inspector and also certified as a Radiation Protection Officer. I mainly work in fabrication yard, shipyard, offshore installation facility, and conventional power plant. I haven't get any chance to get into nuclear power industry because there is no nuclear power plant in my country. But anyway, my country is planning to go nuclear, so I'm considering to do my M.Sc. in Nuclear Engineering so that I could work in the nuclear industry as a nuclear engineer or inspection engineer in the nuclear industry.
I am currently looking at Russian universities and wonder if anyone here is familiar with Russian universities' Nuclear Engineering graduate program, especially in MEPhI (
https://eng.mephi.ru/). It is a quite well-known university in Russia offering various specialization training and academic courses related to nuclear power.
I notice that in Russia, there are two sub-discipline under the nuclear energy program: MSc. in Nuclear Power Engineering & Thermal Physics, and MSc. in Nuclear Physics & Technology.
I have just emailed a professor from MEPhI, Russia to find out more about their MSc. in Nuclear Engineering program, and here's his reply:
Regarding two programs you mentioned: Nuclear Physics and Technology focuses on the nuclear processes occuring in the core and the main courses include Nuclear Reactor Physics, Experimental Reactor Physics, Mathematical Modelling (Monte Carlo) etc; while Nuclear Power Engineering and Thermal Physics focuses on thermal-hydraulics rather than nuclear processes.
Master program at MEPhI lasts 2 years of which about 1.5 years are classwork and about half year of working on the thesis that is defended at the end of the study. Reactor training is not included in the educational program due to the safety requirements, but there are some exercises on the sub-critical assemblies. Yes, there's the laboratotory of mathematical modelling (Monte Carlo). Internship depends on where you are working on your thesis. If it's a professor at MEPhI then you stay at the unversity. Outside of MEPhI options are also possible......
I wonder if it is quite normal that master's students are generally not trained in the practical hands on aspect of operating a research reactor? Or, you really need to attend reactor operator training licensing course before you get to tweak with the control panel.
And, what should I expect to learn in typical MSc. Nuclear Engineering program, and, what practical/hands-on skill that I must learn?
I'd appreciate if anyone could guide me on this.
Many thanks.
