Getting a degree

[Kenny73]

I just began prototype about a week ago but I don't want to make sure that I have everything planned out clearly.  My ultimate goal is to be a reactor operator in a civilian plant.  So I'm wondeirng what the best avenue would be to obtain a BS in nuclear engineering while still in the navy.

[Rad Sponge]

There are numerous threads answering your query to be found in this forum, but here are some comments and suggestions:

1. BZ for thinking out a career plan to include college and life post Navy.
2. You should be focused on qualifying at prototype and nothing else until you earn your NEC, but...
3. Work your tail off and qualify as soon as possible, meaning if you can do it in 15-20 weeks, sacrifice your free time and go for it, because...
4. Once you qualify you go on staff hours and regain your life, then while you are waiting for your class to graduate you can work on college by...
5. Taking every CLEP and DSST/DANTES examination available free of charge at your base's Navy College Center. You could basically take care of a year or so of general education requirements by passing all the exams. For more info go to:

getcollegecredit.com

6. After you qualify, take the ACT and SAT free of charge if your HS scores were average. The ACT is much more realisiticr in my opinion than the SAT and most colleges accept the ACT and SAT. You might also find that you are better at test taking after completing A and C school. For example, I took the ACT in HS and got a 23 composite (highest is 36) and a 1090 combined SAT. I did the ACT again after becoming a nuke and scored a 29/36.

7. Try and get as much free college credit out of the way before going to the fleet, because once you get there, you won't have the free time available until you qualify all over again.

8. Try to become a Staff Pick Up instructor, yes it is two more years in the Navy, but both protoypes have local colleges that cater to a rotating shift schedule.

Good luck,

Jason

[Rad Sponge]

P.S:

Passing a CLEP or DSST exam is not directly worth college credit; you have to send them to a college to be evauated for credit by the admissions staff. However, your scores become an official part of your SMART so you will have that documentation everytime you send it off to a different college.

Many colleges, both traditional "ass in the seat" schools and distance learning programs have special agreements with the Navy called a SOCNAV which makes it easier for your military experience and CLEP/DSST tests to be counted towards degree requirements.

Just make sure any college you choose is fully accredited by a regional higher education accreditation council.

Your local Navy College Center will be able to explain this in more detail.

[JsonD13]

There aren't many, if any schools that offer a distance learning BS in Nuclear Engineering that is ABET accredited.  TESC and Excelsior both offer Nuclear Engineering Technology degrees, neither of them are real engineering degrees.  However, Excelsior's degree is ABET accredited.  If you are in New York, your best bet is to become a SPU and attend Rennsselear Polytechnic Institute.  They have a program which your in a classroom but they work around your schedule from what I have heard.  Charleston has no such thing yet but they are working on schools to help out (Non-engineering degrees). But I don't think you need to have a BS in Nuclear Engineering to be a civilian RO, or any degree for that matter (not for sure).  It never hurts to get your degree, but if you are set on BSNE you might have to wait.  In the meantime get all the credits you can so you can transfer them when you start school.

Jason

[thenuttyneutron]

You don't need a BS in nuke engineering to be a RO.  Just get navy nuke experience and apply for the positions.  You have to pass a POSS test.  You will only need a degree if you want SRO or other management positions.

[Kenny73]

Thanks for all the input.  I was under the impression that I needed a BSNE but even now knowing that it's not a necessity, I still want to get one.  It has been one of my goals for a while now.  I'm going to apply for STA-21 and see what happens.  I definitely wouldn't mind getting paid to go to school.

[shayne]

RPI offers Navy Nuclear Operators Nuclear Engineering Degrees.  However the program is set up for NPTU Ballston Spa, NY Staff Instuctors.  So it is something to persue if you are a staff pickup or if you return after a tour at sea.

[Rad Sponge]

Good News.

I was accepted into graduate school at U of Maryland with a TESC degree.

Navy nuke + communication skills + a degree = no limits.

All you noobs, get a degree.

If you don't have at least an accredited 2 year degree by 6 yrs, you wasted your time somehow.

Unless you were fast attack, then get one as soon as you get time to breathe.

[thenuttyneutron]

It is possible to get a BS in Nuclear Engineering using the GI Bill after you leave the Navy.  Some of my peers in school were from the Navy.  I think a BS in Nuclear Engineering Technology is something to look at too.  I work with two people on shift with me that are earning their degrees in Nuclear Engineering Technology.  There are ABET accredited schools for a this and they give class credits for your Navy experience.

If you want to get the full engineering degree, you can do yourself a huge favor and complete at least 3 semesters of Calculus and 2 semesters of calculus based Physics/lab.  You can also knock out the other requirements such as English, History, and other electives.  That way when you leave the navy and go in to a Nuclear Engineering program, you can focus only on the nuke classes and complete the degree in 2-3 years.  Taking 12 hours a semester on some very hard classes will allow you plenty of time to study, spent time with the family, work, and go to school.

Also I looked at the ACAD guidance and see that you can become an SRO with a technical degree and navy experience.  The college kids with engineering degrees must work a few years for work experience, so you will have an edge there.  To be a reactor operator only requires a HS diploma.  You can also work yourself to SRO without a college degree by getting RO then going for an upgrade a few years down the road.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Congrads!! Ditto the get a degree thing and what grad program are you in??

Rob

[Rad Sponge]

Congrads!! Ditto the get a degree thing and what grad program are you in??

Rob

MS Management (Energy Resource Management)/MBA dual degree program.

At least that is the plan.

Its actually umuc.edu

[Beta_effect]

As mentioned above, get all the math you can out of the way. The two biggest pains your freshman and sophomore year are getting through Calculus (I through III) and Engineering Physics (I+II). That is just the beginning of your math and physics fun. Then comes differential equations, advanced engineering mathematics, reactor physics and reactor kinetics and most likely several semesters of graduate level neutronics and power plant engineering if you stick around after your BS.

All of this is done while working on secondaries like statistics or biology courses such as physiology, cancer cell biology, immunology...all of which depends on what direction you find yourself going. A lot of nuc majors also dual major in math or physics and then wind up going to grad school or even pre-med. You think the money is good in the power plant world, you should check out the salaries of medical physicists.

And best of all, if you go to a school with a research reactor you most likely will be able to get on as staff and get your first reactor operator's license while still in school...

[Roll Tide]

Consider EPCE for Nuclear Technology, they are a Nukeworker advertiser with partnerships for A.S. and B.S. programs

http://www.nukeworker.com/adserver/adclick.php?bannerid=120&zoneid=2&source=&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epceonline.org%2Fnw

[Rad Sponge]

My 1 x 10 -6 cents on choosing a degree program is this:

Do what you love.

Don't pigeon hole yourself into a specific skill set.

Find a good marriage of engineering and the arts.

Think engineering, speak universally.

[nearexnuke]

What is a POSS test?

[Rad Sponge]

What is a POSS test?

An entrance examination required before HR even looks at you for an operators job.

Search this site for POSS.

Something is bound to materialize.

[amj]

I earned my BSNE at UW-Madison. UW's program allows some navy courses to count toward the degree requirment. Also, UW has a dual BSNE/MS program. You can choose from power, health physics, or medical physics. The latter has the highest earning potential (150k/yr for board certified physicists). UW's program is ranked second in the US, with MIT ranked first.

I haven't heard of a distance learning BS program in nuclear engineering; however, I've been told that one of the public universities in either South or North Carolina has a distance learning MS program. Knocking out a BS in physics or another applicable degree and then completing the MS program might be a good option.

[Charles U Farley]

I haven't heard of a distance learning BS program in nuclear engineering; however, I've been told that one of the public universities in either South or North Carolina has a distance learning MS program. Knocking out a BS in physics or another applicable degree and then completing the MS program might be a good option.

USC (Gamecocks not Trojans).  Its called the APOGEE program.

http://www.engr.sc.edu/apogee/apogee.html  

It's difficult, but doable.  I am enjoying it.

[Roll Tide]

I haven't heard of a distance learning BS program in nuclear engineering; however, I've been told that one of the public universities in either South or North Carolina has a distance learning MS program. Knocking out a BS in physics or another applicable degree and then completing the MS program might be a good option.

UT Knoxville has one as well.

$150K/year is not the highest earning potential, though it is probably the highest for HP / RP / RADCON fields.

[ddklbl]

Hey congrats, I'm a dual MS in Ag Economics/MBA - Purdue/IU

The singular and most famous quote from a Purdue graduate:

One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.

The most famous quotes from an IU graduate: 

Would you like to biggie size that, Sir?

I kind of figured a PU graduate would have learned his freshman year to avoid Bloomington.  It is, afterall, in the Kentucky half of Indiana.   

[Kev3399]

The singular and most famous quote from a Purdue graduate:

One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.

The most famous quotes from an IU graduate: 

Would you like to biggie size that, Sir?

I kind of figured a PU graduate would have learned his freshman year to avoid Bloomington.  It is, afterall, in the Kentucky half of Indiana.   

Neil Armstrong is from Indiana!!!!! I guess I'll have to up my respect for that state.

[Fermi2]

No, Neil Armstrong is from Wapakoneta Ohio.

[Kev3399]

No, Neil Armstrong is from Wapakoneta Ohio.

Ok.......Still doesn't change the fact that Indiana is.....well.......ummm.

But just to keep you happy Mike, I will raise my post up to your level of understanding.

Neil Armstrong went to college in Indiana!!!!! I guess I'll have to up my respect for that state.

[Fermi2]

Ok.......Still doesn't change the fact that Indiana is.....well.......ummm.

But just to keep you happy Mike, I will raise my post up to your level of understanding.

Neil Armstrong went to college in Indiana!!!!! I guess I'll have to up my respect for that state.

Wasn't me point. It doesn't matter where he went to college at, he's from Ohio. I spent the majority of my adult life in Michigan but I'm still from Ohio. I'm into accuracy.

Mike

[tr]

Note also that when Neil Armstrong decided to become an engineering professor, he chose a university in Ohio (University of Cincinnati).