Graduate Program
| 2007-2008 GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK |  |
- GRADUATE STUDY AT UT
- THE DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
- CURRENT RESEARCH
- FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
- ADMISSION
- PROGRAM OF STUDY
- Master of Science Program
- The Doctoral Program
- TYPICAL STUDENT PROGRAMS
- COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
- DISTANCE EDUCATION
- FACULTY
- KNOXVILLE AND THE UNIVERSITY
- A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE
- FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT
- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATEMENT
- APPLICATION FORMS
The University of Tennessee (UT) with more than 200 years of academic tradition is a major graduate education center. The University offers master’s programs in more than 90 fields of specialization and doctoral programs in more than 50.
The UT Graduate School brings together faculty and students as a community of scholars with a common interest in creative work and advanced study. Programs are available to graduate students interested in full- or part-time study, to professionals interested in continuing education either on campus or via live and interactive distance education, and to scholars pursuing postdoctoral research. (top)
THE DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
Established in 1957, the UT Department of Nuclear Engineering is one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in the United States. The department’s strengths include a well-developed research program, close ties with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and several nuclear utilities, international research associations, and attractive graduate assistantships. The faculty is internationally recognized for excellence in research and teaching. The department’s graduate program is ranked number ten in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
The Department of Nuclear Engineering offers programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Research specializations include applied artificial intelligence, reactor analysis, fuel and waste management, nuclear criticality safety, nuclear reactor dynamics and control, maintenance and reliability engineering, nuclear system reliability and risk assessment, radiological engineering (including health physics), radiation transport, and thermalhydraulics.
The department is housed in the Pasqua Engineering Building, which is devoted exclusively to the Nuclear Engineering Department. This 16,300 square foot building provides offices, classrooms, laboratories, shops, a computer terminal room, and a lounge/library for the Nuclear Engineering students and faculty. This facility helps create the cohesive atmosphere, which characterizes the department. (top)
The Nuclear Engineering Department’s research program provides excellent opportunities for graduate students to participate in state-of-the-art research projects while satisfying their research requirements. The level of research funding and the number of graduate students involved have both grown significantly in recent years. Sponsored research funding now totals well over 1 million dollars and enrollment is over fifty graduate students.
The University’s association with ORNL, which is operated by UT/Batelle, provides facilities and research opportunities to students and faculty that are not available at any other U.S. university. Research into many nuclear engineering problems may be conducted at ORNL by teams composed of faculty, graduate students, and ORNL personnel. The concentration of nuclear engineering activity in the Knoxville/Oak Ridge area also provides graduate students with a unique opportunity to interact with outstanding researchers and provides access to numerous conferences and seminars held locally.
The department’s ties with industry have provided opportunities for students to implement and evaluate new technologies in a real-world environment. These projects have been conducted at TVA, Duke Energy Company, Electricité de France, Florida Power & Light, Northeast Utilities, Emerson Electric, Westinghouse, and many more.
Students in the Nuclear Engineering Department also have the opportunity to work on projects sponsored by the University’s Measurement and Control Engineering Center, the Waste Management Research and Education Institute, and the Maintenance and Reliability Center. These centers are interdisciplinary research organizations that sponsor major research programs throughout the College of Engineering. The Measurement and Control Engineering Center is the only comprehensive, interdisciplinary education and research program in this field in the country. Industrial sponsors provide funding for the Center’s research program. The Waste Management Research and Education Institute, one of Tennessee’s state-sponsored Centers of Excellence, focuses on research and education dealing with all three major types of hazardous waste: chemical, low-level radioactive, and high-level radioactive. The Maintenance and Reliability Center focuses on increasing industrial productivity, safety and efficiency by application of advanced maintenance and reliability engineering methods. (top)
The department is currently involved in 24 major research projects with over $1,800,000 in funding. These projects fall into the following categories:
- Signal Validation in Nuclear Power Plants
- Nuclear Criticality Safety
- Digital Signal Processing Techniques
- Control Systems for Advanced Reactors
- Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Neural Computing
- Methods for Nuclear Power Plants
- Reactor Fault Monitoring and Diagnostics
- Advanced Reactor Design
- Computational Methods Development
- Space Radiation Protection
- Dynamic Modeling of Reactor Systems
- Reactor Noise Analysis
- Advanced Instrumentation
- Advanced Preventive Maintenance Technology Development
- Assessment of Radiological Risks
- Radiation Measurements
- Statistical Analysis of Radiation Effects
- Probabilistic Risk Assessment
- Uncertainty Analysis in Health Physics
- Calibration of Radiation Detectors
- Biokinetic Models for Internal Dosimetry
- Chromosome Radiation Dosimetry
- Kinetic Models for Radionuclide Transport in the Environment
- Space Radiation Shielding and Risk Assessment
- Neutron Capture Therapy
- Cyclotron Target Design for Radioisotope Production
A major program, directed by Dr. Wes Hines and Dr. Bob Uhrig, is on Advanced Artificial Intelligence, Neural Computing, and Fuzzy Modeling and Control Methods for Nuclear Power Plants. The purpose of this project is to evaluate these new advanced techniques for application in the nuclear industry and to develop software systems for appropriate applications. This research is providing major new capability for enhancing the operational and safety characteristics of nuclear power plants.
The Department established a graduate concentration in Radiological Engineering (Health Physics) in the fall of 1988. Drs. L.F. Miller and L.W. Townsend manage this program. Students in this concentration take courses in Nuclear Instrumentation, Radiological Assessment, Radiation Protection, and Radiation Biology. Special Topics courses in microdosimetry, internal dosimetry, uncertainty analysis and medical imaging are also offered by the Department and are taken by many Radiological Engineering students. Research efforts are generally focused in the areas of radiological assessments, dosimetry, instrumentation and analysis of radiological data sets with Bayesian methodologies.
A major area of specialization in the graduate program is nuclear criticality safety. Dr. R.E. Pevey and Dr. H.L. Dodds manage this program. The academic and related research activities were developed to provide much-needed graduates to work on criticality safety, primarily in DOE laboratories.
With two-year start-up funding from Gilbert/Commonwealth, Inc., the Preventive Maintenance Engineering Laboratory was initiated in 1989. PMEL focuses on research on new technology to aid in maintenance of power plant components, both nuclear and non-nuclear. Dr. B.R. Upadhyaya is Director of PMEL. Maintenance and Reliability Engineering is a rapidly growing discipline in U.S. industry and in the Nuclear Engineering Department. This is further enhanced by the College of Engineering’s Maintenance and Reliability Center directed by Mr. Tom Byerley.
The department was selected by DOE to receive funding ($650k over 3 years) for a research project entitled DESIGN AND LAYOUT CONCEPTS FOR COMPACT, FACTORY-PRODUCED, TRANSPORTABLE, GENERATION IV REACTOR SYSTEMS. The award was 1 of 10 awards given by DOE from 126 proposals submitted nationally. Generation IV reactor research is the highest visibility research program sponsored by DOE’s Nuclear Energy Directorate, and this award puts the department at the forefront of the nation’s nuclear energy R&D. The project was a team effort with the department as the lead organization who let subcontracts to MIT, ORNL, Westinghouse, Newport News Shipbuilding, and IPPE in Russia. The majority of the work was done by the UTNE department.
These projects illustrate just a few of the research activities in which UT Nuclear Engineering graduate students are involved. Students are assigned to research projects in their areas of interest that will provide them with thesis or dissertation opportunities. Most students serve as graduate research assistants while working on these projects. Thus, the projects provide both income and research experience for the students. (top)
The University is committed to providing quality education at a reasonable cost, and a number of programs have been developed to help graduate students finance their studies.
The department offers Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA). GRA positions include monthly stipends of $1,600 for beginning M.S. candidates, $1,700 for beginning Ph.D. candidates who have completed the M.S. degree, and $1,800 for Ph.D. candidates who have passed the Comprehensive Examination. These rates result in annual stipends of $19,200 (for beginning M.S. candidates) to $21,600 (for Ph.D. candidates who have passed the first part of the comprehensive examination). Several Fellowships, Graduate Assistantships and Graduate Teaching Assistantships with competitive stipends are available for appropriately qualified students. All types of assistantship appointments include waiver of tuition and maintenance fees, but students must pay the activity fee ($150 per semester), the technology fee ($100 per semester), and the engineering differential fee ($200 per semester).
Also, there are excellent fellowship opportunities for nuclear engineering graduate students offered by national organizations such as the Department of Energy, the American Nuclear Society, and the National Academy for Nuclear Training. The Nuclear Engineering Department provides information and assistance in applying for these fellowships. (top)
Admission to the program requires a minimum grade-point average of 2.7 out of a possible 4.0, or a 3.0 during the senior year of undergraduate study. International students must have at least the equivalent of a B average on undergraduate courses and must have a score of a least 550 on the paper based Test (213 on the computer based test) of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). It should be noted, however, that meeting these minimum standards does not guarantee admission to the program. Students must submit an application for admission to the Graduate School (application forms are available online). Applicants must also take the GRE examination and submit test scores. Applications for financial assistance ( GRA, GA or GTA) must be sent to the Nuclear Engineering Department. (top)
The Department of Nuclear Engineering offers programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Students may elect a traditional nuclear engineering program focusing on fission energy or fusion energy, or a radiological engineering concentration, which prepares students for careers in the radiation safety field (health physics). Both programs are designed for graduates of accredited undergraduate programs in engineering, physics, chemistry, or mathematics.
All entering students must have, as a minimum, competency in mathematics through ordinary differential equations, competency in atomic and nuclear physics, and competency consistent with an introductory course in nuclear engineering. If such competencies do not exist, the student must take appropriate courses for undergraduate credit. In addition, students without a B.S. degree in nuclear engineering, or the equivalent, must take 431 (Radiation Protection) and 470 (Nuclear Reactor Theory I), both of which may be taken for graduate credit. The department head is the contact for all interested students, both those with nuclear engineering degrees and those from other disciplines. More detailed information about the Department of Nuclear Engineering is available on the web at http://www.engr.utk.edu/nuclear.
For details of the M.S. Program and the Ph.D. Program, see the online Graduate Catalog at http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/dlc/catalog/. (top)
CERTIFICATE IN MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING
The College of Engineering offers a graduate certificate program in maintenance and reliability engineering. The program is designed primarily for part-time students in that all of the courses are available through distance education (see http://www.anywhere.tennessee.edu/ne/default.htm). The 12-credit certificate is earned by completing 483 and 484, which are cross-listed among all participating departments in the College of Engineering, plus two elective courses selected from a list of courses provided by the participating departments. Currently, the available elective courses are Industrial Engineering 516 and 591, Mechanical Engineering 534 and 599, and Nuclear Engineering 579 and 585. The selection of elective courses is determined through an advising conference with each individual student, and is based on the student's personal interests, academic background, and work experience. Applicants must meet the minimum criteria established by the Graduate Council. (top)
CERTIFICATE IN NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY
The Department of Nuclear Engineering offers a graduate certificate program in nuclear criticality safety. The program is designed primarily for part-time students in that all of the courses are available through distance education (see http://www.anywhere.tennessee.edu/ne/default.htm).
The 12-credit certificate is earned by completing 421, 543, and 582 plus one of the following three courses: 470, 571, or 581. The selection of one of the latter three courses is determined through an advising conference with each individual student, and is based on the student's personal interests, academic background, and work experience. Applicants must meet the minimum criteria established by the Graduate Council. Students without a nuclear engineering background must take 301 (Fundamentals of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering) prior to beginning the graduate coursework described above. (top)
A typical M.S. program in traditional nuclear engineering is as follows:
Fall Semester
(3) NE 571 Reactor Theory and Design
(3) Math, Statistics or Computer Science course
(3)
Elective (NE or related field)
Begin work as a GRA, GA or GTA. Student will begin investigations of a thesis topic or will begin work on the first engineering practice project.
________
9 semester hours
Spring Semester
(3) NE 572 Nuclear System Design
(3) Math, Statistics, or Computer Science Course
(3) Elective (NE or related field)
(3) NE 500 or NE 598 - Research (GRA students generally satisfy research requirements through work on a research contract or grant).
______
12 semester hours
Summer Semester
(3) Elective (NE or related field)
(9) NE 500 or NE 598 - Research
_____
12 semester hours
Fall Semester
(3) Elective (NE or related field)
(3) NE 500 or NE 598 - Research
______
6 semester hours
It should be noted that every research topic is different, and the time required for completion varies.
A typical M.S. program for Radiological Engineering is as follows:
Fall Semester
(3) NE 301 Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (Required of students without a B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering. Cannot be used to satisfy graduate degree course requirements)
(3) NE 551 Radiation Protection
(3) Mathematics, Statistics or Computer Science
(3) BMS 551 Radiation Biology
Begin work as a GRA, GA or GTA. Students will begin investigations of a thesis topic or will begin work on the first engineering practice problem.
______
12 semester hours (9 for graduate credit)
Spring Semester
(3) NE 550 Nuclear Instrumentation
(3) Math, Statistics, or Computer Science Course
(3) NE 552 Radiation Monitoring and Dose Assessment
(3) NE 500 or NE 598 - Research (GRA students generally satisfy thesis research requirements through work on a research contract or grant).
______
12 semester hours
Summer Semester
(3) Elective (NE or related field)
(9) NE 500 or NE 598 - Research
______
12 semester hours
Fall Semester
(3) NE 542 Management of Radioactive Materials
(3) NE 500 or 598 - Research
______
6 semester hours
(top)
The following is a list of graduate courses offered in the Department of Nuclear Engineering:
403 Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Laboratory II (3) Cross section measurements, diffusion properties of neutrons, shielding, dynamics and controls, alpha and beta spectroscopy, radiation fields and dosimetry. Prereq: Nuclear and Radiological Engineering Laboratory I.
404 Nuclear Fuel Cycle (3) Mining, milling, fabrication, in-core management, reprocessing, waste disposal, regulatory and radiation health issues and requirements. Prereq: 470 or equivalent.
406 Radiation Shielding (3) Types of radiation sources, fundamentals of gamma ray and neutron attenuation, biological effects, approximate methods of shield design, discrete ordinates, and Monte Carlo. Prereq: Physics 232.
421 Introduction to Nuclear Criticality Safety (3) Fundamentals of nuclear criticality safety; criticality accidents; safety standards; overview of experiments, computational methods, and applications. Prereq: 301 Fundamentals of Nuclear/Radiological Engineering.
431 Radiation Protection (3) External and internal dosimetry, biological effects of radiation, radiation detection, radiation risk assessment. Prereq: 301 Fundamentals of Nuclear/Radiological Engineering.
432 Radiation Risk Analysis (3) Radiation risk estimates for external and internal radiation, dose-response models, dose rate effects, prediction of radiation risks, radiation safety standards.
470 Nuclear Reactor Theory I (3) Fundamentals of reactor physics relative to cross sections, kinematics of elastic scattering, reactor kinetics, reactor systems and nuclear data. Analytical and numerical methods applicable to general criticality problems, eigenvalue searches, perturbation theory, and multigroup diffusion equations. Prereq: 301 Fundamentals of Nuclear/Radiological Engineering.
483 Introduction to Reliability Engineering (3) Probabilistic failure models, parameter estimation (maximum likelihood, Bayes techniques), model identification and comparison, accelerated life tests, failure prediction, system reliability, preventive maintenance and warranties. Prereq: Senior standing or consent of instructor. (Same as Chemical Engineering 483, Industrial Engineering 483, and Mechanical Engineering 483.)
484 Introduction to Maintenance Engineering (3) Principles of maintenance and reliability engineering, and maintenance management. Information extraction from machinery measurements, rotating machinery diagnostics, nondestructive testing, life prediction, failure models, lubrication oil analysis, establishing predictive maintenance program, and computerized maintenance management systems. Prereq: Senior standing in engineering and consent of instructor. (Same as Chemical Engineering 484, Industrial Engineering 484, Materials Science and Engineering 484, and Mechanical Engineering 484.)
494 Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering (3) Problems related to recent developments and practice. Prereq: Senior standing and consent of instructor. May be repeated. Maximum 6 hrs.
500 Thesis (1-15) P/NP only. E
502 Registration for Use of Facilities (1-15) Required for the student not otherwise registered during any semester when student uses University facilities and/or faculty time before degree is completed. May not be used toward degree requirements. May be repeated. S/NC only. E
511-12 Transport Processes in Nuclear Engineering (3,3) Rheology of newtonian and non-newtonian fluids; integral and system conservation equations for single and multi-component fluids; in-depth development of differential conservation equations for mass, energy, and momentum; exact and approximate solutions of equations of motion; boundary layer analysis; numerical analysis of fluid flow and heat transfer.
521 Nuclear Systems Dynamics and Control (3) Introduction to state variable methods for system dynamics and control analysis and application of these methods to nuclear plant dynamics, simulation and control problems.
522 Experimental Methods in Reactor Dynamics (3) Introduction to time domain and frequency domain techniques. Measurement, analysis, and interpretation of process signals for reactor surveillance and diagnostics. Introduction to time-series modeling. Prereq: 521.
541 Reactor Fuel Management (3) Topics relative to in-core fuel management. Applicable topics in reactor physics, fuel depletion, isotopic inventories, reactivity control and numerical methods. Prereq: 470 or consent of instructor.
542 Management of Radioactive Materials (3) Technology for processing, treatment, handling and storage of radioactive nuclides. Analytical and numerical methods for evaluating environmental impact of radioactive materials. Licensing and regulation issues.
543 Selected Topics in Nuclear Criticality Safety (3) Criticality safety computational and experimental methods for enrichment, fabrication, storage, reprocessing, and transport applications; overview of safety practices and regulatory requirements. Prereq: 421 or consent of instructor.
550 Radiation Measurements Laboratory (3) Physics and electronics associated with radiation detection and measurement, methods of data analysis. Applicability of particular detector measurements and fundamentals of radiation detection instrumentation operation. Prereq: 551.
551 Radiation Protection (3) Fundamental concepts and definitions used in radiation protection. Interactions of photons, neurons and heavy charged particles with matter and mechanisms of energy loss. Chemical and biological effects of radiation. Introduction to current radiation protection standards and regulations. Coreq: 301 Fundamentals of Nuclear/Radiological Engineering.
552 Radiological Assessment and Dosimetry (3) Transport of radionuclides in environment, food chain pathways, internal dosimetry and personnel dosimetry. Prereq: 551 or consent of instructor.
553 Radiation Risk Analysis (3) Methods for radiation risk prediction, survival analysis, parameter estimation, real data analysis, extrapolation techniques. Prereq: 552 or consent of instructor.
567 Medical Physics I (3) Ionizing radiation use in radiation therapy to cause controlled biological effects in cancer patients. Physics of interaction of various radiation modalities with body equivalent materials and physical aspects of clinical applications. Lecture and lab. Prereq: Consent of instructor.
568 Medical Physics II (3) Physics of ionizing radiation therapy with emphasis on quality assurance, treatment planning, radiation protection, and special treatment procedures. Lecture and lab. Prereq: 567.
571 Reactor Theory and Design (3) Analytical and numerical techniques for neutronics modeling of nuclear systems. Forward and adjoint Boltzmann transport equation. Multigroup diffusion theory. Core analysis methods and codes. Prereq: 470 or consent of instructor.
572 Nuclear System Design (3) Design and analysis of a nuclear system, interface with non-nuclear aspects of system design: system reliability and economics; class project. Prereq: Consent of instructor.
576 Expert Systems in Engineering (3) Application of expert systems in engineering: logic and rationale, developing expert systems, programming, advanced topics. Prereq: 575 or consent of instructor. (Same as Mechanical Engineering 576 and Engineering Science 576.)
577 Neural Networks in Engineering (3) Neural network technology for use in intelligent systems; rationale for neural computing, structure of neural computing systems, programming. Prereq: Consent of instructor. (Same as Mechanical Engineering 577 and Engineering Science 577.)
578 Fuzzy Systems in Engineering (3) Fuzzy numbers, fuzzy environment, uncertainty and randomness, approximate reasoning, fuzzy models and structures, decision process in fuzzy environment, fuzzy computing, fuzzy logic controllers, fuzzy expert systems and other engineering applications. (Same as Engineering Science 578.)
579 Advanced Monitoring and Diagnostic Techniques (3) Fundamentals of machinery monitoring and diagnosis and application of advanced statistical and artificial intelligence based techniques such as ridge regression, principal component analysis (PCA), linear and non-linear partial least squares (PLS), neural networks, and fuzzy logic. Prereq: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
581 Reactor Shielding (3) Application of analytic/deterministic solutions of Boltzmann transport equation to shield design problems. Spherical harmonics, moments method, discrete ordinates, adjoint calculations, coupled analysis, and fast reactor shield design. Prereq: 406 or equivalent.
582 Monte Carlo Analysis (3) Analysis of radiation transport problems in radiation shielding by Monte Carlo method, use of MCNP code system. Random sampling, evaluation of integrals, analog particle transport, techniques of variance reduction, forward and adjoint modes of analysis, importance function biasing, splitting/weight window survival biasing and contribution theory. Prereq: Consent of instructor.
585 Process System Reliability and Safety (3) Qualitative and quantitative techniques for assessing and improving process systems reliability and safety. Fault tree analysis and associated dependent failure analysis. Prereq: Consent of instructor. (Same as Chemical Engineering 585.)
597 Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering (3) Lectures and recitation on recent advances in nuclear engineering. Prereq: Consent of instructor. May be repeated with consent of department.
598 Nuclear Engineering Practice (3-9) Experience in solving and reporting on engineering problems. Prereq: Approval of department. May be repeated. Enrollment limited to alternative plan students. S/NC only.
600 Doctoral Research and Dissertation (3-15) P/NP only. E
611-12 Selected Topics in Reactor Theory (3,3) Transport theory, control rod theory, stochastic methods. Selected topics from literature. Prereq: 572.
621 Selected Topics in Radiation Protection (3) Prereq: 551, 552. May be repeated with consent of department.
653 Theory of Information Processing (3) Modern system theoretical methods for evaluating system performance from dynamic measurements. Prereq: 522 or equivalent.
671 Advanced Topics in Applied Artificial Intelligence (3) Recent advances in engineering applications of artificial intelligence. Prereq: 577. (Same as Mechanical Engineering 671 and Engineering Science 671.)
697 Special Topics in Nuclear Engineering (3) Investigation of new developments. Prereq: Consent of instructor. (top)
ACADEMIC COMMON MARKET
An agreement among southern states for sharing graduate programs allows legal residents of some states to enroll in certain programs at UT on an in-state tuition basis. The M.S. program in Nuclear Engineering is available to residents of the states of Arkansas and Mississippi. Other states that do not have a graduate nuclear engineering program are also eligible to participate. Additional information may be obtained from the Administrative Services Assistant in the Office of Graduate Admissions. (top)
GRADUATE CREDIT FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
400-level courses in nuclear engineering may be used for graduate credit. However, at least two-thirds of the minimum required hours in the M.S. program must be taken in courses numbered 500 or above. (top)
The Nuclear Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee offers three graduate programs that are available to distance students: the MS degree in nuclear engineering (see http://www.anywhere.tennessee.edu/ne/default.htm) and two new Certificate Programs, one in Nuclear Criticality Safety and the other in Maintenance and Reliability Engineering. Since the M.S. Program requirements also satisfy of the PhD program requirements, a significant portion of the PhD program in also available online.
Most of the courses in the three graduate programs are delivered synchronously (i.e., live and interactive) to the student's desktop computer via the World Wide Web using CENTRA (see http://www.centra.com). The CENTRA software permits oral communication between instructor and students as well as oral communication between students. This interactive oral communication is usually accompanied by video streaming of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides and HTML documents. The synchronous classes are also available asynchronously (i.e., saved on a server) for a few days after synchronous delivery to accommodate students who must occasionally miss class.
The MS program for distance students is the same as our traditional MS program for local students, but with fewer courses offered. The MS program requires eight 3-hour graduate courses: four Nuclear Engineering (NE) courses, two courses in a related technical discipline (or two more NE courses), and two courses in mathematics, statistics or computer science. In addition, at least six hours of research or engineering practice are required for a total MS requirement of at least 30 hours. Up to one-third of the credit hours for the MS degree can be transfer credit from another accredited institution.
MS distance students must also register for at least three hours of research or engineering practice during any semester in which research or engineering practice is conducted to satisfy degree requirements. Proposed projects, either thesis research or engineering practice projects, may (or may not) be related to the student's current job, but must be approved a priori by the student's major professor and graduate committee. To obtain approval, a brief proposal written
by the student must be submitted to and approved by the student's major professor and graduate committee at the beginning of the proposed project. The student must also write brief monthly progress reports, which are submitted to and approved by the student's major professor. The student may also have an on-site advisor or mentor to help direct the student's work along with the overall supervision provided by the major professor. However, acceptance of the student's work in satisfying degree requirements is solely the responsibility of the student's major professor and graduate committee. Good research and engineering practice projects frequently lead to external publications that are co-authored by the student, the on-site advisor, and the major professor. At the conclusion of the MS program, students come to the UT main campus to defend their work, both coursework and thesis or engineering practice project report(s), in a comprehensive oral exam in front of their major professor and graduate committee.
Each Certificate Program consists of four 3-hour graduate courses and does not include a requirement for research or engineering practice. The four courses required for the Nuclear Criticality Safety Certificate are Introduction to Nuclear Criticality Safety, Selected Topics in Nuclear Criticality Safety, Monte Carlo Analysis, and one of the following three elective courses: Reactor Theory I, Reactor Theory and Design, or Reactor Shielding. The four courses required for the Certificate in Maintenance and Reliability Engineering are Introduction to Maintenance Engineering, Introduction to Reliability Engineering, and two elective courses selected from the following list: Advanced Monitoring and Diagnostics, Process System Reliability and Safety, Mechanical Vibrations, Reliability Centered Maintenance, and Statistical Methods in Industrial Engineering. The Maintenance and Reliability Certificate program is actually a college-wide program, which currently includes elective courses in mechanical engineering and industrial engineering as well as nuclear engineering. Any of the courses in the two Certificate programs may also be used to satisfy MS degree requirements.
Admission requirements are the same for all three graduate programs; namely, a BS in any engineering discipline, physics, chemistry, or mathematics from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0/4.0 GPA. In addition, all entering nuclear engineering students must have, as a minimum, competency in mathematics through ordinary differential equations and competency consistent with an introductory course in nuclear engineering. If these competencies do not exist, the student must take appropriate courses to develop the competencies prior to beginning the graduate program. The recommended course of study for each individual student is determined by an advising conference with the student and depends on the student's professional interests, academic background, and work experience. The cost for either of the three programs is the standard fee schedule for the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee and is described in detail in the current Graduate Catalog, which is available online at http://gradschool.utk.edu. More detailed information about the courses and the Web delivery technology is available at http://www.anywhere.tennessee.edu/ne/default.htm.
Finally, students who successfully complete any of the three programs will gain state-of-the-art knowledge in their chosen field, be better qualified to work as professionals, and increase their value to their current employer and to perspective new employers. More importantly, students will have the personal satisfaction and enjoyment of learning new concepts and developing new skills in an exciting field of national and international importance. For additional information, contact University Outreach and Continuing Education at http://www.outreach.utk.edu. (top)
UT is located in a metropolitan area of more than 500,000 people. The University and the City of Knoxville offer nationally recognized cultural and entertainment events, large shopping malls, and many fine restaurants, yet the scenic beauty and recreational activities offered by the Great Smoky Mountains and several TVA lakes are within an hour’s drive of the campus.
The University’s more than 300 academic, social, and recreational organizations give students the opportunity to participate in small groups within the larger environment. The diverse activities offer many opportunities to learn more about other life-styles and cultures and to meet and develop friendships with students and faculty who share similar interests.
Recent expansion of the library has given the campus one of America’s most technologically advanced facilities for scholarly research. Located in the center of campus, the library holds more than two million volumes and offers state-of-the-art audiovisual service and on-line database reference searching.
The University offers a variety of housing for both single and married students. University-owned housing is located in several residential areas of the city. The cost of an apartment ranges from $315 to $405 per month (unfurnished) and $340 to $430 per month (furnished). An off-campus housing office is available to assist students who wish to live in non-University housing, which is usually more expensive than university housing. (top)
The University challenges its students and faculty to excel in scholarship, research, and scientific investigation, and in contribution to economic, social, and cultural development. UT is committed to providing a quality educational experience and preparation for a productive future. (top)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT
H.L. Dodds
Department of Nuclear Engineering
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-2300
(865) 974-2525
utne@utk.edu
Office of Graduate Admissions and Records
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0220
(865) 974-3251
gsinfo@utk.edu
The University of Tennessee does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap, or veteran status in provision of educational opportunities or employment opportunities and benefits.
UT does not discriminate on the basis of sex or handicap in the education programs and activities which it operates, pursuant to requirements of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Public Law 92-318; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 92-112; respectively. This policy extends to both employment and admission to the University.
Inquiries concerning Title IX and Section 504 should be directed to the Office of the Director of Affirmative Action, 403-C Andy Holt Tower, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0144, (865) 974-2498. Charges of violation of the above policy also should be directed to the Office of the Director of Affirmative Action. (top)
Please note:
1. An application fee of $35.00 must be enclosed along with the Graduate Application for Admission which is sent directly to the University of Tennessee Graduate School.
2. Applicants for assistantships must submit the Application for Graduate Research & Teaching Assistantships form to the Nuclear Engineering Department. Click here for a printable version of the application form and the Confidential Rating Form. Please fill out the application form and mail to the address on the bottom of the form. Please have three (3) Confidential Rating Forms filled out by persons who are well acquainted with you scholastically or professionally and whom you are asking to submit confidential information forms for you. (top)