Courses and skills programme

UCLan offers a wide range of nuclear related courses, developed in conjunction with major employers in the industry such as Sellafield Limited. UCLan students benefit from a long history of UCLan delivery in this sector and wide ranging industry connections and experience.

As UCLan's focial point for nuclear related education, research and consultancy John Tyndall Nuclear Research Institute coordinates the developement of courses in this area.

UCLan is a provider of educational programmes to the National Skills Academy Nuclear (NSAN). 

UCLan is currently developing a range of nuclear CPD and Accredited Courses in conjunction with Atkins, as part of the Atkins Academy at UCLan. More details wil be posted shortly as these courses become avaiable.

Undergraduate Programmes

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Decommissioning

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Project Management and Programme Control (factsheet )

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Related Technology (Commissioning & Maintenance) (factsheet)

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Related Technology (Instrumentation & Control) (factsheet)

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Related Technology (Science & Process) (factsheet)

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Related Technology (Design Engineering)

FdEng Nuclear Engineering / Engineering (Nuclear)

BEng (Hons) Top-up Degree in Mechanical and Electrical Systems Engineering

BEng (Hons) Nuclear Plant (Operations and Process)

BSc / BEng top-up degree in Nuclear Related Technology / Decommissioning

Postgraduate courses

PGCert Nuclear Safety

PGCert Nuclear Security

PGDip Nuclear Safety and Security

MSc Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards

MSc By Research

Postgraduate Certificate in the Governance of the UK Civil Nuclear Industry (factsheet)

Certificate and CPD : Scientific and Technical Aspects of Nuclear Waste (see factsheet)

Postgraduate provisions in Nuclear Safety and security - coming soon !

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Decommissioning   

Nuclear decommissioning requires an understanding of the principles of nuclear physics, engineering, reactor design, radiation protection, safe working, environmental remediation, waste characterisation, disposal & treatment, business & project management and the governance & commercial structure of the nuclear industry. This course covers all of these areas, so equipping students with the skills to eventually become effective decommissioning technicians and managers and so enter what is going to be one of the most buoyant employment markets of the early 21st century. The course will be of interest to anyone thinking of studying the environmental or physical sciences or engineering.

The course is currently offered at Lakes College, West Cumbria through a franchise agreement with the University. While based at the Lakes College Campus, students taking the course will also be taught at the University’s site at the Westlakes Research Institute (close to Sellafield) and at the sites of other decommissioning experts in West Cumbria, especially GenII Engineering & Technology Training. Successful completion of this Foundation Degree will entitle the student to progress to top up degrees in BSc Construction Project Management (delivered at the University’s Preston Campus) and BSc Nuclear Decommissioning Management (delivered at Westlakes, subject to validation). This course has also been franchised to Bridgwater College in Somerset to support the decommissioning of Hinkley Point.

See the main UCLan course listing

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Project Management and Programme Control  (factsheet)

See the main UCLan course listing

Foundation Degree in Nuclear Related Technology  

The Foundation Degrees in Nuclear Related Technology and Nuclear Project Management and Programme Controls provide an opportunity to meet some of the key skill shortages within the nuclear industry.  The industry has identified these skills priority areas in partnership with UCLan and GENII Engineering & Technology Training.

In particular, the Sellafield site requires a new generation of engineers/scientists who will have a broad knowledge in science, nuclear and engineering related disciplines with developed and enhanced research and analytical skills. Three main vocational areas have been identified which include:

• Science & Process  (factsheet)
• Commissioning & Maintenance (factsheet)
• Instrumentation & Control (factsheet)
• Design Engineering

As in the case of the Foundation Degree in Nuclear Decommissioning, these courses are delivered via Lakes College West Cumbria, GenII Engineering & Technology Training Ltd and  Sellafield Limited as well as Carlisle College. These courses are NSAN endorsed.

See the main UCLan course listing

BSc / BEng top-up degree in Nuclear Related Technology / Decommissioning  

A top-up award will be developed by the Centre at an early stage to allow successful graduates from all of the Foundation Degrees listed above to progress to complete a full honours degree within 1 year after exiting the FD. This course will accept students from all degrees and franchise sites and offer a number of the developed modules for CPD purposes.

Certificate and CPD : Scientific and Technical Aspects of Nuclear Waste

The Course provides expert knowledge of best practice in nuclear waste management, develops skills that will enable participants to seek improved, costeffective and regulatory-acceptable methods when working at the
forefront of waste treatment and management on nuclear licensed sites.

The course has been developed in conjunction with industry experts in each field and is supported by NSAN. A factsheet is available.

Key Areas Studied:

• Radiation and radiological protection
• Radioactive waste regulation andlegislation
• Waste categorisation and life cycles
• Chemistry of actinides and fission products: their relevance to radioactive waste management
• Decontamination processes
• Reactor technology
• The design of new nuclear facillities
• Innovative science and technology for future nuclear fuel cycles and technologies