Nuclear Engineering (BS)
Nuclear engineers work in nuclear systems research, design, development, testing, operation, environmental protection, and marketing. The Bachelor of Science program prepares graduates for positions in industry, national laboratories, or for graduate study. The curriculum incorporates basic sciences and engineering, with emphasis on mathematics and physics, followed by course work in nuclear science and technology. Design concepts are introduced in numerous nuclear engineering courses throughout the curriculum to provide an integrated educational experience, cap-stoned by senior nuclear projects involving reactors and radiation systems. Attention is also given to the efficient utilization of energy resources and to the environmental aspects of nuclear energy. Computers are widely used throughout the curriculum.
The nuclear engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, , and听leads to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering. Advanced undergraduates who desire to attend graduate school at NC State may enter a combined 5-year BS/MNE professional program or BS/MS bachelor/master degree program during their senior year which will culminate at the end of their fifth year with both the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering and the Master of Nuclear Engineering or the Master of Science degrees, respectively.
Plan Requirements
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| 贰听101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 | 1 |
| 贰听115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 |
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CSC听113 | Introduction to Computing - MATLAB | 3 |
| MA听241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| PY听205 &听PY听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| E听102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MAE听206 | Engineering Statics | 3 |
| MA听242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| NE听201 | Introduction to Nuclear Engineering | 2 |
| PY听208 &听PY听209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| Advanced Communication Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MA听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 |
| NE听202 | Radiation Sources, Interaction and Detection 2 | 4 |
| NE听228 | Introduction To Fusion Energy | 3 |
| NE听309 | Introduction to Materials for Nuclear Energy | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 13 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NE听301 | Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering 2 | 3 |
| NE听205 | Thermodynamics for Nuclear Engineering | 3 |
| NE听350 | Applied Mathematics in Nuclear Engineering | 3 |
| MA听401 | Applied Differential Equations II | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 12 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NE听360 | Continuum Mechanics for Nuclear Engineers | 3 |
| NE听400 | Nuclear Reactor Energy Conversion | 4 |
| NE听401 | Reactor Analysis and Design | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 10 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NE听402 | Reactor Engineering | 4 |
| NE听404 | Radiation Safety and Shielding | 3 |
| NE听406 | Nuclear Engineering Senior Design Preparation | 1 |
| NE Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NE听405 | Reactor Systems | 3 |
| NE听408 | Nuclear Engineering Design Project | 3 |
| Engineering Technical Elective | 3 | |
| NE听403 | Nuclear Reactor Laboratory | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 11 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 106 |
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | ||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | ||
| GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement) | ||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | ||
| Total Hours | 17 | |
Advanced Communication Elective
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COM听110 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| COM听112 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COM听211 | Argumentation and Advocacy | 3 |
| ENG听288 | Fiction Writing | 3 |
| ENG听289 | Poetry Writing | 3 |
| ENG听316 | Introduction to News and Article Writing | 3 |
| ENG听331 | Communication for Engineering and Technology | 3 |
| ENG听332 | Communication for Business and Management | 3 |
| ENG听333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| WLAR听201 | Intermediate Arabic I | 3 |
| WLAR听202 | Intermediate Arabic II | 3 |
| WLCH听201 | Intermediate Chinese I | 3 |
| WLCH听202 | Intermediate Chinese II | 3 |
| WLFR听201 | Intermediate French I | 3 |
| WLFR听202 | Intermediate French II | 3 |
| WLGE听201 | Intermediate German I | 3 |
| WLGE听202 | Intermediate German II | 3 |
| WLGR听201 | Intermediate Greek I | 3 |
| WLGR听202 | Intermediate Greek II | 3 |
| WLHU听201 | Intermediate Hindi-Urdu I | 3 |
| WLHU听202 | Intermediate Hindi-Urdu II | 3 |
| WLIT听201 | Intermediate Italian I | 3 |
| WLIT听202 | Intermediate Italian II | 3 |
| WLJA听201 | Intermediate Japanese I | 3 |
| WLJA听202 | Intermediate Japanese II | 3 |
| WLJA听203 | Intermediate Japanese Conversation | 1 |
| WLJA听204 | Intermediate Japanese II Conversation | 1 |
| WLLA听201 | Intermediate Latin I | 3 |
| WLLA听202 | Intermediate Latin II | 3 |
| WLPE听201 | Intermediate Persian I | 3 |
| WLPE听202 | Intermediate Persian II | 3 |
| WLPO听201 | Intermediate Portuguese I | 3 |
| WLRU听201 | Intermediate Russian I | 3 |
| WLRU听202 | Intermediate Russian II | 3 |
| WLSP听201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| WLSP听202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
NE Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MSE听409 | Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| MSE听509 | Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| NE听409 | Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| NE听412 | Nuclear Fuel Cycles | 3 |
| NE听418 | Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation | 3 |
| NE听509 | Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| NE听512 | Nuclear Fuel Cycle | 3 |
| NE听521 | Principles of Radiation Measurement | 3 |
| NE听528 | Introduction to Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy | 3 |
| PY听528 | Introduction to Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy | 3 |
| NE听490 | Health Physics and Radiological Emergency Response | 3 |
| NE听431 | Nuclear Waste Management | 3 |
| NE听523 | Computational Transport Theory | 3 |
| NE听529 | Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy II | 3 |
| NE听533 | Nuclear Fuel Performance | 3 |
| NE听541 | Nuclear Nonproliferation Technology and Policy | 3 |
| NE听550 | Introduction to Atomistic Simulations | 3 |
| NE听577 | Multiscale Two-phase Flow Simulations | 3 |
| NE听531 | Nuclear Waste Management | 3 |
| NE听590 | Health Physics and Radiological Emergency Response | 3 |
| NE听570 | Monte Carlo Methods for Radiation Transport | 3 |
| NE听560 | Probabilistic Risk Assessment and Management of Nuclear Systems | 3 |
| NE听555 | Advanced Characterization of Nuclear Materials | 3 |
| NE听530 | Nuclear Waste Management | 3 |
Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CH听315 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| CH听331 | Introductory Physical Chemistry | 4 |
| CSC听302 | Introduction to Numerical Methods | 3 |
| CSC听427 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis I | 3 |
| MA听405 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MA听427 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis I | 3 |
| PY听341 | Relativity, Gravitation and Cosmology | 3 |
| PY听411 | Mechanics I | 3 |
| PY听414 | Electromagnetism I | 3 |
| PY听415 | Electromagnetism II | 3 |
| PY听511 | Mechanics I | 3 |
| PY听514 | Electromagnetism I | 3 |
| PY听515 | Electromagnetism II | 3 |
| PY听525 | Computational Physics | 3 |
| ST听370 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 3 |
| ST听371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory | 3 |
Engineering Technical Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Engr Tech Elective | ||
| BME听217 | Biomedical Electronics Laboratory | 1 |
| BME听301 | Human Physiology : Electrical Analysis | 3 |
| BME听302 | Human Physiology: Mechanical Analysis | 3 |
| BME听315 | Biotransport | 3 |
| BME听325 | Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineers | 3 |
| BME听335 | Biomaterials | 3 |
| BME听345 | Biomedical Solid Mechanics | 3 |
| BME听355 | Biocontrols | 3 |
| BME听365 | Linear Systems in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME听375 | Biomedical Microcontroller Applications | 3 |
| BME听385 | Bioinstrumentation | 3 |
| BME听398 | Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing II | 2 |
| BME听462 | ||
| CE听301 | Civil Engineering Surveying and Geomatics | 3 |
| CE听305 | Introduction to Transportation Systems | 3 |
| CE听327 | Reinforced Concrete Design | 3 |
| CE听339 | Civil Engineering Systems | 3 |
| CE听342 | Engineering Behavior of Soils and Foundations | 4 |
| CE听365 | Construction Equipment and Methods | 3 |
| CE听367 | Mechanical and Electrical Systems in Buildings | 3 |
| CE听373 | Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering | 3 |
| CE听378 | Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology | 4 |
| CE听381 | Hydraulics Systems Measurements Lab | 1 |
| CE听383 | Hydrology and Urban Water Systems | 3 |
| CE听437 | Civil Engineering Computing | 3 |
| CHE听315 | Chemical Process Thermodynamics | 3 |
| CHE听316 | Thermodynamics of Chemical and Phase Equilibria | 3 |
| CHE听330 | Chemical Engineering Lab I | 4 |
| CHE听331 | Chemical Engineering Lab II | 2 |
| CHE听395 | Professional Development Seminar | 1 |
| ECE听301 | Linear Systems | 3 |
| ECE听302 | Microelectronics | 4 |
| ECE听303 | Electromagnetic Fields | 3 |
| ECE听305 | Principles of Electromechanical Energy Conversion | 3 |
| ECE听306 | Introduction to Embedded Systems | 3 |
| ECE听308 | Elements of Control Systems | 3 |
| ECE听309 | Data Structures and Object-Oriented Programming for Electrical and Computer Engineers | 3 |
| ECE听310 | Design of Complex Digital Systems | 3 |
| ECE听331 | Principles of Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| ECE听380 | Engineering Profession for Electrical Engineers | 1 |
| ECE听381 | Engineering Profession for Computer Engineers | 1 |
| ECE听383 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship and New Product Development | 3 |
| ECE听384 | Practical Engineering Prototyping | 3 |
| ISE听311 | Engineering Economic Analysis | 3 |
| ISE听315 | Introduction to Computer-Aided Manufacturing | 1 |
| ISE听316 | Manufacturing Engineering I - Processes | 3 |
| ISE听352 | Fundamentals of Human-Machine Systems Design | 3 |
| ISE听361 | Deterministic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| ISE听362 | Stochastic Models in Industrial Engineering | 3 |
| MAE听302 | Engineering Thermodynamics II | 3 |
| MAE听305 | Mechanical Engineering Laboratory I | 1 |
| MAE听306 | Mechanical Engineering Laboratory II | 1 |
| MAE听315 | Fundamentals of Vibrations | 3 |
| MAE听316 | Strength of Mechanical Components | 3 |
| MAE听351 | Aerodynamics II | 3 |
| MAE听352 | Experimental Aerodynamics II | 1 |
| MAE听361 | Dynamics & Controls | 3 |
| MAE听371 | Aerospace Structures I | 3 |
| MAE听372 | Aerospace Vehicle Structures Lab | 1 |
| MSE听301 | Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials | 3 |
| MSE听355 | Electrical, Magnetic and Optical Properties of Materials | 3 |
| MSE听360 | Kinetic Processes in Materials | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| 贰听101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 | 1 |
| 贰听115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 |
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CSC听113 | Introduction to Computing - MATLAB | 3 |
| MA听241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| PY听205 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I 1 | 3 |
| PY听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory | 1 |
| Select one of the following Economics courses: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| E听102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| MAE听206 | Engineering Statics | 3 |
| MA听242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| NE听201 | Introduction to Nuclear Engineering | 2 |
| PY听208 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II | 3 |
| PY听209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 1 |
| Advanced Communication Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| MA听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 |
| NE听202 | Radiation Sources, Interaction and Detection 2 | 4 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| NE听228 | Introduction To Fusion Energy | 3 |
| NE听309 | Introduction to Materials for Nuclear Energy | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NE听301 | Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering 2 | 3 |
| NE听350 | Applied Mathematics in Nuclear Engineering | 3 |
| NE听205 | Thermodynamics for Nuclear Engineering | 3 |
| MA听401 | Applied Differential Equations II | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NE听360 | Continuum Mechanics for Nuclear Engineers | 3 |
| NE听400 | Nuclear Reactor Energy Conversion | 4 |
| NE听401 | Reactor Analysis and Design | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 13 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NE听402 | Reactor Engineering | 4 |
| NE听404 | Radiation Safety and Shielding | 3 |
| NE听406 | Nuclear Engineering Senior Design Preparation | 1 |
| NE Elective | 3 | |
| Technical Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NE听405 | Reactor Systems | 3 |
| NE听408 | Nuclear Engineering Design Project | 3 |
| Engineering Technical Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| NE听403 | Nuclear Reactor Laboratory | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 18 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 123 |
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
Career Opportunities
Nuclear power reactor operation continues with ninety eight reactors operating in the nation, increasing our reliance upon nuclear energy as a substitute for energy from fossil fuels. Development of advanced fission and fusion reactors offers the potential of vast new energy sources. Industrial and medical applications of radiation continue to increase in diverse industries. Demand for nuclear engineers is on the rise within the electric power industry and national laboratories, naval reactors, and other industries. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, nuclear engineers are among the top five best compensated of the engineering disciplines.
Career Titles
- Energy Engineer
- Engineering Professor
- Nuclear Engineer
- Nuclear Fuels Research Engineer
- Radiation Protection Engineer
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