Master of Nuclear Engineering

This multidisciplinary program prepares professionals and students from various backgrounds to learn how to manage and operate nuclear power plants. Topics include background material in Nuclear Energy, Material Science, and Principles of Nuclear Thermal-Hydraulics, in addition to advanced topics on the Engineering and Physics of Nuclear Reactors, Nuclear Materials, and Safety and Operation of Nuclear Power Plants. The program also includes a project where students can apply various topics learned from the courses to a practical problem that relates to the nuclear industry. The program is designed to serve both as a bridge-program for professionals wishing to switch careers from their area of expertise to Nuclear Engineering, as well as fresh graduates who wish to become nuclear engineers. Nuclear engineering background is dearly needed, especially as the Kingdom has announced plans to introduce nuclear power technology with the first two reactors currently under the site qualification stage. While these plants will be based on foreign technology and built by a consortium of international companies, the long-term sustainability of this program, including governance and plant operation, will depend crucially on the development of an indigenous workforce possessing adequate knowledge of the science and technology of nuclear power plants.


Hosting department:
Mechanical Engineering

Program Requirement:
BSc in materials science, chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, petroleum engineering, or equivalent
Degree Plan:
Semester 1 (Fall)
ME 504: Nuclear Energy
ME 521: Principles of Nuclear thermal-hydraulics
Semester 2 (Spring)
ME 522: Nuclear reactors and fuel cycle
MSE 500: Survey of Materials Science and Engineering
Semester 3 (Fall)
MSE 510: Nuclear Power Plant Materials
PHYS 525: Physics of nuclear fission and fusion
ME 619: Project
Semester 4 (Spring)
CHE 538: Operation and safety of nuclear power plants
ME 507: Reactor core thermal-hydraulics
ME 619: Project