Nuclear Science and Engineering Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following location:
- Corvallis
Options available:
The Bachelor of Science and Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Nuclear Science and Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.ABET.org.
The goals of the nuclear science and engineering curriculum are to prepare students for careers related to the many beneficial uses of nuclear technology and energy. Nuclear engineers apply engineering principles to the research, design, and operation of a wide variety of nuclear technology applications including power generation, medicine, and radioactive waste management.
Program Educational Objectives – Nuclear Science and Engineering
The OSU Nuclear Science and Engineering Program effectively prepares students for careers and professional accomplishments in the nuclear science and engineering industry through its established Program Educational Objectives.
The Program Educational Objectives for the Nuclear Science and Engineering Program may be found on the school website.
Major Code: A033
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
- Apply knowledge of atomic and nuclear physics to nuclear and radiological systems and processes.
- Apply knowledge of transport and interaction of radiation with matter to nuclear and radiation processes.
- Measure nuclear and radiation processes.
- Work professionally in one or more of the nuclear or radiological fields of specialization.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGR 110 & ENGR 115 | +TRANSITIONS and THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT 1 | 3 |
| or ENGR 310 | +TRANSITIONS | |
| ENGR 102 | +DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| ENGR 330 | +INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENGINEERING | 3 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| COMM 111Z | +*PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3-4 |
| or COMM 114 | +*ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | |
| or COMM 218Z | +*INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| ST 314 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR ENGINEERS | 3 |
| PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| CH 201 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS | 3 |
| CH 202 | CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING MAJORS | 3 |
| CH 204 | +CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS LABORATORY I | 1 |
| NSE 233 | MATHEMATICAL METHODS FOR NSE | 3 |
| NSE 234 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS I | 3 |
| NSE 235 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS II | 3 |
| NSE 236 | NUCLEAR RADIATION DETECTION AND INSTRUMENTATION | 4 |
| NSE 240 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES | 3 |
| NSE 281 | INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH PHYSICS | 3 |
| NSE 321 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR MATERIALS SCIENCE | 3 |
| NSE 351 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR REACTOR ENGINEERING | 3 |
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR (take 3 times) | 3 |
| NSE 414 | NUCLEAR ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE | 3 |
| NSE 472 | ^NUCLEAR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| NSE 474 | +NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN I | 4 |
| NSE 475 | NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN II | 4 |
| Restricted Electives or Option 2 | 34-40 | |
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 36-43 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Students who complete CORE 100 or CORE 300 or a non-ENGR Transitions course and then declare an Engineering major will use an Engineering elective course to substitute for ENGR 115
- 2
Consult with NSE advisor for approved electives
Major Code: A033
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGR 110 & ENGR 115 or ENGR 310 | +TRANSITIONS or +TRANSITIONS | 3 |
| CH 201 & CH 204 | GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS and +CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS LABORATORY I | 4 |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 202 | CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING MAJORS | 3 |
| COMM 111Z | +*PUBLIC SPEAKING or +*ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE or +*INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 3-4 |
| ENGR 102 | +DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| NSE 234 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS I | 3 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| NSE 235 | NUCLEAR AND RADIATION PHYSICS II | 3 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| ST 314 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR ENGINEERS | 3 |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| NSE 233 | MATHEMATICAL METHODS FOR NSE | 3 |
| NSE 236 | NUCLEAR RADIATION DETECTION AND INSTRUMENTATION | 4 |
| NSE 240 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLES | 3 |
| NSE 281 | INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH PHYSICS | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NSE 321 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR MATERIALS SCIENCE | 3 |
| NSE 351 | INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR REACTOR ENGINEERING | 3 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| NSE 414 | NUCLEAR ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE | 3 |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 9 | |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGR 330 | +INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENGINEERING | 3 |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 7 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 472 | ^NUCLEAR PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION | 3 |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 9 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 474 | +NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN I | 4 |
| Restricted Elective or Option Course | 3 | |
| Electives | 8 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| NSE 407 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| NSE 475 | NUCLEAR SYSTEMS DESIGN II | 4 |
| Option Course or Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 5 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course