Flinders is excited to be offering an exciting new Major in nuclear engineering that will give graduates exciting new opportunities to be part of preparing for future industries, including shifting our submarines from diesel to nuclear power.
Students undertaking the Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), the Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic), the Bachelor of Science (Chemical Sciences) or the Bachelor of Science (Physics) will be able to complete this exciting new major.
Nuclear engineering at Flinders University is offered through a tri-nation academic partnership between Flinders University (Australia), the University of Rhode Island (United States) and Manchester University (United Kingdom), meaning that students will have access to experts across three nations and an opportunity for international exchange. It provides the incredible bonus of being able to fast track your degree and to travel whilst you study.
Available from 2024 at Bedford Park, Tonsley, and our new Festival Plaza Adelaide city campus.
Plus, you may choose to undertake postgraduate study with a Master of Nuclear Science & Technology from the University of Manchester.
Academic teaching staff across Flinders and the University of Rhode Island (URI).
Thesis supervisors across Flinders and global partners.
Learn skills that key defence primes require for their workforce
WIL placement opportunities including international exchange and global companies
URI campus, Atomic Committee, Nuclear Sciences Center, a real reactor
Fast track in 3.5 Years
No.1 in Australia
in Engineering for learning resources.
(The Good Universities Guide 2020 (undergraduate))
No.1 in SA
in Engineering for learning resources and student support.
(The Good Universities Guide 2023 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities)
No.1 in SA
in Engineering & Technology for full-time employment, learning resources, overall educational experience, skills development, student support and teaching quality.
(The Good Universities Guide 2024 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities only)
No. 1 in SA
in Engineering for full-time employment
(The Good Universities Guide 2023 (undergraduate))
No. 1 in SA
in Engineering for overall educational experience
(The Good Universities Guide 2023 (undergraduate))
No.1 in SA
in Science & Mathematics for learner engagement, learning resources, skills development and student support.
(The Good Universities Guide 2024 (undergraduate), public SA-founded universities only)
You can opt to do individual topics. If you complete the following 5 topics you will graduate with an Undergraduate Certificate in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
Eligibility: the nuclear topics are generally designed for participants with an engineering background
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Performance
Analysis and design of stages of the nuclear fuel cycle including mining, milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel burn-up, spent fuel interim storage, reprocessing, safety and aspects of high level waste. Students will be able to describe all of the steps in military and civilian nuclear fuel cycles and be able to perform basic analysis of known fuel cycles. Students will also be able to describe how fuel cycle facilities operate and the materials used and produced by those facilities.
Nuclear Reactor Engineering
This nuclear introductory topic will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the design of fission and fusion nuclear power reactors. The topic will provide descriptions of type III fission nuclear reactors and will examine the neutronics in these systems, including neutron/matter interactions, radioactive decay, and neutron multiplication. It will also cover neutron diffusion and moderation treated by group diffusion methods for different reactor geometries.
Nuclear Reactor Design and Safety Analysis
The topic will provide fundamental understanding of nuclear reactor neutronics kinetics, including neutron/matter interactions, radioactive decay, and neutron multiplication. It will also provide analyses of neutron diffusion and moderation treated by group diffusion methods for different reactor geometries.
Prerequisite knowledge: Differential equations and thermodynamics.
Nuclear Radiation Damage in Materials
This topic focuses on how fuels and basic materials in nuclear reactor systems are affected by nuclear radiation. It will review fundamentals in crystallography and microstructure defects as well as basics of the diffusion theory. Fission reactors components and the associated fission process and resulting fission neutrons and heavy charged particles will be detailed. These will all be tied together to develop theories of fission neutrons and their interactions with matter to produce damage in form of atom displacements and their cascades. Models to account for displaced atoms applying concepts of binary collisions are detailed. Radiation damage effects including the change of material properties under irradiation, void swelling, irradiation creep, embrittlement and loss of ductility will be detailed. This topic consists of a series of lectures, selected readings, problem sets involving numerical simulation of neutron damage, and collaborative short research projects.
Prerequisite: Completion of Nuclear Reactor Engineering
Naval Nuclear Power and Propulsion
The topic aims to equip students with a knowledge of the role of nuclear power in modern navies. It examines the historical evolution from diesel engines to nuclear reactors highlighting a timeline construction of naval nuclear milestones and records set by nuclear submarines. It enables students to apply reactor design concepts and compare naval and civilian reactors. It explores engineering considerations, safety and sustainability. Current trends and technologies are explored including jet pump propulsion and all electrical systems with a simulation of modern propulsion systems.
Prerequisite: Completion of Nuclear Reactor Engineering and Nuclear reactor Design and Safety Analysis.
Eligibility: No prerequisites or assumed knowledge is required for the advanced manufacturing topics. They are designed for a broad range of participants and roles.
Innovation and Industry 4.0
Innovation is needed to successfully introduce Industry 4.0 in the workplace. This topic introduces participants to innovative thinking, the process of innovation and the interplay with industry 4.0. The topic focuses on understanding human and institutional factors in the introduction of new technologies such as industry 4.0, innovation, change management, trust in technology, industry 4.0 for supply chain competitiveness and the process of innovation in an organisation.
Cyber-physical Systems, Robotics and Automation
This topic equips participants with the knowledge and skills to understand cyber-physical systems, robotics and automation. Technologies involved includes cobots, automated ground vehicles (AGVs), industrial automation in an assembly line including automatic warehouse, inspection, classification and delivery.
Production Engineering
This topic aims to expose participants to key production engineering tools and methodologies that can be integrated into a range of Manufacturing, Production, Jobbing Shop and sustainment scenarios. The topic provides an insight into various operational tools and techniques focused on the elimination of waste to increase productive and environmentally sustainable use of resources to maximise value. This topic reviews Production Engineering and Lean Thinking concepts and through industrial case studies and examples will enable you to assess how these two techniques can work together, evaluating the benefits and limitations.
2024 prices
The nuclear major equips engineers and scientists with skills to work in a nuclear context which is in high demand in Australia and globally.
In September 2021 Australia, the US and the UK created a trilateral partnership which has earmarked a significant amount of investment into building and maintaining nuclear-powered submarines.
With an estimated 8,000 jobs to be created around the industry, completing a Nuclear major will have a huge impact on your employability and future career, with Flinders University's close relationship with BAE and the ASC helping our graduates be in the pole position to make the most of these amazing opportunities.
Coupled with our strength in Advanced Manufacturing, graduates from Flinders will be able to help drive forward all the aspects of the growing industry in South Australia - from digital component design and industrial 3D printing processes, to monitoring safety levels, modelling outputs, keeping workers safe, and even using VR to experiment with how all the chemical, physical and material parts interact.
Studying the Nuclear Major at Flinders University will also give you access to our award-winning Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program, giving you real-world industry experience and leaving you completely ready to start your new career!
Upon completion, you will graduate with a Flinders Bachelor Degree in Engineering or Science with a nuclear engineering major and also a University Certificate in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. You also have the option of pursuing a postgraduate Master in Nuclear Science and Technology at Manchester University.
Not only will you gain cutting-edge knowledge from highly distinguished professors across Australia and internationally - you will also have the opportunity to fast track your degree in 3.5 years by going on exchange to University of Rhode Island.
With its picturesque setting and close proximity to the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission and the modernised facilities and laboratories of the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center including the third largest research nuclear reactor in the US, the opportunity for expanding your academic horizons are endless.
Students on exchange will follow an accelerated study path, and will have access to industry placements at global companies such as Raytheon, Rotopower, Entergy, or General Dynamics/Electric Boat which builds Virginia class submarines near the URI campus.
Upon completing their degrees, students are well-placed to pursue postgraduate study in Manchester, and could go on to work anywhere in the world in many different industries, including energy and defence.
I am an
International Student
I am a
Domestic Student
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
CRICOS Provider: 00114A TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12097 TEQSA category: Australian University
Flinders University uses cookies to ensure website functionality, personalisation and a variety of purposes as set out in its website privacy statement. This statement explains cookies and their use by Flinders.
If you consent to the use of our cookies then please click the button below:
If you do not consent to the use of all our cookies then please click the button below. Clicking this button will result in all cookies being rejected except for those that are required for essential functionality on our website.