May 11, 2024  
Rensselaer Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Rensselaer Catalog 2023-2024

Nuclear Engineering Curriculum (B.S)


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Freshmen or sophomores who have identified nuclear engineering as their major may follow the baccalaureate program below in lieu of the general core program.  Dual major programs which lead to a single baccalaureate degree embracing two fields are also available and are described in more detail in the MANE Handbook (emailed to you when you declare a major in MANE, available from the MANE Student Services office, JEC 2012, and https://mane.rpi.edu/undergraduate).

First Year


Fall


  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Spring


  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
     
    (See footnote 3 below)

Second Year


Spring


Third Year


The Arch Summer Semester*


*For students who have applied for and been granted an exception, the Summer Arch courses would be taken during the spring semester. For instructions on the exception process go to: http://info.rpi.edu/arch/students/#ExceptionProcess.

(See footnote 9 below)

  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)
  • SoE 2…. Engineering Design Elective (w/ PD1)  Credit Hours: 4 
    (See footnote 4 below)
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 14 below)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Fall* OR Spring


*If following the B.S. in Nuclear Engineering curriculum, students must select the Fall term as their “on-campus” semester.

  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
     (See footnote 3 below)
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
     (See footnote 14 below)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Fourth Year


Fall


  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 14 below)
  • MANE 4…. NE Technical Elective Credit hours: 3
    (See footnotes 1 and 13 below)

Spring


  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 14 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
     
    (See footnote 3 below)
  • MANE 4…. Nuclear Engineering Laboratory II Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 12 below)
  • MANE 4…. NE Technical Elective II Credit Hours: 3
     
    (See footnotes 1 and 13 below)

Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Electives


The HASS Core for students (described under “Schools/School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences”, elsewhere in this catalog) is based on Institute and School of Engineering requirements.  Be certain that you understand these graduation requirements.

Beyond meeting these requirements, MANE students are encouraged (but not required) to:

  • Choose at least one HASS course that further develops their ability to make informed judgements that consider the impacts of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and/or societal contexts; and
  • take HASS courses that will improve their communication skills beyond the one required HASS Communication Intensive course.

Students desiring minors in Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences must consult the school or department in which the courses are offered to obtain further information and specific requirements.

Footnotes


1. These required courses may be taken in any order in the academic year shown (or in a previous year) given the pre-requisites are met.

2. Choice of ENGR 1200  Engineering Graphics & CAD, ENGR 1400  Engineering Communication, or CIVL 1200  Engineering Graphics for Civil Engineers.

3. The HASS Core for engineering majors includes 20 credits of electives with distribution requirements (“HASS”) plus 4 credits of Professional Development (“PD”) courses discussed further in the following three notes (4, 5, and 6).  It is recommended to schedule one HASS elective in each of the first two semesters and one in the Arch Summer.
•Students are required to schedule a HASS Inquiry course during their first year; for a listing of HASS Inquiry courses go to https://info.rpi.edu/hass-inquiry.
•Students should complete a HASS Communication Intensive course during their first three semesters; refer to the link “Communication Intensive (CI) Requirement” on the Registrar’s   “Academic Planning” web page at https://info.rpi.edu/registrar/academic-planning.
•Students are recommended to complete their Pathway by the end of their fifth semester; for a listing of HASS Pathways go to https://info.rpi.edu/pathways 
The HASS Core for engineering students (described under link “Core Curriculum/The HASS Core” in the catalog, http://catalog.rpi.edu/) is based on Institute and School of Engineering requirements.  Students must be certain that they understand these graduation requirements. 

Beyond meeting these requirements, MANE students are encouraged (but not required)to:     

​choose at least one HASS course that further develops their ability to make informed judgements that consider the impacts of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and/or societal contexts; and                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

​take HASS courses that will improve their communication skills beyond the one required HASS communication-intensive course.  Some PD courses may be embedded in other courses as described in the following three notes.  None of these three PD courses has a prerequisite and they may be taken in any order.                                                           

4. Engineering Design Elective is a choice of ENGR 2050  Introduction to Engineering Design or MANE 2220  Inventor’s Studio 1; both have ENGR 1010   Professional Development: Group Dynamics (“PD1”) embedded in them.

5. STSO 4100   Professional Development 2 - Technical Issue and Solutions (“PD2”) is recommended.  For a list of alternate courses that satisfy the PD2 requirement refer to the link “Professional Development 2 courses” on the Registrar’s “Academic Planning” web page (https://info.rpi.edu/registrar/academic-planning).  Note that certain ROTC courses waive the requirement to specifically take a PD2 course, but do not satisfy the 24 credits of the HASS Core.  Students using ROTC course credits to satisfy PD2 must still take two (or more) credits of HASS to satisfy the HASS Core.

6. ENGR 4010   Professional Development: Leadership Competencies (“PD3”) is a required course that may be taken any semester.

7. These courses may be taken in the Arch Summer (if offered that summer and it fits your summer schedule).

8. Arch ADMN-1030 Arch Exploration & Planning is a zero-credit course you should be auto-registreed for in a second-year spring or summer term (or possibly first year if you intend to graduate in less than eight semesters); satisfactory completion is a graduation requirement.  Another graduation requirement is satisfactory completion of an ILEA-4400 Arch Away experience, usually in fall or spring third year.

9. Any 1 credit engineering exploration elective (e.g., “Introduction to [major]” or ENGR 1300  Engineering Processes or ENGR 1700  Introduction to Better World Egnineering) may be substituted.

10. Choose from ENGR 1600  Materials Science (fall, spring, and usually summer) or MANE 4460   Engeering Materials for Nuclear applications (spring only).  Students may take both courses, in which case MANE 4460  can count as an NE Technical Elective.  Some students choosing MANE 4460  may prefer to delay until Fourth Year spring by substituting courses such as Heat Transfer, a HASS Core Elective, or a Free Elective in the second year.

11. NE Senior Design Project I & II are a required fall-spring sequence of Capstone Design courses.

12. Choose from MANE 4430  Linear Accelerator Laboratory or MANE 4440  Critical Reator Laboratory (if available)

13. NE Technical Electives
NE Technical Electives are MANE 4000-level or higher courses related to Nuclear Engineering that are taken for 3 credits or more.
•The NE Technical Electives allow you to focus on your technical interest or area of specialization within the Nuclear Engineering field.
•If you have questions regarding whether a specific course satisfies your NE Technical Elective requirements, please consult with your academic adviser.
•An independent study course, such as a design project or an undergraduate research project with a Nuclear Engineering instructor, may be used to satisfy one of the NE Technical Electives.
•NE Technical Electives may not be taken on a Pass/No Credit basis.

14. Free Elective credits may be scheduled anytime.  Watch for special topics courses, particularly in the Arch Summer.  To accommodate moving free electives (and/or HASS courses) earlier, you might move a junior year major-defining course to senior year.  Choose carefully, as some senior year NE Technical Electives and NE Senior Design project team positions have major-defining courses as prerequisites.  Taking specific courses as free electives may earn MANE certificates; in the catalog (http://catalog.rpi.edu/) from links “Departments/Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering| Go to information for this department”, see under “Focus Areas” and below.

 

Dual Major Programs


 A Dual major in Nuclear Engineering and Mechanical Engineering is available to students who follow a prescribed program that can be completed in eight semesters. General requirements and procedures for dual degrees are described in more detail in the  MANE Handbook (emailed to you when you declare a major in MANE, available from the MANE Students Services office, JEC 2012, and https://mane.rpi.edu/undergraduate).

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