Nuclear Science and Engineering
The students, professors, and research staff of the MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) study nuclear reactions and radiation, their applications, and their consequences. We generate, control, and apply nuclear reactions and radiation for the benefit of society and the environment. Today our Department is working to make nuclear power the safest, most economical, and most environmentally benign source of energy, while also laying the foundations for exciting new applications of nuclear and radiation science and technology. As one of the world’s leading academic departments in our field, we also have a responsibility to inform public debates on the wise, humane uses of nuclear science and technology.
Members of our department are making important contributions to the engineering of fission power reactors, to thermonuclear fusion and plasma physics, and to monitoring, detecting, and securing nuclear materials. Current research includes the development of new tools for modeling and controlling complex nuclear and radiation processes, the design of new materials with enhanced performance in radiation fields, the use of coherent control to engineer radiation sources and more precise measurement instruments, and new generations of medical technologies.
Our department enjoys extensive research and educational collaborations with industry, with the federal government and the national laboratories, and with partners in several other countries, including Japan, France, Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, providing our students with many opportunities for study and research.
Areas of research and instruction in the department include:
- Advanced reactor design and development
- Fuel cycle technology and economics
- Plasma physics and fusion
- Coherent control and quantum information processing
- Materials in radiation environments
- Energy innovation management and policy
Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate students in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering acquire a strong foundation in science-based engineering, and develop the skills and knowledge for a broad range of careers, from practical engineering work in the energy industries to graduate research and education, entrepreneurship, law, medicine, and business. Students study the principles, design, and applications of nuclear systems, from reactors and imaging systems to detectors and plasma confinement. They also develop professional skills in quantitative research, written and oral technical communication, team building, and leadership. Undergraduate education in nuclear science and engineering introduces our students to many important disciplines, including thermal hydraulics, electromagnetism, reactor physics, and quantum mechanics.
Our four-year Bachelor of Science curriculum in Nuclear Science and Engineering develops practical skills through hands-on learning, including laboratory courses on radiation physics, measurement techniques, and exercises in electronics, imaging, computational, and nuclear systems. Students in nuclear science and engineering can also prepare for medical entrance exams. Students complete an undergraduate thesis in any area of nuclear science and engineering, such as nuclear fission and fusion and medical, physical, chemical, and material applications.
The department also offers a five-year program leading to a simultaneous Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Nuclear Science and Engineering. The five-year combined degree is designed for students who decide relatively early in their undergraduate career that they wish to pursue a graduate degree in nuclear science and engineering. In most instances, a single thesis will satisfy the requirements for both degrees. Students apply for this program during the second term of their junior year.
