UNDERGRADUATE : Curriculum + Requirements

NSE Curriculum Requirements and Options (class of 2021 and later)

NSE Course Planners

Undergraduate Education in NSE

The mission of the nuclear science & engineering program is to provide the best possible education in science and engineering areas relevant to effective understanding and utilization of nuclear processes to benefit society in an economically and environmentally sustainable world.

The relevant areas include nuclear applications in energy generation and in the medical, industrial, scientific, environmental, and security fields. Our undergraduate program aims to equip students with a firm foundation in the principles of science and engineering relevant to nuclear processes and their application, and to prepare students for professional growth and further education in their chosen fields. These objectives are consistent with the objective of the School of Engineering and MIT. The constituencies of our program, and major employers of our undergraduates, include industry, universities, national laboratories, and government agencies.

The attributes of an MIT graduate, as defined by the MIT mission statement, also reflect the vision for graduates of our department:

Possess well-developed faculties of critical and rational reasoning.
Understand scientific method and other methods of inquiry and, hence, is able to obtain, evaluate, and utilize information to pose and solve complex problems in life and work.
Strong grasp of quantitative reasoning and an ability to manage complexity and ambiguity.
Have a sound foundation of knowledge within a chosen field and achieve some depth and experience of practice in it.
Able to relate knowledge within chosen field to larger problems in society and able to appreciate the interaction between science, technology, and society.
Be intellectually curious and be motivated toward continuous learning.
Possess qualities associated with the best in the human spirit: a well-developed sense of judgment, an aesthetic sensibility, and the flexibility and self-confidence to adapt to major change.
Have knowledge of history, and an understanding of the spectrum of human culture and value systems.
Can combine knowledge with ability to think critically about moral and ethical issues.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively enabling an ability to work well with others.
Employ all of the above attributes in making a positive and substantial contribution to society.

In addition, there exist seven additional attributes, which specify desired abilities on a more granular level, and relevant to the field of NSE. These are as follows, where graduating students are expected to demonstrate: