Nuclear Science and Materials BSc (Hons)

University of Birmingham

Our unique Nuclear Science and Materials BSc degree programme was designed in response to demand from industry for a new generation of graduates with the knowledge to build the nuclear power plants of the future.

This unique Nuclear Science and Materials BSc degree course is designed to develop the skills and understanding required to prepare you for the Nuclear Sector. One of the major challenges the UK faces is reshaping how it generates electricity as there is a move away from fossil fuels. The Government are investing in the construction of a suite of new nuclear power stations to deliver 20-40% of the UK’s electricity, both to replace retiring plants and for increased capacity. There is a significant demand for graduates to work in this rapidly growing sector.

There is an opportunity to apply for a year in industry during your degree, this usually occurs between year 2 and year 3. You will be helped by us to find suitable internships, and assisted and mentored by academic members of staff throughout your year in industry. A year in industry is an invaluable opportunity to take on a role within a company, apply the theoretical knowledge of your degree course to real-world issues and will enhance your career prospects. Contact the Admissions Team ([email protected]) for further details.

With more than 60 years’ experience in teaching the physics of nuclear reactors and more than 100 years’ experience of teaching materials science, Birmingham is one of the best places to study nuclear science. You will be taught by experts in the field enabling you to gain strong theoretical and practical skills in the subject.

Our multidisciplinary Birmingham Centre for Nuclear Education and Research boasts world-leading research and facilities and has strong links with the nuclear industry, which recruits extensively from our educational programmes.

On the course – a joint programme delivered between the School of Metallurgy and Materials and the School of Physics and Astronomy – you will develop engineering skills alongside fundamental science principles, which includes linking the behaviour and properties of materials to fundamental knowledge of their atomic structure. By the time you graduate, you’ll have a detailed understanding of nuclear reactor physics, materials, nuclear science and nuclear radiation.

Accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.