Master's programme in Nuclear Energy Engineering
The master’s programme in Nuclear Energy Engineering provides you with outstanding career opportunities and excellent opportunities for doctoral studies all over the world. After graduation you can pursue careers as: nuclear engineer (design, development and operation of nuclear power plants), consultant or analyst (nuclear reactor safety, operation and computation support), researcher (development of new generation of reactors) and manager (leadership roles at power plants and nuclear facilities).
Nuclear Energy Engineering at KTH
The master’s programme in Nuclear Energy Engineering serves the nuclear engineering-related industry worldwide in its growing need for competent nuclear engineers and researchers. Our programme gives students a strong foundation in nuclear reactor physics and technology, nuclear power safety, sustainable energy transformation technologies, and radiation protection and dosimetry.
In terms of the number of students and courses, the programme is one of the largest nuclear engineering programmes in the world. Students come from countries all around the world, joining our programme directly, within the EIT InnoEnergy programme EMINE, or via dual diploma and double degree agreements with many other universities in Europe and Asia.
Students can choose from a great variety of unique courses, such as generation IV reactors, small reactors, Monte Carlo methods and simulations in nuclear technology, reactor and power plant simulations, nuclear reactor dynamics and stability, thermal-hydraulics in nuclear energy engineering, radiation damage in materials, leadership for safe nuclear power industry, chemistry and physics of nuclear fuels, and elements of the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle (organized as a summer school)
Many courses are based on modern teaching methods, such as the flipped classroom approach, and utilize computer-supported interactive assignments and examinations, lecture video recording, and dedicated e-books. Our courses also utilize the APROS simulator – an advanced simulation tool for nuclear reactors and power plants.
All lecturing staff are actively involved in research projects in a broad international cooperation. We conduct experiments in the areas of severe accident management, heavy metal coolant technology, nuclear fuel materials, thermal hydraulics, etc.
Our programme cooperates with a number of industrial partners in Sweden and abroad. Students can choose to carry out master degree projects in companies like Westinghouse, Vattenfall, OKG, Forsmark, and other.
This is a two year programme (120 ECTS credits) given in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The programme is given mainly at KTH Campus in Stockholm by the School of Engineering Sciences (at KTH).
Career
Nuclear power undergoes a continuous development as an important part of carbon-free electricity production. Many reactors are currently under construction worldwide, and a new generation of nuclear reactors is being developed and envisioned to be the answer to the growing need for a safe, economical and sustainable electricity production.
Students of our master’s programme are highly regarded by industry, authorities and research establishments in Sweden, Europe and worldwide. In Sweden, students are enrolled by established companies such as ABB, Vattenfall Nuclear AB, EON, Westinghouse, Forsmark Kraftgrupp, Ringhals, Radiation Safety Authority (SSM), Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management (SKB), ÅF, Lloyd's Register, Studsvik, Kiwa Inspecta Nuclear AB and other.
Our programme also prepares students for a career in research or continued studies towards a doctoral degree. New positions for doctoral students are opened in the nuclear engineering field at KTH every year. Our students have been accepted for in PhD programmes also in other universities in Europe and USA.
Students
Find out what students from the programme think about their time at KTH.
Meet the students
Sustainable development
Graduates from KTH have the knowledge and tools for moving society in a more sustainable direction, as sustainable development is an integral part of all programmes. The three key sustainable development goals addressed by the master's programme in Nuclear Energy Engineering are:
Quality Education: Education in our programme is subject to continuous transformation and the adoption of effective learning tools. Our courses are taught by active researchers who regularly publish in international journals. Our teachers are highly trained educators.
Affordable and Clean Energy: Our programme directly contributes to the development of technology and infrastructure for providing affordable and clean energy. Nuclear power is CO2 free and does not cause climate change associated with the CO2 production of many other means of energy transformation.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Our programme maintains a strong connection with industry and with innovation within industry. Some of our courses are taught by invited experts from the industrial sector, such as the SH2610 course (Leadership for Safe Nuclear Power Industry) and the SH262V course (Elements of the Back-end of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle). Moreover, students have the option of studying for master’s degree projects in industry.
Faculty and research
The majority of courses is given by the division of Nuclear Engineering. The research conducted at the division aims at improving performance and safety of existing and future nuclear power plants. Our research focuses on water- and lead-cooled reactors with conventional and advanced fuels.
We apply a variety of computational techniques, including Monte-Carlo methods, computational fluid dynamics, density functional theory and system codes for simulation of transients.
The division also operates a high-pressure, 1 MW heated water loop for two-phase flow studies and dry-out testing, and a nuclear fuel manufacturing laboratory, with equipment for manufacturing and characterisation of uranium nitride, silicide and composite fuels.
The following topical areas are currently being pursued:
- Thermo-mechanic and thermal-hydraulic modelling of LWRs
- Heat transfer in super-critical water
- Development and optimisation of advanced Monte-Carlo methods
- Nuclear fuel cycle modelling
- Design and safety analysis of lead-cooled reactors
- Science of radiation damage in nuclear steels
- Advanced nuclear fuel development (mixed oxides, nitrides and silicides)
- Quantitative validation of computational tools for reactor design and safety analyses
- Development and application of Risk Oriented Accident Analysis Framework (ROAAM+)
Faculty and research
