The graduate school is organised within the Department of Physics.
Director of Graduate Studies: Prof. Christophe Demazière
Administrator: Anna Lindqvist
Syllabus
(approved by the Vice-President on 10 May 2010. Ref. nr. C2010/457)
(revised 14 February 2013)
1 Subject Description and Educational Aims
The research in Nuclear Engineering spans over several disciplines and usually includes:
- Reactor physics and dynamics
- Multi-physics and multi-scale modelling of nuclear systems
- Deterministic safety analyses
- Fusion plasma physics
- Radiation protection
- Nuclear techniques
- Particle and heavy ion Monte Carlo simulations
- Nuclear Safeguards
Other closely related research topics might also include:
- Severe nuclear accidents
- Degradation of nuclear materials
- Non-destructive testing
- Nuclear fuel integrity management
- Novel nuclear fuel production
- Separation/transmutation
- Final repository research
The graduate school in Nuclear Engineering is aimed at providing
knowledge of the basis of operation in nuclear energy producing systems.
The education is based on research with high relevance for both the
industry and the academia.
Apart from acquiring a working knowledge in the topics above,
the student will also learn general skills necessary for an independent
researcher. The goals for the graduate education are:
- To be able to define and limit scientific issues
- To be able to carry on research by applying scientific research methodology and applying the results in another context
- To be able to critically evaluate his/her own research results and the work of other researchers
- To be able to work effectively in inter-disciplinary research groups by adopting an open approach to the scientific fields
- To be able to pass on knowledge in a pedagogical way
- To be able to apply an approach that conforms to generally-accepted research ethics
- To be able to lead research activities
A student who successfully completes a graduate course programme at
Chalmers should reach the above goals. They were formulated in a
document “Goals for the Graduate Course Programmes at Chalmers”,
approved by the First Vice President of Chalmers on September 27, 1999
(Ref. No C778-99). Some explanations of these goals can be found in the
Doctoral Handbook (full version in
Swedish or condensed version in
English).
The individual study plans should be elaborated in such a way
that such goals could be achieved. In addition, the individual study
plan should not only be based on a follow-up of the research project
being performed. This document should tackle research, education, and
leadership aspects. Concerning the last two aspects, a plan allowing the
development of pedagogical skills and leadership activities should be
proposed and regularly monitored.
The school interacts both with other universities and
industrial partners. On the national level the coordination of education
in Nuclear Engineering is partly organized in the Swedish Centre for
Nuclear Techniques (Svenskt Kärntekniskt Centrum, SKC) in which
Chalmers, KTH and Uppsala University participate. On international level
there is cooperation and student exchange with many internationally
highly regarded universities, for instance in the framework of ENEN,
European Nuclear Education Network, which Chalmers is a member of. The
graduate school organization and results of the individual research
projects with relevance for industry are regularly reported to
industrial partners and feedback is provided.
Finally, the PhD students belonging to the graduate school
might also be enrolled in the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Centre (SNEC)
at Chalmers, which is a cross-disciplinary forum bridging researchers
and students from different Divisions and Departments throughout
Chalmers in areas related to nuclear energy, together with industry
members. Such a forum also allows a better mix of the PhD students
enrolled in the Doctoral School in Nuclear Engineering with PhD students
from other Doctoral Schools in related topics in a dynamic,
stimulating, and challenging working environment.
2 Requirements for Admission
A university degree of at least 240 credits in Physics, Chemistry,
Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Mathematical Physics,
or equivalent is required as well as a good working knowledge in
English. Students, who do not fulfil the formal competence requirements
but have corresponding knowledge, may be approved after examination.
Decision about the student admission is made at the participating
department by a Deputy Head of Department in charge of a graduate
education and/or Head of Department together with the study rector of
the graduate school. The admission is also based on the assumption that
the student has previously acquired a basic education in nuclear
engineering, e.g. passed some of the compulsory courses of the master
programme in Nuclear Engineering offered at Chalmers. Students, who do
not fulfil this condition, may be admitted if a basic course package is
elaborated by the supervisor and approved by the examiner and the study
rector of the graduate school. Successfully passing the corresponding
courses might not necessarily give full credit points.
3 Organisation and Structure of the Graduate Programme
The graduation in the Nuclear Engineering Doctoral School is
performed in two steps, the licentiate and the doctoral degrees. The
extent of the graduate work is measured according to a credit system,
where 1.5 credits correspond to one week full-time work.
The licentiate degree comprises 120 credits. The doctoral
degree comprises 240 credits. This corresponds to 2 years and 4 years
respectively of full time studies. Approximately one quarter of the time
is used for coursework, mainly through literature studies and graduate
courses. Sometimes the student is offered departmental work, such as lab
supervision, tutorials, lecturing or preparation of research reports or
applications. Such work is paid by the department but done outside the
time allocated for the graduate program.
The doctoral degree can be achieved without preceding licentiate degree.
The essential steps of the graduate studies are
- Thesis supervisor is decided.
- Examiner is decided (can be the same as the thesis supervisor).
- Deputy thesis supervisor is decided.
- Individual study plan is formulated.
- Research work should be started as soon as possible.
- Selection of courses is taken in consultation with a thesis supervisor and examiner.
- Compulsory courses should be taken as early as possible.
- Participation at the seminars organised by the graduate school and the research group.
- Study of the research literature in the relevant area of research.
- Regular follow-up meetings with supervisor, examiner and study
rector of the graduate school to follow the progress of the course work
and research work.
- Thesis and course work completed.
- Public thesis defence.
4 Courses
Requirements: 60 credits for a doctoral degree and 30 credits for a licentiate degree.
The graduate programs in Nuclear Engineering may have different
profiles such as being both theoretical and experimental and include
elements from, for instance, physics, computational physics,
thermal-hydraulics (fluid dynamics and heat transfer), material physics,
dosimetry, fusion plasma physics, chemistry, and material physics.
Thus, the courses needed may vary with the different research projects
and the only compulsory courses are the courses corresponding to the
Generic and Transferable Skills (GTS) course package.
Generic and Transferable Skills (GTS) aims to give doctoral
students at Chalmers professional and personal development through a
program of activities/courses not directly linked to their respective
areas of research. The graduate student is required to take at least 15
credit points out of the GTS program before receiving a PhD degree.
Chalmers offers a range of activities/courses as part of the program.
9 credit points in the area of GTS are expected to be obtained
before the licentiate examination. Another 6 credit points are expected
to be obtained before PhD degree examination. Mandatory courses for the
licentiate degree are: "Teaching, Learning & Evaluation”, ”Research
Ethics & Sustainable Development” and ”Career planning – Your
Personal Leadership”. 1,5 credit points are elective (from GTS
activities/courses). The 6 credit points after licentiate degree are
also elective and selected according to the student´s need.
The elective activities within GTS do not necessarily have to
be taken from Chalmers’ central activities or courses. These activities
can be obtained from other providers at the suggestion of the examiner
or supervisor and with the approval of the deputy head of department in
consultation with the director of studies of the research school. As an
example, GTS could include related activities or courses given at
departmental level.
In addition to the courses within Generic and Transferable
Skills, the student is also required to participate in an introduction
day for doctoral students (before the licentiate examination at the
latest). Further requirements are an oral popular science presentation
to be performed prior to the PhD thesis defence and a written popular
science presentation to be published on the back of the PhD thesis.
The 15 credit points in GTS are mandatory for doctoral students
admitted to Chalmers after September 1 2012. For graduate students
admitted before September 1, 2012, the 15 credit points within the area
of Generic and Transferable Skills can be replaced by the following two
courses (both of which are mandatory for the licentiate degree):
- GFOK020 Teaching, Learning and Evaluation (3 credit points)
- GFOK025 Research Ethics and Sustainable Development (3 credit points)
All PhD students, irrespective of the date of admission, should
also attend the course GFOK015 General Introduction for Doctoral
Students (0 credit point).
The supervisor and the examiner, together with the PhD student,
might also agree on including some of the elective courses offered in
the Master Programme in Nuclear Engineering as PhD courses. The students
might get full points or only part of the points for such courses at
the supervisor’s and examiner’s discretion. Examples of such elective
courses are:
- Solvent extraction
- Nuclear materials
- Chemistry of lanthanides, actinides and super-heavy elements
- In-service inspection technolog
- Modelling of nuclear reactors
- Basic radiation protection and dosimetry
- Radiopharmaceutical chemistry
- Noise techniques in nuclear reactors
- Radioecology and radioanalytical chemistry
- Nuclear reactor safety
- Fusion plasma physics
Courses based on literature study might also be possible. Past examples included:
- Reactor theory (by Bell & Glasstone)
- Stochastic processes (by Papoulis or Grimmett and Stirzaker)
- Neutron reactions (by Foderaro)
The number of compulsory courses is kept at a strict minimum so
that the list of courses can be tuned according to the needs for
carrying the project and possibly to the student’s wishes.
Finally, courses taken and passed at the master level can be
accepted as graduate courses (maximum 30 credits) provided that the
student has at least 270 credits from the master level. Students that
have 240 credits are not allowed to include courses from the master
level among the PhD courses. There is a gradual transition in the
interval between 240 and 270 credits. Decision about how many credits
from the master level that can be accepted as PhD courses is determined
by the examiner.
5 Dissertation
In addition to the course requirements listed above, the results of
the research project should be presented in a thesis, written in
English. The possible grades for a thesis are either “passed” or
“failed”. In all matters the general rules for licentiate and doctoral
theses at Chalmers shall be followed.
5.1 Licentiate Thesis
The examiner makes the decision whether the thesis is ready for a
public presentation. The presentation of the thesis in the presence of
an external reviewer shall take place in a seminar open for public in
the presence of the examiner. The latter decides on the passing or
failing grade for the thesis.
5.2 Doctoral Dissertation
The content and writing shall conform to the rules and requirements
for publishing scientific articles in recognised international
journals. The thesis can either be in the form of a compilation of
published/accepted/submitted articles and manuscripts with an
introduction or as a monograph.
6 Requirements for Degrees
6.1 Licentiate
- 30 credits of graduate courses including 9 credit points in GTS
(if admitted after September 1, 2012), or the courses “Learning and
Evaluation” (3 credit points) and “Research Ethics and Sustainable
Development” (3 credit points) (if admitted before September 1, 2012),
and the introduction day for doctoral students.
- Ability to independently treat a problem in nuclear engineering proved in a research work of 1.5 years (90 credits).
- Work presented in a public seminar and in a licentiate thesis approved by the examiner.
6.2 Doctor
- 60 credits of graduate courses including 15 credit points in GTS
(if admitted after September 1, 2012), or the courses “Learning and
Evaluation” (3 credit points) and “Research Ethics and Sustainable
Development” (3 credit points) (if admitted before September 1, 2012),
and the introduction day for doctoral students.
- Ability to independently treat a problem in nuclear engineering
proved in a research work of 3 years (180 credits). The work should
display originality, depth and scientific quality.
- Work presented in a dissertation for public defence and in a
doctoral thesis both approved by a board committee, according to
Chalmers regulations.
7 Supervision of Post-graduate Studies
Normally the student carries out the research work in close collaboration with a supervisor. For each student there should be:
- Thesis supervisor
- Deputy thesis supervisor
- Examiner
The thesis supervisor is responsible for establishing an individual
plan of study with details of all the planned activities. Such a study
plan has to consider the goals for graduate education. Once a year, a
meeting between the student, examiner or supervisor and the coordinator
of the graduate school takes place to review the student's progress.
After each such meeting and individual study plan is updated and signed.
8 Examination on Course Work
Courses are examined in suitable forms, usually by written and/or
oral examinations, or seminar presentations. The grades ”Passed” and
”Failed” are used. The number of course credits is formally decided by
the student's examiner on suggestion from the course examiner.
The licentiate thesis is graded by the examiner. A doctoral
thesis is graded by the graduation committee, especially appointed for
the thesis defence.