ABET Program

The mission of the undergraduate program in Nuclear Engineering at UC Berkeley is to maintain and strengthen the UC's only center of excellence in nuclear engineering education and research, and to serve California and the nation by improving and applying nuclear science and technology. The program prepares undergraduate students for employment or advances studies with four primary constituencies: industry, the national laboratories, state and federal agencies, and academia (graduate research programs).

The mission of the Department of Nuclear Engineering supports the broader mission of the U.C. Berkeley College of Engineering.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the Nuclear Engineering undergraduate program are to educate undergraduate students on five key objectives. These objectives are reviewed continuously to ensure that they meet the current students needs, and each Spring by the Program Advisory Committee, which is composed of senior leaders from industry, the national laboratories, and academia.

The five key objectives of the program are to produce graduates who as practicing engineers and researchers:

Apply solid knowledge of the fundamental mathematics and natural (both physical and biological) sciences that provide the foundation for engineering applications.
Demonstrate an understanding of nuclear processes, and the application of general natural science and engineering principles to the analysis and design of nuclear and related systems of current and/or future importance to society.
Exhibit strong, independent learning, analytical and problem solving skills, with special emphasis on design, communication, and an ability to work in teams.
Demonstrate an understanding of the broad social, ethical, safety and environmental context within which nuclear engineering is practiced.
Value and practice life-long learning.

Student Outcomes

The Department of Nuclear Engineering has designed its curriculum and advising to ensure the graduating students achieve eleven key outcomes.

Graduates of the Department of Nuclear Engineering's undergraduate program will have:

(a) An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
(b) An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
(c) An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
(d) An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
(e) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
(f) An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
(g) An ability to communicate effectively
(h) The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
(i) A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
(j) A knowledge of contemporary issue
(k) An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

To ensure that we achieve these key outcomes, every NE course has a clearly defined set of outcomes that overlap the eleven listed above.

The table below shows which NE required and elective courses satisfy each of the eleven NE educational outcomes.

Course(s)	ABET Student Outcomes
Course(s)	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h	i	j	k
Nuc Eng 100, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering	X							X	X
Nuc Eng 101, Nuclear Reactions and Radiation	X	x		x		x				x
Nuc Eng 150, Nuclear Reactor Theory	X		X								X
Nuc Eng 104, Radiation Detection Lab	X	X		X	X						X
Nuc Eng 170A, Nuclear Design	X		X	X	X	X	X	X	X		X
Ethics course requirement						X		X		X
Humanities and Social Science Electives						X		X		X