Nuclear Engineering

About the Program

Bachelor of Science (BS)

The program is designed to prepare students for a career in industry, the national laboratories, or in state or federal regulatory agencies. The program, leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Nuclear Engineering, emphasizes study in the following areas of nuclear engineering: nuclear reactions and radiation, introduction to medical imaging, nuclear reactor theory and design, fusion power engineering, radioactive waste management, radiological and biophysics, and nuclear materials.

Many students will go on to complete a one-year master's degree program (the department does not have a fifth-year MS program). Students interested in careers in scientific research or in college-level teaching go on to complete the doctorate.

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Admission to the Major

Prospective undergraduates to the College of Engineering will apply for admission to a specific program in the College. For further information, please see the College of Engineering's website.

Admission to Engineering via a Change of College application for current UC Berkeley students is highly unlikely and very competitive as there are few, if any, spaces that open in the College each year to students admitted to other colleges at UC Berkeley. For further information regarding a Change of College to Engineering, please see the College's website.

Minor Program

The department offers a minor in Nuclear Engineering (NE) that is open to all students who are not majoring in NE and who have completed the necessary prerequisites for the minor requirements. For information regarding the prerequisites, please see the Minor Requirements tab on this page.

The Nuclear Engineering (NE) minor is open to any undergraduate who satisfies the following requirements:

• Declaration of a major (not NE) on the UC Berkeley campus
• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of applying
• Completion of the minor must not delay graduation

To apply for the minor, submit the Petition for Admission to the Undergraduate Minor to the undergraduate adviser after completion of the prerequisite courses. Upon completion of the minor requirements, submit a Petition for Completion of the Undergraduate Minor to the undergraduate adviser.

Joint Majors

The Department of Nuclear Engineering also offers three joint majors with other departments in the College of Engineering and one joint major with a Department in the College of Chemistry. For further information on these programs, please click the links below:
Chemical Engineering/Nuclear Engineering (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Chemistry)
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences/Nuclear Engineering (Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences)
Materials Science and Engineering/Nuclear Engineering (Department of Materials Science and Engineering)
Mechanical Engineering/Nuclear Engineering (Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Visit Department Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

1. All technical courses taken in satisfaction of major requirements must be taken for a letter grade.

2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student’s major and minor programs.

3. A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for all work undertaken at UC Berkeley.

4. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for all technical courses taken in satisfaction of major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

For a detailed plan of study by year and semester, please see the Plan of Study tab.

Lower Division Requirements

¹

CHEM 4A is intended for students majoring in chemistry or a closely-related field.

Upper Division Requirements

Upper Division Technical Electives

The following groups of electives should help undergraduate students focus their choices on specific professional goals. The electives selected need not be from any single group.

¹

CHEM 4A is intended for students majoring in chemistry or a closely-related field.

²

Many of these courses will also fulfill a Humanities/Social Sciences requirement. 

³

Students admitted as freshmen must complete 29 technical elective units which must include at least 17 units of upper division nuclear engineering courses. The remaining 12 technical elective units must be fulfilled by taking courses in engineering and science, of which a minimum of 9 units must be upper division. Students must consult with and obtain approval from their faculty adviser no later than the fall semester of their junior year for their choices of technical elective courses. Students may receive up to 3 units of technical elective credit for graded research in H194 or 196.

⁴

Junior transfer admits must complete 26 technical elective units (instead of 29) which must include at least 14 units of upper division nuclear engineering courses. The remaining 12 technical elective units must be fulfilled by taking courses in engineering and science, of which a minimum of 9 units must be upper division. Students must consult with and obtain approval from their faculty adviser no later than the fall semester of their junior year for their choices of technical elective courses. Students may receive up to three units of technical elective credit for graded research in H194 or 196.

⁵

Technical Electives cannot include:

• Any course taken on a Pass/No Pass basis
• Any course that counts as H/SS

• Courses numbered 24, 39, 84, 88

• Any of the following courses: BIOENG 100, 153; COMPSCI C79; DATA C104; DESINV courses (except DES INV 15, DES INV 22, DES INV 23, DES INV 90E, DES INV 190E); ENGIN 125, 157AC, 180, 183 series, 185, 187, 195 series; INDENG 95, 172, 185, 186, 190 series, 191, 192, 195; MECENG 126, 191AC, 190K, 191K.

Minor Requirements

Minor programs are areas of concentration requiring fewer courses than an undergraduate major. These programs are optional but can provide depth and breadth to a UC Berkeley education. The College of Engineering does not offer additional time to complete a minor, but it is usually possible to finish within the allotted time with careful course planning. Students are encouraged to meet with their ESS adviser to discuss the feasibility of completing a minor program.

All the engineering departments offer minors. Students may also consider pursuing a minor in another school or college.

General Guidelines

1. All minors must be declared no later than one semester before a student's Expected Graduation Term (EGT). If the semester before EGT is fall or spring, the deadline is the last day of RRR week. If the semester before EGT is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions. To declare a minor, contact the department advisor for information on requirements, and the declaration process.

2. All courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be taken for graded credit.

3. A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the prerequisite courses is required for acceptance into the minor program.

4. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for courses used to fulfill the minor requirements.

5. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student’s major and minor programs.

6. Completion of the minor program cannot delay a student’s graduation.

Lower Division Prerequisites

Upper Division Requirements

College Requirements

Students in the College of Engineering must complete no fewer than 120 semester units with the following provisions: 

1. Completion of the requirements of one engineering major program of study. 
2. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 (C average) and a minimum 2.00 grade point average in upper division technical coursework required of the major.
3. The final 30 units and two semesters must be completed in residence in the College of Engineering on the Berkeley campus.
4. All technical courses (math, science, and engineering) that can fulfill requirements for the student's major must be taken on a letter graded basis (unless they are only offered P/NP). 
5. Entering freshmen are allowed a maximum of eight semesters to complete their degree requirements. Entering junior transfers are allowed five semesters to complete their degree requirements. Summer terms are optional and do not count toward the maximum. Students are responsible for planning and satisfactorily completing all graduation requirements within the maximum allowable semesters. 
6. Adhere to all college policies and procedures as they complete degree requirements.
7. Complete lower division technical courses before enrolling in upper division technical courses. 

Humanities and Social Sciences (H/SS) Requirement

To promote a rich and varied educational experience outside of the technical requirements for each major, the College of Engineering has a six-course Humanities and Social Sciences breadth requirement, which must be completed to graduate. This requirement, built into all the engineering programs of study, includes two Reading and Composition courses (R&C), and four additional courses within which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. See the humanities and social sciences section of our website for details.

Class Schedule Requirements

• Minimum units per semester: 12.0
• Maximum units per semester:  20.5
• Minimum technical courses: College of Engineering undergraduates must include at least two letter graded technical courses (of at least 3 units each) in their semester program. Every semester students are expected to make normal progress in their declared major. Normal progress is determined by the student's Engineering Student Services Advisor. (Note: For most majors, normal progress will require enrolling in 3-4 technical courses required of your current major each semester.) Students who are not in compliance with this policy by the end of the fifth week of the semester are subject to a registration block that will delay enrollment for the following semester. 
• All technical courses (math, science, engineering) that satisfy requirements for the major must be taken on a letter-graded basis (unless only offered as P/NP).

Minimum Academic Requirements

• Students must have a minimum overall and semester grade point average of 2.00 (C average). Students will be subject to suspension or dismissal from the University if during any fall or spring semester their overall UC GPA falls below a 2.00, or their semester GPA is less than 2.00. 
• Students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C average) in upper division technical courses required for the major curriculum each semester.
• A minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 and a minimum 2.00 grade point average in upper division technical course work required for the major are required to earn a Bachelor of Science in the College of Engineering.
• Students must make normal degree progress toward the Bachelor of Science degree and their officially declared major.

Unit Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, students must complete at least 120 semester units of courses subject to certain guidelines:

• Completion of the requirements of one engineering major program of study. 
• A maximum of 16 units of special studies coursework (courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, or 199) is allowed to count towards the B.S. degree, and no more than 4 units in any single term can be counted.
• A maximum of 4 units of physical education from any school attended will count towards the 120 units.

• Passed (P) grades may account for no more than one third of the total units completed at UC Berkeley, Fall Program for First Semester (FPF), UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), or UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) toward the 120 overall minimum unit requirement. Transfer credit is not factored into the limit. This includes transfer units from outside of the UC system, other UC campuses, credit-bearing exams, as well as UC Berkeley Extension XB units.

Normal Progress

Students in the College of Engineering must enroll in a full-time program and make normal progress each semester toward their declared major.  Students who fail to achieve normal academic progress shall be subject to suspension or dismissal. (Note: Students with official accommodations established by the Disabled Students' Program, with health or family issues, or with other reasons deemed appropriate by the dean may petition for an exception to normal progress rules.)

UC and Campus Requirements

University of California Requirements

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by satisfying the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR). The UC Entry Level Writing Requirement website provides information on how to satisfy the requirement.

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions (AH&I) requirements are based on the principle that a US resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

Campus Requirement

American Cultures

The American Cultures requirement is a Berkeley campus requirement, one that all undergraduate students at Berkeley need to pass in order to graduate. You satisfy the requirement by passing, with a grade not lower than C- or P, an American Cultures course. You may take an American Cultures course any time during your undergraduate career at Berkeley. The requirement was instituted in 1991 to introduce students to the diverse cultures of the United States through a comparative framework. Courses are offered in more than fifty departments in many different disciplines at both the lower and upper division level.

Plan of Study

For more detailed information regarding the courses listed below (e.g., elective information, GPA requirements, etc.), please see the College Requirements and Major Requirements tabs.

¹

CHEM 4A is intended for students majoring in chemistry or a closely-related field.

²

The Humanities/Social Sciences (H/SS) requirement includes two approved Reading & Composition (R&C) courses and four additional approved courses, with which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. R&C courses must be taken for a letter grade (C- or better required). The first half (R&C Part A) must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half (R&C Part B) must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. The remaining courses may be taken at any time during the program. See engineering.berkeley.edu/hss for complete details and a list of approved courses.

³

Electronic Circuits Elective: Choose one course from EECS 16A, ENGIN 11, MEC ENG 100, or PHYSICS 111A.

⁴

Statistics/Data Analysis Elective: Choose one course from ENGIN 178 (recommended), DATA C8 + DATA 88 (must take both), DATA C100, DATA C140, EECS 126, IND ENG 172, STAT 133, STAT 134.

⁵

Students admitted as freshmen must complete 29 technical elective units which must include at least 17 units of upper division nuclear engineering courses. The remaining 12 technical elective units must be fulfilled by taking courses in engineering and science, of which a minimum of 9 units must be upper division. See Major Requirements tab for lists of suggested electives. Students must consult with and obtain approval from their faculty adviser no later than the fall semester of their junior year for their choices of technical elective courses. Students may receive up to three units of technical elective credit for graded research in H194 or 196.

⁶

Junior transfer admits must complete 26 (instead of 29) technical elective units which must include at least 14 units of upper division nuclear engineering courses. The remaining 12 technical elective units must be fulfilled by taking courses in engineering and science, of which a minimum of 9 units must be upper division. See Major Requirements tab for lists of suggested electives. Students must consult with and obtain approval from their faculty adviser no later than the fall semester of their junior year for their choices of technical elective courses. Students may receive up to three units of technical elective credit for graded research in H194 or 196.

⁷

Technical Electives cannot include:

• Any course taken on a Pass/No Pass basis
• Any course that counts as H/SS

• Courses numbered 24, 39, 84, 88

• Any of the following courses: BIOENG 100, 153; COMPSCI C79; DESINV courses (except DES INV 15, DES INV 22, DES INV 23, DES INV 90E, DES INV 190E); ENGIN 125, 157AC, 180, 183 series, 185, 187, 195 series; INDENG 95, 172, 185, 186, 190 series, 191, 192, 195; MECENG 191AC, 190K, 191K. 

⁸

Students must take one course with ethics content. This may be fulfilled within the Humanities/Social Sciences requirement by taking one of the following courses: ANTHRO 156B, BIO ENG 100, ENGIN 125, ENGIN 157AC, ENGIN 185, ESPM 161, ESPM 162, GEOG 31, IAS 157AC, ISF 100E, L & S 160B, PHILOS 2, PHILOS 104, PHILOS 107, and SOCIOL 116.

Student Learning Goals

Mission

The mission of the Department of Nuclear Engineering is to maintain and strengthen the University of California'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 mission of the undergraduate degree program in Nuclear Engineering is to prepare our students to begin a lifetime of technical achievement and professional leadership in academia, government, the national laboratories, and industry.

Learning Goals for the Major

The foundation of the UC Berkeley Nuclear Engineering (NE) program is a set of five key objectives for educating undergraduate students. The NE program continuously reviews these objectives internally to ensure that they meet the current needs of the students, and each spring the Program Advisory Committee meets to review the program and recommend changes to better serve students. The NE Program Advisory Committee was established in 1988 and is composed of senior leaders from industry, the national laboratories, and academia.

Nuclear engineering at UC Berkeley prepares undergraduate students for employment or advanced studies with four primary constituencies: industry, the national laboratories, state and federal agencies, and academia (graduate research programs). Graduate research programs are the dominant constituency. From 2000 to 2005, sixty-eight percent of graduating NE seniors indicated plans to attend graduate school in their senior exit surveys. To meet the needs of these constituencies, the objectives of the NE undergraduate program are to produce graduates who as practicing engineers and researchers do the following:

1. Apply solid knowledge of the fundamental mathematics and natural (both physical and biological) sciences that provide the foundation for engineering applications.
2. 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.
3. Exhibit strong, independent learning, analytical and problem solving skills, with special emphasis on design, communication, and an ability to work in teams.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the broad social, ethical, safety, and environmental context within which nuclear engineering is practiced.
5. Value and practice life-long learning.

Major Map

Major maps are experience maps that help undergraduates plan their Berkeley journey based on intended major or field of interest. Featuring student opportunities and resources from your college and department as well as across campus, each map includes curated suggestions for planning your studies, engaging outside the classroom, and pursuing your career goals in a timeline format.

Use the major map below to explore potential paths and design your own unique undergraduate experience:

View the Nuclear Engineering Major Map.

Courses

Nuclear Engineering