Diploma in International PRA Regulations (IAEA/NRC/ASN)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in international PRA regulations (IAEA/NRC/ASN). 8 modules covering nuclear safety and risk, international regulatory frameworks, Level 1, 2 and 3 PSA, internal and external hazards, risk-informed applications, and PSA quality and review, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the methodology of probabilistic safety assessment in nuclear power plants.
Compare the regulatory frameworks of the IAEA, the NRC and the ASN.
Develop event tree and fault tree models.
Quantify core damage and release frequencies.
Apply PSA to risk-informed decisions.
Assess the technical quality of a PSA against standards.
Produce PSA-based regulatory reports.
Who it's for
- PSA analysts.
- Nuclear safety engineers.
- Nuclear regulatory specialists.
- Licensing engineers.
- Nuclear safety inspectors.
- Risk-informed decision-making consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the nuclear energy sector.
What you'll work with
- IAEA SSG-3 (Level 1 probabilistic safety assessment)
- IAEA SSG-4 (Level 2 probabilistic safety assessment)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.200 (technical adequacy of PSA results)
- NRC Regulatory Guide 1.174 (use of PSA in risk-informed decisions)
- ASME/ANS RA-Sb-2013 (PSA standard)
- NUREG/CR-6850 (fire PSA)
- 10 CFR 50.69 (categorisation of structures, systems and components)
- WENRA safety reference levels
- SAPHIRE
- RiskSpectrum PSA
- CAFTA
- MELCOR
- MACCS
8 modules
1.1Defence in depth1.2Deterministic and probabilistic approaches1.3History of PSA: WASH-14001.4PSA Levels 1, 2 and 31.5Quantitative safety goals1.6Lessons from TMI, Chernobyl and Fukushima1.7Societal and individual risk1.8Uncertainty in risk1.9Safety culture1.10Case study: interpreting risk metrics
2.1IAEA safety standards2.2Safety guides SSG-3 and SSG-42.3NRC regulation2.4Regulatory Guides 1.200 and 1.1742.5The approach of the French ASN2.6WENRA reference levels2.7The Spanish regulator and PSA2.8Periodic safety reviews2.9International harmonisation2.10Workshop: comparison of PSA requirements
3.1Initiating events3.2Success criteria3.3Event trees3.4System fault trees3.5Human reliability analysis3.6Common cause failures3.7Reliability data3.8Quantification and minimal cut sets3.9Importance analysis3.10Lab: event tree with SAPHIRE
4.1Severe accident progression4.2Containment phenomenology4.3Containment event trees4.4Release categories4.5Source terms4.6MELCOR and MAAP codes4.7Off-site consequences4.8The MACCS code4.9Severe accident management4.10Practical exercise: analysis of a Level 2 sequence
5.1Fire PSA to NUREG/CR-68505.2Internal flooding5.3Seismic PSA5.4Natural external hazards5.5Shutdown PSA5.6Spent fuel pools5.7Multi-unit events5.8Hazard combinations5.9Reliability of portable equipment5.10Case study: analysis of a fire scenario
6.1Changes to the licensing basis6.2Risk-informed technical specifications6.3Risk-informed in-service inspection6.4Categorisation under 10 CFR 50.696.5Risk monitors6.6Maintenance programmes6.7Assessment of operational events6.8Reactor oversight process6.9Integrated decision-making6.10Practical exercise: assessment of a technical specification change
7.1The ASME/ANS RA-Sb-2013 standard7.2Capability categories7.3Peer reviews7.4PSA documentation7.5Living PSA and updating7.6Software tools7.7Uncertainty analysis7.8Sensitivity analysis7.9Communication with the regulator7.10Workshop: review of a technical support element
8.1Description of the reference plant8.2Applicable regulatory framework8.3Selection of initiating events8.4Event tree and fault tree model8.5Quantification of results8.6Risk-informed application8.7Quality assessment8.8Regulatory report8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The programme is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SAPHIRE, RiskSpectrum PSA, CAFTA, MELCOR and MACCS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: building an event tree for loss of feedwater, component importance analysis and comparing PSA requirements across regulators. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: IAEA SSG-3, IAEA SSG-4, NRC Regulatory Guide 1.200, NRC Regulatory Guide 1.174, ASME/ANS RA-Sb-2013, NUREG/CR-6850, 10 CFR 50.69, WENRA safety reference levels.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with SAPHIRE, RiskSpectrum PSA, CAFTA, MELCOR and MACCS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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