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Master’s in Fusion, Superconductivity & Balance of Plant Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in fusion, superconductivity and balance of plant engineering, structured in 12 modules covering fusion energy, plasma physics, applied superconductivity, magnet design, cryogenics, plasma-facing components, breeding blankets and tritium, balance of plant, safety and economics, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the principles of fusion energy.

02

Apply plasma physics to engineering design.

03

Design superconducting magnets and their protection.

04

Size cryogenic systems.

05

Analyse plasma-facing components and breeding blankets.

06

Design the balance of plant of a fusion power plant.

07

Assess the safety, licensing and economics of fusion.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Fusion engineers.
  • Superconducting magnet engineers.
  • Cryogenic engineers.
  • Balance of plant engineers.
  • Plasma-facing component engineers.
  • Fusion safety analysts.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the fusion energy sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ASME BPVC Section III Division 4 (rules for fusion energy devices)
  • IAEA SSG-91 (safety of fusion facilities)
  • EN 13445 (unfired pressure vessels)
  • IEC 61788 (superconductivity measurements)
  • RCC-MRx (design and construction rules for mechanical components of nuclear installations)
  • ISO 21009 (cryogenic vessels)
  • Directive 2013/59/Euratom (basic safety standards for radiation protection)
  • COMSOL Multiphysics
  • FreeGS
  • OpenMC
  • PROCESS
  • ANSYS Mechanical
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1D-T, D-D and D-He3 fusion reactions
  2. 1.2The Lawson criterion and the triple product
  3. 1.3Magnetic versus inertial confinement
  4. 1.4Historical milestones: JET, TFTR and NIF
  5. 1.5ITER and its role
  6. 1.6The EUROfusion roadmap and DEMO
  7. 1.7Private fusion initiatives
  8. 1.8Regulatory framework for fusion
  9. 1.9Public acceptance
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of the European roadmap
  1. 2.1Plasma parameters
  2. 2.2Particle motion in magnetic fields
  3. 2.3The ideal MHD model
  4. 2.4Equilibrium and stability
  5. 2.5Transport and confinement
  6. 2.6L-mode and H-mode confinement
  7. 2.7Disruptions
  8. 2.8Heating and current drive
  9. 2.9Plasma diagnostics
  10. 2.10Lab: tokamak equilibrium with FreeGS
  1. 3.1Fundamentals of superconductivity
  2. 3.2LTS superconductors: NbTi and Nb3Sn
  3. 3.3HTS superconductors: REBCO
  4. 3.4Critical surface and margins
  5. 3.5CICC cables
  6. 3.6Stability and quench
  7. 3.7Magnet protection
  8. 3.8Conductor testing
  9. 3.9The superconductor market
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: temperature margin calculation for a conductor
  1. 4.1Toroidal and poloidal field coils
  2. 4.2Central solenoid
  3. 4.3Magnetic field calculation
  4. 4.4Electromagnetic forces
  5. 4.5Support structures
  6. 4.6Thermomechanical analysis
  7. 4.7High-field HTS magnets
  8. 4.8Coil manufacturing
  9. 4.9Magnet testing
  10. 4.10Lab: field calculation with COMSOL
  1. 5.1Fundamentals of cryogenics
  2. 5.2Helium and its properties
  3. 5.3Liquefaction plants
  4. 5.4Cryogenic distribution
  5. 5.5Cryostats and insulation
  6. 5.6Heat loads
  7. 5.7Cooling of HTS magnets at 20 K
  8. 5.8Cryogenic safety
  9. 5.9Cryogenic instrumentation
  10. 5.10Practical exercise: heat balance of a cryostat
  1. 6.1First wall and divertor
  2. 6.2Heat and particle loads
  3. 6.3Materials: tungsten and beryllium
  4. 6.4Erosion and redeposition
  5. 6.5High heat-flux cooling
  6. 6.6Neutron damage
  7. 6.7Remote maintenance
  8. 6.8High heat-flux testing
  9. 6.9Component service life
  10. 6.10Case study: thermal design of a divertor monoblock
  1. 7.1Function of the breeding blanket
  2. 7.2HCPB, WCLL and DCLL concepts
  3. 7.3Tritium breeding ratio
  4. 7.4The tritium fuel cycle
  5. 7.5Permeation and retention
  6. 7.6Extraction systems
  7. 7.7Tritium safety
  8. 7.8Test blanket modules in ITER
  9. 7.9Engineering challenges
  10. 7.10Practical exercise: TBR calculation with OpenMC
  1. 8.1Conversion of heat into electricity
  2. 8.2Rankine and Brayton cycles
  3. 8.3Heat exchangers
  4. 8.4Thermal storage for pulsed operation
  5. 8.5Auxiliary loads and recirculating power
  6. 8.6Engineering Q factor
  7. 8.7Electrical power supply systems
  8. 8.8Grid connection
  9. 8.9Plant availability
  10. 8.10Lab: power cycle model in EBSILON or Cycle-Tempo
  1. 9.1Vacuum systems
  2. 9.2Fuel injection
  3. 9.3Neutral beam heating
  4. 9.4Radio-frequency heating: ECRH and ICRH
  5. 9.5Pulsed power supplies
  6. 9.6Plasma control
  7. 9.7Cooling systems
  8. 9.8Remote handling
  9. 9.9Waste management
  10. 9.10Workshop: auxiliary systems architecture
  1. 10.1Safety analysis of fusion plants
  2. 10.2Radioactive inventories
  3. 10.3Material activation
  4. 10.4Confinement
  5. 10.5Accident scenarios
  6. 10.6Licensing of ITER
  7. 10.7National regulatory frameworks
  8. 10.8Fusion waste management
  9. 10.9Decommissioning
  10. 10.10Case study: analysis of the UK regulatory approach
  1. 11.1Cost of fusion electricity
  2. 11.2PROCESS plant systems models
  3. 11.3Supply chain
  4. 11.4The European fusion industry
  5. 11.5Public and private funding
  6. 11.6International collaboration
  7. 11.7Intellectual property
  8. 11.8Talent development
  9. 11.9Deployment scenarios
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: levelised cost estimate with PROCESS
  1. 12.1Definition of the subsystem
  2. 12.2Requirements and state of the art
  3. 12.3Conceptual design
  4. 12.4Physical or thermal analysis
  5. 12.5Structural or magnetic analysis
  6. 12.6Integration into the balance of plant
  7. 12.7Safety and cost assessment
  8. 12.8Conclusions
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis: written report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training 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 the programme can be combined with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is COMSOL Multiphysics, FreeGS, OpenMC, PROCESS and ANSYS Mechanical, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for plasma equilibrium calculation, thermal analysis of plasma-facing components and power cycle modelling of a plant. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: ASME BPVC Section III Division 4, IAEA SSG-91 (safety of fusion facilities), EN 13445 (pressure vessels), IEC 61788 (superconductivity), RCC-MRx, ISO 21009 (cryogenic vessels), Directive 2013/59/Euratom.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of ASME BPVC Section III Division 4, IAEA SSG-91 and EN 13445 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:COMSOL Multiphysics, FreeGS, OpenMC, PROCESS and ANSYS Mechanical, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:The conceptual design of a fusion plant subsystem, from requirements and physical, thermal or magnetic analysis to integration into the balance of plant and safety and cost assessment, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Define the subsystem
Select a fusion plant subsystem and establish its requirements and the state of the art.
Develop the conceptual design
Produce a conceptual design for the magnet, divertor, blanket or cryogenic system.
Analyse physics and heat loads
Perform the physical or thermal analysis with FreeGS, OpenMC or COMSOL.
Check structure and integration
Carry out the structural or magnetic analysis and integrate the subsystem into the balance of plant.
Master's Thesis
Assess safety and cost, draw conclusions and present the complete design, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Fusion engineerSuperconducting magnet engineerCryogenic engineerBalance of plant engineerPlasma-facing component engineerFusion safety analyst
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • 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.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with COMSOL Multiphysics, FreeGS, OpenMC, PROCESS and ANSYS Mechanical, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), 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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