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Master'sNuclear Engineering & Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technologies Applications open

Master’s in Radioactive Waste Management and Deep Geological Disposal Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in radioactive waste management and deep geological disposal engineering. 12 modules covering waste origin and classification, predisposal management, disposal concepts, site selection, geological and hydrogeological characterisation, engineered barriers, THMC processes, long-term safety assessment, radionuclide transport, repository operation and the regulatory and financial framework, with Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-5 and GoldSim, 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 origin and classification of radioactive waste.

02

Understand the concept of deep geological disposal.

03

Apply site selection criteria.

04

Characterise the geological and hydrogeological environment.

05

Design engineered barriers and assess their performance.

06

Prepare long-term safety assessments.

07

Interpret the regulatory and financial framework for disposal.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Geological disposal engineers.
  • Nuclear hydrogeologists.
  • Safety assessment specialists working on repository safety cases.
  • Geochemists interested in radionuclide behaviour in the near and far field.
  • Engineered barrier engineers.
  • Radioactive waste management technicians moving into disposal.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to enter radioactive waste management.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Directive 2011/70/Euratom (EU framework for the responsible management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
  • IAEA SSR-5 (disposal of radioactive waste)
  • IAEA SSG-23 (the safety case and safety assessment for the disposal of radioactive waste)
  • IAEA SSG-14 (geological disposal facilities for radioactive waste)
  • Royal Decree 102/2014 (Spanish regulation on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste)
  • Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (international treaty on spent fuel and waste safety)
  • 10 CFR Part 63 (US rules for disposal of high-level waste in a geological repository)
  • GoldSim
  • PFLOTRAN
  • CODE_BRIGHT
  • PHREEQC
  • COMSOL Multiphysics
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Waste from nuclear power plants
  2. 1.2Waste from medical and industrial applications
  3. 1.3Fuel cycle waste
  4. 1.4Spent fuel as waste
  5. 1.5Vitrified high-level waste
  6. 1.6Long-lived waste
  7. 1.7National waste inventory
  8. 1.8IAEA classification
  9. 1.9National management policy
  10. 1.10Case study: waste inventory and projection to 2100
  1. 2.1Waste minimisation
  2. 2.2Treatment and conditioning
  3. 2.3Waste packages
  4. 2.4Interim storage in pools
  5. 2.5ATC and ATI (centralised and individual interim storage facilities)
  6. 2.6Acceptance criteria
  7. 2.7Package traceability and records
  8. 2.8Quality assurance
  9. 2.9Transport to facilities
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: design of a package traceability register
  1. 3.1Principle of isolation and containment
  2. 3.2Multiple barrier system
  3. 3.3Engineered barriers
  4. 3.4Role of the geological barrier
  5. 3.5Repositories in crystalline rock
  6. 3.6Repositories in clay formations
  7. 3.7Repositories in salt formations
  8. 3.8KBS-3 and Cigéo concepts
  9. 3.9Reversibility and retrievability
  10. 3.10Workshop: comparison of repository concepts
  1. 4.1Technical selection criteria
  2. 4.2Socio-economic and territorial criteria
  3. 4.3Process phases
  4. 4.4Finland's experience
  5. 4.5Sweden and France's experience
  6. 4.6Switzerland and Canada's experience
  7. 4.7Public participation in selection
  8. 4.8Voluntarism and consent
  9. 4.9Intergenerational ethical aspects
  10. 4.10Case study: multi-criteria analysis of sites
  1. 5.1Structural geology of the rock mass
  2. 5.2Boreholes and core logging
  3. 5.3Hydraulic testing in boreholes
  4. 5.4Hydrogeochemistry of deep groundwater
  5. 5.5Underground research laboratories
  6. 5.63D geological models
  7. 5.7Seismicity and neotectonics
  8. 5.8Long-term climate evolution
  9. 5.9Glaciations and their effects
  10. 5.10Laboratory: interpretation of a hydraulic test
  1. 6.1Copper canisters
  2. 6.2Steel canisters
  3. 6.3Canister corrosion
  4. 6.4Bentonite barrier
  5. 6.5Properties of bentonite
  6. 6.6Seals and plugs
  7. 6.7Tunnel backfills
  8. 6.8Bentonite-concrete interaction
  9. 6.9FEBEX tests at Grimsel
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: lifetime calculation of a copper canister
  1. 7.1Coupling of thermal, hydraulic and chemical processes
  2. 7.2Waste heat
  3. 7.3Bentonite saturation
  4. 7.4Gas generation and migration
  5. 7.5Near-field geochemistry
  6. 7.6Spent fuel dissolution
  7. 7.7Radionuclide transport
  8. 7.8Sorption and diffusion
  9. 7.9Colloid-facilitated transport
  10. 7.10Workshop: THM simulation with CODE_BRIGHT
  1. 8.1Structure of the safety case
  2. 8.2Scenarios derived from FEPs
  3. 8.3Reference and alternative scenarios
  4. 8.4Performance assessment models
  5. 8.5Uncertainties and their treatment
  6. 8.6Complementary safety indicators
  7. 8.7Human intrusion scenarios
  8. 8.8Natural analogues as evidence
  9. 8.9Confidence and robustness
  10. 8.10Case study: FEP list for a repository in granite
  1. 9.1Advection and dispersion
  2. 9.2Matrix diffusion
  3. 9.3Retardation and Kd coefficients
  4. 9.4Flow models in fractured media
  5. 9.5Modelling with GoldSim
  6. 9.6Modelling with PFLOTRAN
  7. 9.7Dose to the biosphere
  8. 9.8Biosphere models
  9. 9.9Probabilistic dose analysis
  10. 9.10Practical exercise: transport model with GoldSim
  1. 10.1Tunnel design
  2. 10.2Tunnel excavation methods
  3. 10.3Emplacement operations
  4. 10.4Handling robotics
  5. 10.5Operational safety of the repository
  6. 10.6Radiation protection during operation
  7. 10.7Quality control
  8. 10.8Near-field monitoring
  9. 10.9Repository closure
  10. 10.10Case study: emplacement sequence at Onkalo
  1. 11.1Directive 2011/70/Euratom and national programmes
  2. 11.2IAEA SSR-5 standards
  3. 11.3Spanish framework and the PGRR (General Radioactive Waste Plan)
  4. 11.4Repository licensing
  5. 11.5Funds and financing
  6. 11.6Responsibility towards future generations
  7. 11.7Preservation of memory
  8. 11.8Safeguards at the repository
  9. 11.9Communication with society
  10. 11.10Workshop: analysis of Posiva's licensing framework
  1. 12.1Problem statement
  2. 12.2Review of international experience
  3. 12.3Definition of the concept and generic site
  4. 12.4Assessment model
  5. 12.5Scenario analysis
  6. 12.6Uncertainty quantification
  7. 12.7Safety conclusions
  8. 12.8Recommendations for the national programme
  9. 12.9Thesis 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 is compatible with full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, CODE_BRIGHT, PHREEQC and COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures for long-term safety assessment, radionuclide transport modelling and multi-criteria site analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-5, IAEA SSG-23, IAEA SSG-14, Royal Decree 102/2014, Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, 10 CFR Part 63.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of Directive 2011/70/Euratom, IAEA SSR-5, SSG-23 and SSG-14 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, CODE_BRIGHT, PHREEQC and COMSOL Multiphysics, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:a long-term safety assessment for a deep geological repository concept on a generic site, 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.

Site selection analysis
Carry out a multi-criteria analysis to compare candidate sites.
Engineered barrier design
Calculate the lifetime of a copper canister within the bentonite barrier system.
Scenario development
Build a FEP list and derive reference and alternative scenarios for a granite repository.
Transport modelling
Model radionuclide transport and dose to the biosphere with GoldSim.
Master's Thesis
Develop a safety assessment with uncertainty quantification and recommendations for the national programme, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Geological disposal engineerNuclear hydrogeologistSafety assessment specialistGeochemistEngineered barrier engineerRadioactive waste management technician
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 GoldSim, PFLOTRAN, CODE_BRIGHT, PHREEQC and COMSOL Multiphysics, 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, plus 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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