UNENE M.Eng. Degree
A course-based degree for the working professional
The UNENE M.Eng. is a joint-university programme, course-based, consisting of 10 courses, or eight courses plus a project. Four of those courses are “core” courses and are compulsory. The courses span most of the specific science and engineering knowledge used in nuclear power, and are listed below. The project is normally co-sponsored by the student’s employer and one of the universities.
The M.Eng. is accredited by the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance. The courses are graduate level in content and expectations. The courses are offered by McMaster, Waterloo, Western, Queen’s and Ontario Tech. The whole program is geared to the working professional. Each course is given on four alternate weekends, and consists of about 40 hours contact time plus 100 hours homework. Students are formally evaluated via assignments, tests and exams and their marks become part of their university academic record. The M.Eng. program is not like industry training — it is university education at the graduate level, with commensurate effort and accomplishments.
The M.Eng. program requires students to successfully complete ten of the UNENE M.Eng. courses within a 5-year period with a minimum passing grade of B- for each course. The UNENE Eng. program is offered on a part-time basis only and is not suitable for most international students.
It is expected that most participants will receive full or partial financial sponsorship from their employer. UNENE industry employers have policies and procedures for approval and funding of education and training, and some have specific procedures for UNENE. Please consult your employer’s internal web site, or ask your employer, for further details.
Participants who do not have employer sponsorship are welcome to apply for admission and are expected to cover program costs personally. There are no scholarship, financial awards, fellowships or bursaries available through UNENE or through partner universities for the UNENE program.
Image: University of Western Ontario
Apply
Students may apply at any of the UNENE universities listed below. Actual course delivery is not linked to the University where the student is registered – all students attend the same classroom, have the same professor, take the same exams etc.
- McMaster University
- Western University
- University of Waterloo
- Queen’s University
- Ontario Tech
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold an honours baccalaureate degree in the field of engineering, science or mathematics with an acceptable grade point average, set by the university where admission is sought, for entry into a Master’s degree programme in Engineering (typically B or 75% minimum). Relevant work experience may be considered.
Registration and Courses
The student must first be enrolled as a graduate student at one of the UNENE universities; he/she will then be eligible to register for courses of his/her choosing as they are offered.
Course Selection
Required core courses:
- UN502 Nuclear Power Plant Systems and Operations
- UN802 Nuclear Reactor Physics
- UN803 Nuclear Reactor Safety Design
- UN804 Nuclear Reactor Heat Transport System Design
Choose six from the following:
- UN501 Nuclear Fuel Management
- UN601 Control, Instrumentation and Electrical Systems
- UN602 Nuclear Fuel Waste Management
- UN603 Project Management for Nuclear Engineers
- UN701 Engineering Risk and Reliability
- UN805 Introduction to Operational Health Physics
- UN806 Nuclear Fuel Engineering
- UN807 Power Plant Thermodynamics
- UN808 Reactor Chemistry and Corrosion
- UN901 Nuclear Materials
Tuition Fee Structure
The Universities set UNENE course fees, currently $2250 per course. In addition, a one-time incidental fee is charged at the beginning of each academic year; this fee may vary between Universities. Fees are payable to the University at which the student is registered.
Delivery
The format of the UNENE recognizes that the majority of students enrolled in a UNENE program hold full-time jobs in the nuclear industry. Live courses are typically presented in four alternate weekend sessions in an educational centre or appropriate facility close to where the majority of the students work (typically just east of Toronto, Ontario). To accommodate students working at sites remote from the Greater Toronto Area, all courses are given using “live” distance education tools. These are also recorded, so students can catch up if they miss a class, and can review a class they attended.
Other helpful information
For technical details on distance education, please see the guide Getting Started with Distance Education Technology.