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Dec 06, 2025
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2025-2026 University Catalog
Nuclear Engineering, MSNE
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About the Program
The School of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University is where future leaders of the global nuclear engineering community are cultivated. The school educates ethical nuclear engineers to provide technical expertise to the nuclear engineering communities around the world, expand the frontier of knowledge through cutting-edge and innovative research in all areas of nuclear engineering, and dynamically engage with the global society through strong partnerships. Students come from a variety of undergraduate preparations which include other branches of engineering, various fields of science, and mathematics. Likewise, the program’s faculty members represent a broad range of academic disciplines. This diversity enables the program to accommodate the interests of graduate students in exploring new opportunities and challenges in the rapidly broadening field of nuclear engineering. Master’s students can pursue a thesis or non-thesis option. See below for each set of requirements. Program Website Program Requirements - Thesis & Non-thesis
30 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (15 credits)
Core Courses (15 credits)
Students who took NUCL 200 and 300 at Purdue University are not required to take NUCL 501 and will not receive credit toward graduation by taking NUCL 501; they will need to take another approved 500/600-level course to achieve the required total number of credit hours for graduation. Students who took equivalent courses from peer institutions courses may have their courses reviewed for potential equivalences. Technical Electives (9-15 credits)
Students pursuing the thesis option must take a minimum of 9 credits of 500/600-level technical courses, including 6 credits of mathematics, computer science, or other approved computational courses. Students may petition the graduate committee to waive the mathematics requirement if they have taken 500/600-level mathematics or computer science courses elsewhere. Any Purdue 500-600-level technical course (Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, and Mathematics) is an acceptable elective if it is consistent with the student’s program and objectives. If approved by the graduate committee and Head, new technical courses with variable titles under NUCL 597 (3 credits) up to 6 credits, or as two separate courses, are allowed. Thesis Research (6 credits)
Only required for thesis MS students. The student and their advisor will work together to identify a research project of mutual interest. Students must be aware that the selection of a research project is typically influenced by the availability of funding. In ideal situations, a task within a faculty member’s project becomes the graduate student’s thesis research. The master’s thesis should document research results in a clear and concise fashion, and it should be prepared while in residence. Faculty advisors will be the best guides on matters of organizing each individual thesis. Project Course (0-6 credits)
Optional for non-thesis MS students and online MNE students. Up to 6 credits of NUCL 590 will count for credit for MNE and non-thesis MS students to use for a project. Students may take more than 6 credits, but these will not be counted toward the degree requirements. The student and their advisor will work together to identify a project topic of mutual interest. Typically, a student may choose a topic from their industrial experience or profession-related topic. Concentrations
Departmental concentrations: - Nuclear Engineering and Radio Health Science Concentration for Nuclear Engineering, MSNE
Interdisciplinary concentrations: Additional Information
Final Examination: (only for thesis MS students) When the student and advisor agree that the thesis is complete, a final examination will be held by the advisory committee at a time acceptable to all committee members. A final thesis draft copy of “original” quality, suitable for publication must be distributed to the examining committee a minimum of 14 days prior to the scheduled final examination. A
thesis delivered less than 14 days prior to the scheduled final examination may not be accepted. The final examination is scheduled for 2 hours. The student will make a formal presentation of about 45 minutes on their thesis. Anyone is welcome to attend the presentation, and typically those present will have an opportunity to ask questions during first hour. The second hour of the examination is a closed-door examination with only the student and examining committee present. The committee may ask questions about the thesis research and any related Nuclear Engineering concepts. Direct to PhD Program: The Direct PhD Program is available for students with outstanding academic records. This program enables students entering with a bachelor’s degree to obtain the PhD degree without investing time in preparing a formal master’s degree thesis. It also allows greater flexibility in course selection and research planning. The direct PhD student can apply for the non-thesis MSNE degree while working towards the PhD. The master’s degree will be conferred to students in this program upon successful completion of the PhD preliminary examination and submission of an acceptable Master’s Plan of Study, submitted in the semester prior to the preliminary examination. Students will receive the degree at the end of the semester in which the preliminary examination is taken. GPA Requirements
A grade of B or better (B- is not sufficient) is required for each course appearing on the POS as a primary course. In addition, residency requirements must be met (see the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars’ Policy and Procedures Manual) and a minimum final grade point average of 3.0 is required. The student’s faculty advisor routinely reviews each student’s academic performance and will advise the student on performance not meeting the required standards. Graduate Programs Disclaimer
- The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
- Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary.
- Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
- Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
- Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
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