Thomas Edison State University | Prior Learning Assessment Course Description
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PLA Portfolio Assessment Course Subjects

Nuclear

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Courses 1-10 of 17 matches.
Nuclear Physics for Technology   (NUC-303)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Nuclear Physics for Technology provides students with fundamental concepts of atomic and nuclear physics, nuclear reactor physics, and nuclear reactor operations. It includes a background in atomic and nuclear physics, nuclear reactions and elementary particle interactions, as well as the theory of nuclear reactor design for steady state and transient conditions, reactor control, and reactor operations.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Explain and apply the theories describing the atomic nature of matter, including components, structure, and nomenclature.
  • Apply the theory of neutron and ?-ray interactions, fission, and the parameters that affect the fission process.
  • Derive equations involving neutron multiplication, the continuity equation, the diffusion equation, and boundary conditions.
  • Summarize the purpose of the components that comprise a nuclear reactor.
  • Solve the diffusion equation for a critical system of simple geometry.
  • Solve for the critical mass or size of fuel.
  • Define thermal reactors, reflected reactors, and heterogeneous reactors.
  • Compare time problems and explain the point kinetics equation.
  • Solve problems involving reactor kinetics, control rods, chemical shim, temperature effects on reactivity, fission product poisoning, and fuel management.

 
Radiological, Reactor and Environmental Safety   (NUC-342)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Radiological, Reactor, and Environmental Safety provides basic concepts and applications in health physics and environmental aspects of nuclear power generation. The topics covered include the biological effects of radiation, dose-rate evaluation, radiation monitoring, radiological safety, reactor effluents and radioactive waste disposal, regulations governing radiation exposure and the release of radioactivity into the environment, and the environmental impact of nuclear power plants.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Explain the biological effects of ionizing radiation including genetic and somatic effects.
  • Calculate the radiation dose of different types of radiation for a specific period of time.
  • Summarize the basic operation of radiation monitoring equipment for alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron radiation.
  • Describe the production mechanisms of gaseous, liquid, and solid radioactive waste in nuclear facilities.
  • Describe the gaseous, liquid, and solid radioactive waste cleanup systems in nuclear facilities.
  • Quantify the liquid and gaseous effluents from nuclear facilities.
  • Analyze the environmental concerns arising from the operation of a nuclear power plant.
  • Identify the ALARA philosophy in design, operation, and maintenance of nuclear power plant systems.

 
Nuclear Technology Assessment/Career Planning   (NUC-490)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Nuclear Technology Assessment/Career Planning is an in-depth, student centered activity that requires the integration of research in current nuclear employment, a nuclear engineering technology self-assessment, the development of a comprehensive vita, practical career planning, interviewing strategies, and applied advanced math applications to nuclear engineering technology situations. Students will participate in career focused activities that include building a professional resume and knowing how to interview successfully. The knowledge and skills acquired in this course are directly applicable to students who are seeking a job, a promotion, or moving to a new skill area.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Evaluate the TAC ABET accreditation outcomes, match them to the needs of the nuclear energy employment and apply them to your comprehensive vitae.
  • Develop an effective professional vitae/resume based on past, current work learning/experience, academic, professional and personal learning experiences related to the NEET student outcomes.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in researching employment opportunities in the emerging nuclear energy industry.
  • Research, interpret and critically analyze literature and resources dealing with behavioral based interviewing.
  • Communicate effectively in making graphical presentations in English using language appropriate to peers and other audiences.
  • Function effectively as a leader and a team member with an understanding of cultural diversity.
  • Develop an inclusive skill inventory vitae that will serve as a bridge to your future work and life-long learning.
  • Develop increased proficiency in solving problems in nuclear engineering technology using differential and integral calculus.
  • Complete a 50 question comprehensive pretest and a 100 question comprehensive exam for confidential feedback of knowledge strengths and potential areas of knowledge improvement.

 
Nuclear Instrumentation and Control   (NUC-351)   4 credits  
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Course Description
Nuclear Instrumentation and Control encompasses the principles of operation of various types of instruments in the nuclear industry to measure temperature, pressure, level, flow, position, and radiation. The student will gain a broad range of working knowledge of temperature, pressure, level, and flow sensors, position indicators, radiation detectors, and control systems. Component theory and design, system hardware, and integrated operation as applied to commercial nuclear systems will be explored.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Analyze and interpret pressure, temperature, level, flow, and radiation data from nuclear systems in order to identify corrective actions or improvements.
  • Describe the operation and maintenance of standard pressure, temperature, flow, and level sensors including calibration, and explain how the data is electronically transformed into numerical readings in standard pressure, temperature and flow units.
  • Justify the components comprising a radiation detection system that convert the raw data into standard readings of exposure and dose.
  • Select and locate the necessary pressure, temperature, and flow sensors in a coolant system loop of a commercial PWR.
  • Describe the electronic operation of a three-element level control system.
  • Describe a nuclear instrumentation system that is capable of covering the dynamic range such as for a radiation monitoring in a gaseous radioactive waste effluent line in a commercial nuclear power plant.

 
ALARA Principles   (NUC-372)   3 credits  
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Course Description
This course describes the ways in which radiation doses received by nuclear power plant workers are kept at a minimum. Practices such as contamination control, shielding, and preplanning are discussed. Students receive hands-on instruction and learn shielding, stay-time and doses calculations.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • List types and sources of contamination in nuclear power plants.
  • List methods of limiting the spread of contamination in nuclear power plants.
  • Describe the concept, philosophy, and practice of ALARA
  • Show through a specific calculation the benefit of no shielding when performing a plant repair, considering the collective dose received to all workers on the work order.
  • Explain the importance of job mock-ups for radiation protection of workers. Cite a quantified factual example of how dose was minimized due to worker expediency at the task.
  • Summarize DOE STD 1098-99 Chapter 3 (begins on page 59 of DOE STD 1098-99 Radiological Control http://www.orau.org/ptp/PTP%20Library/library/DOE/Misc/Radiological_Control_Standard.pdf) and describe how the chapter material enforces the practice of ALARA
 
Radiation Safety   (NDE-121)   3 credits  
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Course Description
USNRC regulations form the basis of this course which is designed to meet state & federal safety training requirements for persons employed in occupations which use nuclear power sources.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Summarize all parts of 10CFR20.
  • Explain the content of Regulatory Guide 8.35, "Planned Special Exposures".
  • List overriding regulations enforced by your state of residence to ensure radiation worker protection.

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      Health Physics   (NUC-354)   3 credits  
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      Course Description
      Interaction of radiation with matter, attenuation and absorption. Radiation dosimetry, external dosimetric models. Maximum permissible concentrations and effluent monitoring. Shielding design and specifications. Radioactive waste treatment and disposal.

      Learning Outcomes
      Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

      • Atomic and nuclear physics, differences
      • Ionization energy
      • Nuclear stability
      • Chart of the nuclides
      • Equation for radioactive decay
      • Half-life
      • Types of radiation
      • Sources of radiation, natural and manmade
      • Energy of radiation, consequences
      • X-rays versus ?-rays, origin and energy
      • Biological damage from radiation
      • Radiation damage of materials
      • Detection of radiation
      • Personal detectors
      • Friskers, loose contamination
      • Whole body counters
      • Exposure, definition and units
      • Dose, definition, units, and limits for workers
      • Equations for exposure and dose
      • Airborne exposure, units
      • Shielding
      • ALARA
      • Time, distance and shielding
      • Operating Experience, 4 examples.

       
      Nuclear Fuel Management   (NUC-381)   3 credits  
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      Sources of nuclear fuel. Mining, milling and purification. Principles of isotope enrichment: specific methods with emphasis on gaseous diffusion, fuel fabrication, transport and reprocessing of spent fuel, in-core fuel management, partial core reloading, fuel depletion, poison management and haling strategy. Breeder and fast reactors, economics of the fuel cycle, the concepts of present worth, computation of fuel cycle cost. 
      Quality Assurance II   (NUC-402)   3 credits  
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      Course Description
      Nuclear Materials a study of materials used in nuclear engineering applications. It is designed to provide an understanding of atomic bonding; crystalline and non-crystalline structures; diffusion; failure analysis and prevention; kinetics; mechanical and thermal behavior; phase diagrams; ceramics; polymers; composites; and materials used in engineering designs. The course also includes descriptions of characteristic properties and methods conducting common tests and interpreting results.

      Learning Outcomes
      Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

      • Identify and explain atomic forces that bind materials together.
      • Discuss how the atomic-level structure defines materials and their properties.
      • Explain why metals combine into materials of different properties and uses.
      • Use metal parameter indicators to determine characteristics for real world application.
      • Use the Arrhenius Equation.
      • Interpret and use phase diagrams and Temperature Time Transformation diagrams.
      • Compute the impact of material treatments such as annealing and hardening.
      • Classify and evaluate metals.
      • Explain the differences of ceramics and glasses, and identify the constituents and constituent ratios required to produce desired products.
      • Identify the processes used to grow polymers, and calculate the constituent ratios required to produce desired products.
      • Explain the advantages of composite materials, and develop composite qualities such as modulus based on the constituents and their composite ratios.
      • Analyze metal composition using quick test approaches such as spark testing.
      • Use the knowledge gained in this class to evaluate and explain nuclear industry material issues.
      • Communicate material concepts in a written format using class material and internet research.

       
      Nuclear Physics   (PHY-271)   3 credits  
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      Course Description
      The student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of classical physics including mechanics, electrostatics, and electromagnetic radiation; atomic physics; nuclear physics (nuclear structure, radioactivity, and interaction of radiation with matter); reactor core physics (fission, neutron flux, neutron moderation and diffusion, reactor design analysis, and reactivity and reactivity coefficients); and reactor operations (sub-critical operations, startup and shutdown, reactor period, and operating characteristics).

      Learning Outcomes
      Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

      • Evaluate the shell model of the nucleus and its significance in understanding the impact of fission product poisons.
      • Compare the microscopic and macroscopic reaction cross-sections and relate them to the reaction rate.
      • Draw a qualitative graph of the Xenon reactivity vs. time following a down power maneuver.
      • Explain the origins of the temperature and pressure coefficients of reactivity.
      • Assess the impact of delayed neutrons on reactor control.

       
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