Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes
The Course 22 degree is ABET accredited.
The objective of the Nuclear Science and Engineering program is “to provide the best possible education in science and engineering areas relevant to effective understanding and utilization of nuclear processes to benefit society in an economically and environmentally sustainable world.” The relevant areas include nuclear applications in energy generation and in the medical, industrial, scientific, environmental, and security fields. Our undergraduate program aims to equip students with a firm foundation in the principles of science and engineering relevant to nuclear processes and their application, and to prepare students for professional growth and further education in their chosen fields. These objectives are consistent with the objective of the School of Engineering and MIT and can be found at the public website of the department (http://web.mit.edu/nse/education/undergrad/objectives.html).
The MIT School of Engineering’s mission is “to educate the next generation of engineering leaders, to create new knowledge, and to serve society.” By cultivating and training the people who will help create solutions to the greatest technological and social problems of the 21st century, and by directly contributing innovative ideas and practical technologies to society, the School of Engineering fulfills its obligation as a world-leading institution.
The NSE program’s educational objectives for students 3-5 years after graduation are:
Continually challenging themselves to increase their intellectual breadth, and provide leadership, innovation, and up-to-date knowledge to the wide range of nuclear science and engineering applications.
Applying their fundamental knowledge of nuclear science and engineering to address society’s needs for energy, security, a robust economy, and improved quality of life.
Communicating effectively among professional peers, within multi-disciplinary teams, and to the public.
Incorporating the complexities of environmental, safety, and economic concerns into their work, while practicing and promoting the highest ethical standards.
The targeted student outcomes for the NSE program are as follows for graduating students:
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations, and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions