Nuclear Engineering Technology, AS (NENT-AS)

CT State Community College Catalog 2023-2024 New students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2023 will begin as students of Connecticut State Community College under this catalog.  Continuing students from one of the 12 community colleges will be transitioned into a CT State program in this catalog as of the start of the Fall 2023 term. The policies, courses and programs described are applicable as of the Fall 2023 term and may be updated as circumstances require.

This degree program was initially developed in the early 1980’s with Millstone Station (then Northeast Utilities, since 2000 Dominion Nuclear Connecticut) in Waterford, CT as a direct result of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant accident and the new federal requirement by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an educational component to compliment training for federal licensure for ALL operational positions in a commercial nuclear power plant. Millstone station continues to offer full scholarships for 16 new full-time freshmen enrolling the Nuclear Engineering Technology (NET) Degree program each academic year. These scholarships also include 12 weeks of summer internship employment at the Millstone Station site between the first and second academic year. Non-scholarship students have similar summer internship opportunities with other business members of the Nuclear Advisory Committee (such as Electric Boat, Mirion Corporation, Westinghouse, etc). The nuclear program is open to all qualified students, with or without scholarship support. Using classroom, laboratory, and simulator instruction, students are educated in the theories underlying the safe operation of nuclear power plan generating stations and the demonstration of this knowledge on a state-of-the-art, one- of-a-kind reactor simulator as the capstone event.

Potential job areas upon graduation include health physics, nuclear chemistry, nuclear plant mechanical and electrical maintenance, reactor operation, reactor systems engineering, instrument & control technician, and event planning. This degree program meets the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirement for federal licensure for reactor operational positions. This career path involves further utility training with mandatory written and simulator NRC testing as the employee moves up the operational job structure. For many students, the NET degree is just an initial step in their academic career as they move to pursue higher academic degrees, typically in the Nuclear Engineering and/or Health Physics disciplines.

As this NET degree program is the only two-year program in the Northeast US, graduates are in high demand for entry level technician positions in the nuclear and health physics fields.

Learning Outcomes:

• Apply an understanding of nuclear systems and operations.
• Apply an understanding or radiological safety and radiation protection procedures.
• Know the applicable rules and regulations and describe the roles of maintenance, control, performance, and the human interface in nuclear operation and quality assurance.
• Understand, demonstrate, and value the safe operation of nuclear systems.
• Conduct, analyze, and interpret laboratory experimental data.
• Interpret laboratory analyses that measure nuclear and radiation processes.
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate the use of library and on-line information sources in problem solving.
• Serve as productive team members.
• Recognize the need to be life-long learners.

Dominion Scholarship Program: Dominion Nuclear Connecticut supports promising candidates for this Nuclear Engineering Technology program through its Dominion Nuclear Connecticut Millstone Power Station Engineering Technology Scholarships.

Up to sixteen two-year scholarships are awarded annually and cover the full cost of the program including tuition and fees, books and a monthly stipend. To be accepted into the Nuclear Engineering Technology degree program, students must meet the specific admission requirements along with other factors. Learn more and complete the online Technology Energy Scholarship Application here.