BEng Nuclear and Risk Engineering

This major is a unique undergraduate programme in Hong Kong, aiming at meeting the current manpower requirements and also future economic challenges of Hong Kong. Students of this major will be trained in multi-disciplinary topics related to nuclear engineering and risk engineering. The major will concentrate on five related focus areas which are nuclear engineering, nuclear medicine and medical radiation, materials engineering, risk engineering, and crisis management. These five focus areas are in general aligned with three of the six industries of Hong Kong, namely testing and certification services, medical services, and environmental industries, which have been identified by the Hong Kong SAR Government as having clear advantages for further development. The following are some of the reasons why this major is needed:

• Rapid development in nuclear energy in mainland China, especially in regions near Hong Kong, would require many well-trained nuclear engineers in foreseeable future.
• The increasing use of radiation technology for medical treatments and diagnoses for the aging population means that there is a growing demand for medical radiation professionals.
• Risk engineering is not only essential to the nuclear industry but also to many big corporations and engineering systems. Many companies have now recognized the importance of assessing and managing risks to ensure the smooth running of their businesses. Risk professionals are highly sought-after.
• Disaster or crisis management involves dealing with threats after they have occurred. Several well-known disasters and product recall, such as the lead-in-drinking-water crisis in Hong Kong, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and major vehicle recalls by Toyota due to out-of-control gas pedals, have highlighted the importance of crisis management for reducing the adverse impacts on businesses and governments. Many petrochemical companies, public utility companies, banks and big corporations do employ crisis management professionals to protect their businesses from potential crises.

Entrance Requirements for Direct/Non-JUPAS Applicants

To be considered for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements and have studied an engineering-related discipline at a high school or post-secondary institution

OR

have completed an Associate Degree/Higher Diploma with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of ≥3.0 or an equivalent overall mark, or a credit award in an engineering-related discipline.

For details of the programme's curriculum structure, please visit the 'Undergraduate Catalogue'.

We aim to equip our students with multi-disciplinary knowledge in nuclear and risk engineering. In addition to providing discipline-related technical knowledge, we help our students to develop problem-solving skills so that they can analyse and solve a broad spectrum of engineering issues. Students gain a sound foundation in the relevant disciplines through practical hands-on projects and extensive exposure to real-world scenarios via industrial placements and overseas exchange arrangements, with a view to attaining the dynamic levels and standards required by highly competitive markets such as Hong Kong and Mainland China. Graduates are able to contribute their specialist skills, competencies and multi-disciplinary knowledge to a wealth of related industrial sectors such as nuclear engineering, power generation, materials engineering, radiation protection, radiation dosimetry, medical equipment, risk engineering, safety engineering, insurance and disaster management.

Since this major is multi-disciplinary, the related job prospects are promising. Graduates can choose to work in many related professions or industrial sectors including the power generation industry, materials engineering for large corporations, testing and certification services, medical radiation-related fields in hospitals and diagnostic centres, radiation protection and environmental protection in government departments and private consultancy firms, product research and development in nuclear radiation equipment companies, risk assessment in the financial sector and disaster management for the government, public utilities companies and big corporations.

There are eight main building blocks in this major:

• General Science and Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering
• Nuclear Medicine and Medical Radiation
• Materials Engineering
• Risk Engineering
• Crisis Management
• Integrative Project
• Language and Out-of-Discipline Studies 

Innovative teaching approaches are adopted in the delivery of the curriculum to integrate theories with industrial practices. Problem-solving activities, experience-based learning, integrative workshops, industrial attachment, co-operative education and industry-based projects are the typical means for helping students achieve their targets.

The College of Engineering and the Department offer work placement opportunities through various internship schemes that provide students with full-time job attachments in firms not only in Hong Kong, but also in the Pearl River Delta region and overseas. Through such placements, students will:

• gain solid experience in a real-world work environment;
• develop problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills;
• learn the right attitudes towards work and professionalism; and
• broaden their experience and enhance their employability.

For details, please visit the College's Co-operative Education Centre's website.

Furthermore, for students to broaden their educational horizons, gain language experience and enhance their awareness of different cultures, the Department, College and University offer a number of credit-bearing exchange programmes with various partner institutions around the world including universities in Australia, Canada, Europe, the US and the Asia-Pacific region.

Please visit CityUHK's website and the Department's website for details of outbound exchange programmes.

This major has been granted full accreditation by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), a signatory member of the Washington Accord under which all members agree to recognise each other's accredited Engineering degree programmes.

• Since this major is multi-disciplinary, it draws expertise from various departments of the Colleges of Science and Engineering. Hence, students receive high-quality teaching and training provided by the most appropriate departments.
• Rapid development in nuclear energy in mainland China, especially in regions near Hong Kong, will require many well-trained nuclear engineers in foreseeable future.
• The increasing use of radiation technology for medical treatments and diagnoses for the ageing population means that there is a growing demand in medical radiation professionals.
• Risk engineering is not only essential to the nuclear industry but also to many big corporations and engineering systems. Many companies now recognise the importance of assessing and managing risks to ensure the smooth running of their businesses. Risk professionals are highly sought-after.
• Disaster or crisis management involves dealing with threats after they have occurred. Several well-known disasters and product recalls, such as the lead-in-drinking-water crisis in Hong Kong, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the major vehicle recalls by Toyota due to out-of-control accelerator pedals, have highlighted the importance of crisis management for reducing the adverse effects on businesses and governments. Many petrochemical companies, public utilities companies, banks and big corporations employ crisis management professionals to protect their businesses from potential crises.

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
Washington Accord
Undergraduate Catalogue