| Qualifications |
Duration |
Start dates |
Application period |
| PhD |
Full time: 3–4 years
Part time: 6–8 years |
February and October |
January to April |
Qualifications
PhD |
Duration
Full time: 3–4 years
Part time: 6–8 years |
Start dates
February and October |
Application period
January to April |
Nuclear power provided more than one quarter of the world's low carbon power in 2020. Nuclear energy is supported for expansion by British government policy despite the fact that it remains a contentious choice. There are numerous technical and policy issues facing nuclear energy, including the building of new power stations, extending the life of the current fleet and addressing issues relating to wastes and safety. OU research is involved in all such questions as well as considering advanced future concepts – such as nuclear fusion, ‘generation IV’ fission reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs).
The OU has a strong track record in issues relating to nuclear energy science, technology and policy including strong collaboration with other UK universities. For ten years The Open University has been delighted to be part of a multi-university consortium led by Imperial College London supporting doctoral training in this area. It is hoped that such arrangements can continue for students joining the university in 2024 and 2025. At the time of writing this cannot be confirmed and students are advised to seek further information, as it becomes available.
Entry requirements
Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.
Current/recent research projects
The OU has a strong track record in attracting external funding for Nuclear Energy related research from both public and private sources. Recent examples of publicly funded activity include:
- Enhanced Methodologies for Advanced Nuclear System Safety (eMEANSS) EPSRC-UK Reference: EP/T016329/1
- Cobalt-free Hard-facing for Reactor Systems EPSRC-UK Reference: EP/T016728/1.
Potential supervisors
From the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics:
Fees and funding
| UK fee |
International fee |
| Full time: £4,786 per year |
Full time: £15,698 per year |
| Part time: £2,393 per year |
Part time: £7,849 per year |
Some of our research students are funded via the Centre for Doctoral Training in Nuclear Energy Futures; others are self-funded.
For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.
To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.
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