Health Physics

The Graduate Certificate in Health Physics (GCHP) is designed for professionals in industry, government, military and the national laboratories with expertise in radiation safety for workers who have not had formal education in the same. Many mechanical, electrical or civil engineers and specialists who work in the nuclear field find it beneficial to advance their careers through formal radiation safety science and technology education. Graduate-level nuclear engineering students often have interest in health physics; and obtaining this credential will enable them to demonstrate to future employers a meaningful commitment and basic competence in the same. The certificate curriculum provides knowledge and experience supportive of students seeking health physicist certification through the American Board of Health Physics.

This certificate helps prepare students for the board exam, and to qualify graduates to obtain the professional experience required for certification.

Eligibility

Students are required to meet at least ONE of the following requirements for admission to the GCHP program:

• Have an undergraduate STEM degree
• Be a degree seeking student in good academic standing in any NC State graduate program in engineering

An application for acceptance into the GCHP will be required for all new students as follows: Application to the graduate school for admission into the GCHP. Those applicants who are enrolled in an NCSU graduate degree program must submit the graduate student certificate plan data entry form to the faculty certificate coordinator for review and approval.

Plan of Study

The GCHP will require four courses totaling 12 credit hours. Students are required to take NE504 and NE590 but may select any additional two courses from the list. Due to the lab requirement of some courses offered (e.g., NE521), some courses will not be available to distance education students.

Courses will be taken both by MNE (online and on campus) and PhD students, GHCP students, and undergraduate students enrolled in the Health Physics minor, and ABM students.

Career Prospects

The Graduate Certificate of Health Physics provides education about radiation safety and radiological protection from ionizing radiation, topics that enhance careers in nuclear energy. Graduates are proficient in the implementation of federal regulations throughout the nuclear fuel cycle for protection of workers, the public and the environment from the effects of radioactive materials and other ionizing radiation sources.

Because the certificate coursework includes the engineering design for radiological air monitoring, sample assay, radiation detection, and shielding physics, graduates know how to calculate doses from both internal and external sources along with those from background radiation. Research projects are available to fully equip students to advance their careers in this capacity.