Australia's ability to fulfil its international obligations regarding the security and safeguards for nuclear materials and technologies depends on having a skilled professional workforce to monitor and enforce these. This course, developed in partnership with the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO), provides an analytical, problem-based and experientially-grounded approach to building the skills for security and safeguard professionals. The course includes site and lab visit(s) to locations where nuclear materials are used, stored, monitored and disposed of; practical instruction in the tools and techniques of nuclear regulation; and approaches to future technologies and methodologies of oversight and management.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the Australian legal requirements for radiation safety and the handling and transportation of nuclear materials.
- Identify and explain how regulatory tools such as standards, physical design and safety protocols combine to ensure the security of nuclear material use, storage and displosal.
- Understand the professional and organisational dimensions of nuclear inspection, including the strengths and limitations of the full range of regulatory tools used to secure compliance from designated sites and licensees in Australia and internationally.
- Be able to communicate at an advanced technical level, the safeguards challenges for regulators and inspectors of nuclear materials likely to flow from Australia's AUKUS obligations and/or emerging technologies.
- Be able to find, understand and apply, regulatory, scientific and professional sources that inform nuclear inspections and compliance protocols and practice.
Indicative Assessment
- Reflection on site/lab visit (750 words) (10) [LO 1,2,5]
- A 750-word précis of relevant course reading(s) (20) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Research and writing outline for a student-selected research project (1000 words) (20) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Research report on student-selected research report (3000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This course requires 30 contact hours and 130 hours workload in total
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
No prescribed texts
Preliminary Reading
IAEA Safeguards Glossary 2022 Edition - a document produced internally by the IAEA that provides the Agency’s preferred definitions of many of the terms encountered in safeguards agreements and in the application of safeguards. It is not definitive and is best thought of as the IAEA’s common negotiating position on the meaning of terms.
IAEA Safety and Security Glossary (Interim 2022 Edition) - a document produced by the IAEA for the interpretation of its safety standards and nuclear security guidance
IAEA Safety Standards - a collection of all of the IAEA’s safety standards
IAEA Nuclear Security Series - a collection of the documents that make up the IAEA’s Nuclear Security guidance for States
Assumed Knowledge
Not applicable
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4320 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6360 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On campus | ||||||
| 9128 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |
| Online | ||||||
| 9129 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | Online | N/A |