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Enrollment / Progression Manual - Nuclear Packaging and Transportation Security and Safeguards Graduate Certificates

Nuclear Packaging Graduate Program

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Packaging Certification Program’s Packaging University offers one- and two-week courses on nuclear packaging, transportation security and safeguards, and related topics at seven DOE National Laboratories. The describes the topics, schedule, location and enrollment process for each course.

Students and professionals who enroll in selected Packaging University courses may earn one or two University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno (UNR) graduate units by completing additional UNR enrollment processes, paying additional UNR fees, and successfully completing the courses. Students and early-career professionals may also earn 3 units by completing at industrial, national lab, or government sites. Additionally, students may earn a Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Packaging (GCNP), and/or a Graduate Certificate in Transportation Security and Safeguards (GCTSS), by enrolling in and completing 9-unit curricula of required courses and electives.

This manual describes the processes students must follow to enroll in courses, be admitted into either graduate certificate program, and pay fees.

Visit Nuclear Packaging Graduate Certificate Programs for additional information.

Enrollment Options

To earn UNR credit in a Packaging University course, or in NP 640 – Nuclear Packaging Internships, students must complete a UNR enrollment process before the course begins. Students may enroll in either graduate certificate program before they begin taking classes, or they may enroll after they begin taking classes and transfer units into their program of study. The following subsections describe two enrollment options. UNR will provide enrollment and fee assistance if requested.

For students who begin the enrollment process less than one week before a class begins or are only interested in taking one class for UNR credit.

Enrollment as a non-degree seeking student takes less than one week to complete and does not require submission of previous educational transcripts. Those students may later choose to take additional courses or apply for admission to one of the graduate certificates and transfer up to twelve units of previous coursework into their certificate course of study. However, that would involve additional admission processes and fees.

Non-degree seeking students must provide:

  • Immunization records, or an Immunization Waiver Application for Medical or Religious Exemption
    • The record must show: Two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR, the first dose must be on or after the first birthday), and one dose for tetanus/diphtheria (TD) or TDAP, must be in the last 10 years).
    • Immunization records may be obtained from your healthcare provider, databases or other sources.
    • Alternately, students may file an
    • Submit records or waiver by: Email, mynevada@unr.edu, Fax, (775) 784-4283, or Mail, University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno, Admissions & Records, MS 0120, Reno, NV 89557
  • Admission Application Fee (currently $60)
  • Course Fees (currently $450/unit)

For students who wish to earn one of the graduate certificates or earn UNR credit in multiple classes.

Admission to one of the graduate certificate programs allows students to take classes during multiple semesters without paying additional admission application fees, request a leave of absence for limited numbers of semesters without having to apply and pay for re-admission, and allows students to earn a graduate certificate once they complete the required curriculum.

Students seeking either graduate certificate must provide:

  • All items required for non-degree seeking students (see above)
  • Official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended.
    • Must be provided directly from the institution or from a third-party provider (such as National Clearing House, Parchment, Escrip-safe, using school code #002568).
    • Submit transcripts by: Email gradadmissions@unr.edu, or Mail Graduate School Admissions Office, C/O University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno, Mail Stop 0326, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557.
    • In some cases, this process may take ~14 days. To expedite a tentative admission process, which allows students to enroll in a course before official transcripts are received, students may upload unofficial transcripts during the admission application process (see below).
    • Admission requirements: Transcripts must show that the student has:
      • A BS degree in Mechanical, Materials, Nuclear or closely related engineering field, or
      • A bachelor’s degree in any field and nuclear materials/packaging management experience. For this option, students must provide a description of their nuclear materials/packaging management experience during the application process (see below).
  • Graduation Application Fee when program is completed (currently $145)

Online Application

Course enrollment and graduate certificate program admission processes are described below. Please contact gradadmissions@unr.edu for questions on the application process and gradprogression@unr.edu for questions on progression through programs.

Go to the application website:

Create a username and password. The user ID must be a full email address where you can receive an access code to verify the account. Please use that email address as your user ID for future access to the application.

Select the following options (depending on enrollment status):

  • Choose enrollment status: degree seeking or non-degree seeking
  • Choose application type: domestic or international
  • Only if degree seeking
    • Choose program of study:
      • Nuclear Packaging GCert or Transportation Security and Safeguard GCert
    • Choose sub-plan/emphasis for program of study: General
    • Student admit type: certificate program
    • Term: select applicable term for admission for first course, i.e. “Fall 2024”
  • Click "Start Application."
  • Non-ÁùºÏ±¦µä residents will not be charged a non-resident fee for this program.
  • Provide personal and demographic information, some of which is optional.
  • For students seeking one of the graduate certificates:
    • Students who do not possess a Mechanical, Materials, Nuclear or closely related engineering must upload a description of their nuclear materials/packaging management experience using the “Statement of Purpose” option.
    • Optional to expedite admission process: Upload unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (at the end of the application, applicants may upload documents for departmental consideration).
    • Click the Save and Review Application button.
    • Pay the $60 application fee to submit the application.

Admission Acceptance

Approximately one to seven days after application submission, the Graduate Admission Office will send a notification directing the applicant to login to their application and view and respond to the decision. Students will then receive their ÁùºÏ±¦µä System of Higher Education (NSHE) ID number and application number which will be used to establish their account where they can view their academic record, register for classes, and pay fees.

Course Enrollment

Progression through the Graduate Certificate Program

The form must be completed by the student and show the required and elective courses the student chooses to satisfy the requirements for the certificate. The completed Program of Study form must be submitted and approval by the Program Director and Graduate Dean as early as possible, but no later than the semester of requested graduation.

Continuous Enrollment Degree seeking students must register for a minimum of 1 graduate unit each fall and spring semester until graduation. Alternately, students in good standing may submit an online Form. The form must be approved by the program director and the Graduate School. A leave of absence can be granted for up to one year from the requested semester and submitted before the period of leave begins. Time spent on approved leave is included in the six years allowed to complete the certificate. Exceptions to the time limit may be granted for valid, compelling reasons by the Graduate School. Any request for a leave of absence must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the leave is to begin. A leave of absence will not be granted retroactively unless the student submits a written appeal with department approval for the Graduate Dean to review.

Students who do not continuously enroll and do not submit a leave of absence may request that their enrollment to be reactivated using a (currently $60 fee). Otherwise, the student may need to reapply to the program. There are no minimum registration requirements during the summer unless the student was not enrolled for the previous spring semester and has applied to graduate in the summer. Summer graduation applicants who were not enrolled for the previous spring semester must enroll for at least one graduate credit for summer.

Graduation

To graduate, students must complete their program of study within 6 years and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. All candidates for graduation must work with the program director during their final semester to confirm their expectations. At the time of graduation, students must purchase a graduation application ($145, available from the) by the following deadlines:

  • May graduation deadline: March 1
  • August graduation deadline: June 1
  • December graduation deadline: October 1

The student will receive an email outlining the result of their graduation review approximately 3-8 weeks after the student applies.