Board committee approves K‑State’s bachelor’s in nuclear engineering and waiver to exceed 120 credit hours

The Board of Regents’ Academic and Student Affairs Committee approved Kansas State University’s proposal to create a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering and granted the university’s request to exceed the standard 120 credit hours.

Dr. Amir Bavoratory, presenting for Kansas State, said the university currently offers a nuclear engineering option inside mechanical engineering and graduate degrees, and it operates “one of only 25 university research reactors around the country.” He also said Kansas State has the only nuclear engineering program in Kansas and that employers including National Labs, NASA, Wolf Creek, Evergy and Black & Veatch hire the program’s graduates.

Bavoratory told the committee enrollment interest has grown over five years and that industry and an industrial advisory board urged the university to offer a full, ABET‑accredited bachelor’s program. “We could benefit by offering a full bachelor of science in nuclear engineering,” he said, noting applications of nuclear engineering outside power generation in health and defense.

Regent Perasker and Regent Alicia Johnston raised questions about admissions standards and student success. Bavoratory and staff explained admission criteria mirror the College of Engineering and that the program uses a common first year with mechanical engineering so students may shift majors with minimal loss of progress.

A motion to approve the BS in nuclear engineering and to authorize the university to exceed the 120 hour limit passed on a voice vote. The committee recorded unanimous support on the motion.