ENRG 435: Science of Nuclear Energy

Energy · 4 credits

This course will introduce students to the physical principles; engineering foundations; and the context of nuclear energy in the broader energy resource landscape. The course will begin with the fundamentals of nuclear structure, radioactivity, and fission reactions and will scale up to examine how nuclear power plants generate electricity and provide baseline load. Students will evaluate nuclear fission energy in comparison with other low-carbon energy resources and will explore the feasibility and challenges of advanced fission and fusion concepts, as well as analyze issues surrounding nuclear safety; waste management; proliferation; and public acceptance. The course will emphasize quantitative reasoning, energy systems thinking, and evidence-based discussion of nuclear energy’s role in future decarbonization of the energy grid.

Offered in 1 of the 26 listed terms (Fall 2026).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

ENRG 320 or ESCI 320

Prerequisite tree

Each course's own prerequisites, down to the first courses in the chain.

ENRG 320 Science of Energy Resources
requires (ENRG 310 or PHYS 220) and CHEM 161 and (ENRG 380 or ESCI 380)
- ENRG 310 Thermal Energy Systems
  requires (MATH 125 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 224 or MATH 225) and CHEM 161 and (PHYS 161 or HNRS 211)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II
        requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
        MATH 114 Precalculus I
        requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 (continues on its page)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
        requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
      requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
    requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
  - MATH 224 Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I
    requires MATH 125 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 4 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 5
    - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
    - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 225 Multivariable Calculus and Geometry II
    requires MATH 224
    - MATH 224 Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I (shown above)
  - CHEM 161 General Chemistry I
    requires MATH 114 or MATH 156 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 115 or MATH 157 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
      - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
        MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
        MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
        MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
    - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
      - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II
      requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
      - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
    - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 148 or MATH 156 or MATH 114 or MATH 118 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 2.3 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 2.3 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2
      - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
      - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - PHYS 161 Physics with Calculus I
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - HNRS 211 Colloquium in Physics
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
- PHYS 220 Physics with Calculus IV
  requires (PHYS 161 or HNRS 211) and (MATH 124 and MATH 125) or (MATH 134 and MATH 135) or (MATH 138) or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
  - PHYS 161 Physics with Calculus I (shown above)
  - HNRS 211 Colloquium in Physics (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
    requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
- CHEM 161 General Chemistry I
  requires MATH 114 or MATH 156 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 115 or MATH 157 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
      - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
      - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
      - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II
    requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 148 or MATH 156 or MATH 114 or MATH 118 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 2.3 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 2.3 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2
    - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- ENRG 380 Energy and Environment
  requires MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 156 or MATH 157 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- ESCI 380 Energy and Environment
  requires MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 156 or MATH 157 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)

From Banner's catalog for Spring 2027. Banner lists only the requisites it enforces, so check the catalog entry too.

Required by (0)

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Instructors

Instructor	Sections	Terms
Glosser, Debb	1	Fall 2026

Every offering in the listed terms (1 section)

Term	Sec	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Fall 2026	0	43989	Lecture	MW 2:00pm-3:50pm · IS 244	Glosser, Debb	9/30	Face to Face Instruction