Ohio State Announced New Nuclear Engineering Major
The undergraduate program aims to address workforce shortages for the state’s reviving nuclear energy sector.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Nuclear
Live Poll
Do you support prioritizing local undergraduate nuclear engineering degrees to boost your regional economy?
Ohio State University has announced plans to launch an undergraduate nuclear engineering major by fall 2027. The university secured $4.5 million in total funding for the expansion, supported by a $2.5 million donation from Oklo and an additional $500,000 from company leadership.
Why it matters
The program is intended to supply a qualified workforce for Ohio’s growing nuclear industry, which is seeing renewed activity following the 2001 closure of the Pike County uranium enrichment plant. The initiative directly supports energy infrastructure needs, including powering data centers in New Albany.
The $4.5 million fund includes $2.5 million from Oklo and $500,000 from company leaders, which the university matched to support scholarships and facility renovations. The new curriculum will expand upon the institution’s existing graduate and minor nuclear engineering programs.
The players
Ohio State University
A major public research university in Columbus that currently offers graduate-level nuclear engineering programs.
Oklo
A developer of advanced fission technology and nuclear microreactors that is currently working to power data centers in New Albany.
The details
The program will be structured to build upon Ohio State University's established graduate curriculum and minor program in the field. By integrating core engineering principles with specialized nuclear coursework, the university aims to prepare students for technical roles in an industry seeing renewed growth. This effort coincides with regional projects, including planned developments in Pike County that are projected to create over 2,000 jobs.
Timeline
2001: The Pike County uranium enrichment plant ceased operations.
October 9, 2026: Ohio State University publicly announced the undergraduate major.
Fall 2027: The university is targeting this date for the program launch.
The Tech Race
This program sits within the broader race to build an American nuclear workforce capable of supporting advanced fission deployment. It follows a pattern of corporate-academic partnerships designed to stabilize the supply of engineers for projects like those currently supporting New Albany’s data infrastructure.
Prospective undergraduate students interested in nuclear engineering will have a new dedicated degree path available starting in fall 2027. This initiative creates a local talent pipeline for the 2,000 jobs projected to stem from future nuclear infrastructure projects in Pike County.
The takeaway
The development signals a major shift in Ohio’s technical education focus toward sustaining the reviving nuclear power sector. Watch for formal approval from the university board of trustees to confirm the enrollment timeline for the 2027 academic year.
Further reading
For more on the development of regional energy infrastructure, visit our Nuclear section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC4i.
Live Poll
Do you support prioritizing local undergraduate nuclear engineering degrees to boost your regional economy?
