Nuclear Homeschool Curriculum

Nuclear Physics for
Homeschool High School Students

DOE-aligned. Carnegie Unit-credited. Taught by a Licensed Senior Reactor Operator with 45 years of real plant experience. No prerequisites.

Enroll in NUCLEUS I →
Starts August 10, 2026  ·  Saturdays 11:00 AM ET  ·  Grades 10–12
45Years of Nuclear Experience
DOEFundamentals Handbook Aligned
1Carnegie Unit Per Course
0Prerequisites Required
$750Per Course

Built for Motivated Students and
Forward-Thinking Parents

Nuclear careers don't require a nuclear engineering degree. They require the right foundation — and NUCLEUS delivers it starting in high school.

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Homeschool Students

  • Grades 10, 11, and 12
  • Students curious about physics, energy, or how things work
  • Earns a Carnegie Unit toward graduation
  • Strong addition to college and STEM applications
  • No prior physics course required
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Homeschool Co-ops and Programs

  • Live Saturday sessions fit co-op schedules
  • Structured 15-week course with weekly assignments
  • Carnegie Unit documentation for transcripts
  • Works alongside any homeschool philosophy
  • Group enrollment available — contact us

Future Nuclear Professionals

  • Reactor operators, health physics technicians
  • Instrumentation & control, maintenance trades
  • The vocabulary employers expect before day one
  • Same DOE curriculum used in utility training
  • Build the language before you walk through the gate

More Than a Science Credit

NUCLEUS gives students something rare — a foundation that is immediately relevant to one of the most important industries in the country.

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1 Carnegie Unit

120+ documented instructional hours per course — the same standard every high school uses to award credit. BWRx Studio is the issuing institution.

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DOE-Aligned Coursework

Students work directly from the U.S. Department of Energy Fundamentals Handbooks — the same materials used to train nuclear plant operators.

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Virtual Lab Portfolio

Browser-based reactor simulators and nuclear physics tools. No equipment needed. Lab reports become part of the student's academic portfolio.

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Technical Writing Skills

Weekly writing assignments build the communication skills nuclear employers consistently say are hardest to find in new hires.

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Industry Vocabulary

Students finish with a 150-term mastery glossary and the language to walk into any nuclear facility and hold an intelligent conversation.

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Professional Network Access

NUCLEUS students connect with a growing network of nuclear professionals being built through BWRx Studio — a head start no other program offers.

Three Courses. One Comprehensive Foundation.

Students can enter any course any semester — no lock-step sequence required. NUCLEUS I is the natural starting point.

  • Atomic structure & radioactive decay
  • Reactor physics fundamentals
  • Chain reaction & criticality
  • Nuclear instrumentation
  • Reactor control & safety systems
Enrolling Now
NUCLEUS II — Spring 2027

Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow

  • Laws of thermodynamics
  • Heat transfer mechanisms
  • Fluid dynamics in reactor systems
  • Steam cycle & turbine systems
  • Primary & secondary coolant loops
Spring 2027
NUCLEUS III — Fall 2027

Mechanical & Electrical Systems

  • Mechanical components & valves
  • Pumps, compressors & piping
  • Electrical systems & generators
  • Emergency power systems
  • Maintenance principles
Fall 2027

What Each Week Looks Like

1

Weekly Reading

DOE Fundamentals Handbook chapters — the same texts used to train nuclear plant operators nationwide.

2

Virtual Lab

Browser-based reactor simulators and nuclear physics tools. No equipment needed. Runs on any device.

3

Weekly Quiz

Auto-graded open-handbook quiz reinforcing the week's core concepts. Immediate feedback.

4

Writing Assignment

Short technical writing tied to the week's topic — builds the communication skills the industry demands.

5

Live Saturday Session

60 minutes with the instructor every Saturday at 11:00 AM ET. Ask questions. Work through concepts. Connect with peers.

6

NRC Event Analysis

A custom app pulls real NRC event reports from operating nuclear plants and filters them to match exactly where the student is in the course. Students analyze actual industry events using the concepts they just learned — the closest thing to working in a plant without being there.

7

Midterm & Final Exam

Open-handbook exams in Weeks 8 and 15. No memorization required — critical thinking is the skill being tested.

~120 documented hours per course = 1 Carnegie Unit. Every assignment, lab, session, and exam is logged. BWRx Studio provides the documentation your student needs for their high school transcript.

Taught by Someone Who Ran the Reactor

⚛️

Randy Steele

Founder, BWRx Studio
Licensed Senior Reactor Operator
Faculty, Nuclear Power Engineering Technology
Chattanooga State Community College
  • Licensed Senior Reactor Operator — the highest operating license issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  • 45-year career in nuclear power, including 35 years at TVA Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant — one of the largest nuclear facilities in the world.
  • Faculty, Nuclear Power Engineering Technology — Chattanooga State Community College. Randy teaches this subject professionally.
  • Trained alongside the operators who ran the reactors he now teaches students to understand. This isn't textbook knowledge — it's lived experience.
  • NUCLEUS is built on the same model TVA used to build the American nuclear workforce in the 1970s and 80s — rebuilt for today's students.
"The model didn't fail. The industry walked away from it. NUCLEUS is that model rebuilt."

Frequently Asked Questions

Is nuclear physics a good homeschool course for high school?

Yes. Nuclear physics gives students a rigorous foundation in physical science, mathematics, and real-world engineering — and opens doors to one of the most in-demand career fields in the country. NUCLEUS is designed so that any motivated student in grades 10–12 can succeed. No prior physics course is required.

Does NUCLEUS earn high school credit?

Yes. Each NUCLEUS course documents 120+ instructional hours and earns 1 Carnegie Unit — the same unit of measurement every accredited high school uses to award credit. BWRx Studio is the issuing institution. We provide the documentation your student needs for their transcript.

What is the Carnegie Unit?

The Carnegie Unit is the standard measure of high school academic credit. It represents approximately 120 hours of documented instructional time in a subject area. Every high school in the country uses it. NUCLEUS tracks and documents every hour — readings, labs, sessions, quizzes, and exams — so the record is complete and defensible.

Do students need a science background to enroll?

No. NUCLEUS has no prerequisites. Students can enter any course, any semester. The curriculum is built to bring students in wherever they are. Curiosity and willingness to do the work are the only requirements.

What does the course require each week?

Students should expect approximately 6–7 hours of work per week — reading, a virtual lab, a short quiz, a writing assignment, and one 60-minute live Saturday session with the instructor at 11:00 AM ET. All assignments are completed online through Google Classroom.

Is this course connected to a public school or community college?

No. NUCLEUS is a standalone program offered directly by BWRx Studio, a Tennessee 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Students access course materials through Google Classroom and meet live via Google Meet.

What does the course cost?

Each NUCLEUS course is $750. The full three-course sequence — NUCLEUS I, II, and III — is $2,250.

When does NUCLEUS I start?

NUCLEUS I begins August 10, 2026. Live Saturday sessions run at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. The course runs 15 weeks with scheduled breaks for fall break and Thanksgiving, completing December 4, 2026.

Can my co-op or private school program enroll multiple students?

Yes. We welcome group enrollment from homeschool co-ops and private programs. Contact Randy directly at randy@bwrx.studio to discuss options for your group.

Simple, Transparent Pricing

One flat rate. No hidden fees. Enroll one course or the full sequence.

Single Course
$750
per course · 15 weeks
  • 1 Carnegie Unit credit
  • Full Google Classroom access
  • 15 live Saturday sessions
  • Virtual labs & quizzes included
  • Completion documentation
Enroll Now

NUCLEUS I Starts August 10, 2026.

Seats are limited. Enrollment is open now. Give your student the foundation the nuclear industry is looking for.

Enroll Your Student →
Questions? Email randy@bwrx.studio · (423) 903-2190