Diploma in Critical Software Development and Verification (DO-178C)
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in safety-critical software development and verification (DO-178C): 8 modules covering the airborne software life cycle, planning and standards, requirements and design, coding and integration, verification and testing, supplements and tool qualification, and quality, configuration and certification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Critical Software Development and Verification (DO-178C) — studying from Australia
Australia's aerospace sector spans defence and commercial aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a growing space industry. Key clusters sit around Adelaide's Edinburgh Parks and the Melbourne and Sydney defence precincts, with major employers including Airbus Australia Pacific, BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. Recreational and commercial drone operations are increasingly regulated, and advanced air mobility is emerging as a research and policy priority. Engineers working in this area typically support airworthiness, systems integration, structures and avionics across both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Fees for Australia: A$2,050 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does a SEIUM qualification help me get recognised by a professional body in Australia?
SEIUM qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and they are not accredited by any Australian body. Engineers Australia accredits university engineering degrees, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates drone and aviation operations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will this course help me find work in Australian aerospace, drones or space?
Australia has aerospace and defence employers, drone operators and space-sector companies, and skills in these areas are valued. Whether a SEIUM qualification counts for a given role depends on the employer, who will usually weigh your experience and portfolio alongside any private credential. Ask prospective employers how they view it.
Can I study this part-time while working, and does the time zone suit Australia?
The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia, with no student visa needed for home study. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly load realistically. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the software life cycle according to DO-178C.
Prepare certification plans and development standards.
Develop traceable high-level and low-level requirements.
Apply coding rules and static analysis.
Design requirements-based tests and measure structural coverage.
Apply the DO-330 to DO-333 supplements.
Prepare the evidence for the stages of involvement of the authority.
Who it's for
- Embedded avionics software engineers.
- Software verification engineers.
- Software quality managers.
- Certification engineers.
- Tool engineers working on qualified development chains.
- Formal methods specialists.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter avionics.
What you'll work with
- RTCA DO-178C (software considerations in airborne systems certification)
- RTCA DO-330 (software tool qualification)
- AMC 20-115D (EASA acceptable means of compliance for airborne software)
- RTCA DO-331 (model-based development supplement)
- RTCA DO-332 (object-oriented technology supplement)
- RTCA DO-333 (formal methods supplement)
- RTCA DO-248C (supporting information for DO-178C and DO-278A)
- SAE ARP4754B (development of civil aircraft and systems)
- LDRA Testbed
- VectorCAST
- Polyspace
- SCADE Suite
- Rapita RVS
8 modules
1.1Context of software certification1.2Software levels A to E1.3Objectives in the Annex A tables1.4Planning, development and integral processes1.5Independence in verification1.6Relationship with ARP4754B1.7Stages of involvement of the authority1.8Transition criteria1.9Life-cycle data1.10Workshop: identifying objectives by level
2.1Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC)2.2SDP, SVP, SCMP and SQAP plans2.3Requirements standards2.4Design standards2.5MISRA C coding rules2.6Selecting environments and tools2.7Previously developed software2.8Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software2.9Planning reviews2.10Practical: writing a PSAC
3.1High-level requirements3.2Low-level requirements3.3Derived requirements and feedback to safety3.4Software architecture3.5Partitioning and protection3.6Bidirectional traceability3.7Requirements reviews and analyses3.8Defensive design3.9Managing requirement changes3.10Workshop: requirements traceability matrix
4.1C and Ada in avionics4.2Static code analysis4.3Source-to-object code correspondence4.4Compilers and compiler options4.5Software-hardware integration4.6Stack and WCET analysis4.7Dead code and deactivated code4.8Code reviews4.9Source code configuration4.10Lab: static analysis with Polyspace
5.1Requirements-based testing5.2Normal and robustness cases5.3Testing in the target environment5.4Requirements coverage5.5Statement and decision coverage5.6MC/DC at level A5.7Data coupling and control coupling5.8Object code verification5.9Verification reports5.10Practical: calculating MC/DC coverage
6.1Tool qualification under DO-3306.2Levels TQL-1 to TQL-56.3Model-based development under DO-3316.4Object-oriented technology under DO-3326.5Formal methods under DO-3336.6Automatic code generation6.7Simulation as a means of verification6.8Formal proof of properties6.9Certification credit6.10Case study: qualifying a code generator
7.1Software quality assurance7.2Conformity audits7.3Baselines and configuration management7.4Problem reports and change control7.5Software Accomplishment Summary (SAS)7.6SECI and SCI indexes7.7Preparing for SOI reviews7.8Common audit findings7.9In-service software modifications7.10Case study: preparing for a SOI#3 review
8.1Avionics function and software level8.2Certification plan8.3Requirements and traceability8.4Design and implementation8.5Test plan and test cases8.6Coverage analysis8.7Objectives compliance matrix8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is LDRA Testbed, VectorCAST, Polyspace, SCADE Suite and Rapita RVS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied: MC/DC structural coverage analysis, reviews of plans and requirements traceability, and simulated audits of stages of involvement. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: RTCA DO-178C, RTCA DO-330, AMC 20-115D, RTCA DO-331, RTCA DO-332, RTCA DO-333, RTCA DO-248C, SAE ARP4754B.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with LDRA Testbed, VectorCAST, Polyspace, SCADE Suite and Rapita RVS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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