Master’s in Directed Energy Systems (Laser/Microwave) Engineering and Safety
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in directed energy systems (laser/microwave) engineering and safety. 12 modules covering directed energy physics, high-power laser sources, atmospheric propagation, beam optics and control, high-power microwaves, hardening and electromagnetic compatibility, laser safety, thermal and energy management, the legal and ethical framework, testing and facility safety and civil applications, with IEC 60825-1, ANSI Z136.1 and Directive 2006/25/EC, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Directed Energy Systems (Laser/Microwave) Engineering and Safety — studying from Australia
Defence is one of Australia's largest engineering employers, with major programmes in land systems, naval platforms, aircraft and integrated systems managed through the Department of Defence. Land systems engineering supports armoured vehicles, weapons and logistics equipment, often through prime contractors and local industry partners. Industry involvement is strongly encouraged through the Defence industry policy framework. Engineers work on sustainment, capability development, systems integration and safety assurance, typically in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and regional defence precincts.
Fees for Australia: A$15,800 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
How does defence engineering recognition work in Australia?
Defence engineering in Australia is largely run through the Department of Defence and its industry partners, which set their own security clearance and qualification requirements. Engineers Australia is the professional body for accreditation. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so recognition is for employers or the relevant body to decide.
Which Australian employers hire in defence and land systems?
Australia has defence prime contractors, the Department of Defence, and specialist land systems firms. Many of these roles require Australian security clearances, which depend on citizenship and background checks rather than course completion. Ask employers how they weigh private qualifications against experience and clearance requirements.
Is the course manageable with a job, and does it need a visa?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from Australia without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. An assigned technical tutor supports you, 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 physics of lasers and high-power microwaves.
Analyse high-power laser sources and their scaling.
Model the atmospheric propagation of beams.
Design optical beam control systems.
Apply laser safety and exposure regulations.
Harden electronic systems against intense fields.
Analyse the legal and ethical framework of directed energy.
Who it's for
- Photonics engineers
- Laser safety engineers
- Electromagnetic compatibility engineers
- Optical engineers
- Plasma physics researchers
- Thermal management engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter photonics and the laser industry
What you'll work with
- IEC 60825-1 (safety of laser products)
- ANSI Z136.1 (safe use of lasers)
- Directive 2006/25/EC (worker exposure to artificial optical radiation)
- CCW Protocol IV (blinding laser weapons)
- IEC 61000-2-9 (HEMP environment)
- MIL-STD-188-125 (HEMP protection of ground-based facilities)
- Recommendation 1999/519/EC (public exposure to electromagnetic fields)
- Zemax OpticStudio
- COMSOL Multiphysics
- Ansys Icepak
- MATLAB
- CST Studio Suite
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Coherent electromagnetic radiation1.2Lasers versus high-power microwaves1.3History of directed energy research1.4Civil applications: industry, medicine and science1.5Academic, legal and safety framework of the programme1.6Radiometric quantities1.7Radiation-matter interaction1.8State of the art from open sources1.9Ethical and arms control debate1.10Case study: review of industrial applications of high-power lasers
2.1Laser principles: stimulated emission and cavities2.2Fibre lasers and their scaling2.3Solid-state and disc lasers2.4Coherent and spectral beam combining2.5Beam quality and the M² factor2.6Efficiency and thermal management2.7Industrial cutting and welding lasers2.8Source reliability2.9Research at large-scale facilities2.10Lab: fibre amplifier simulation
3.1Molecular absorption and scattering3.2Atmospheric turbulence and Cn²3.3Beam spreading and scintillation3.4Thermal blooming3.5Adaptive optics: principles3.6Propagation models3.7Transmission in different bands3.8Measurement of atmospheric parameters3.9Applications in optical communications3.10Practical exercise: propagation simulation with turbulence in Python
4.1Beam directors and telescopes4.2Deformable mirrors4.3Precision tracking and pointing4.4Stabilisation and vibration4.5Optical materials for high power4.6Coatings and damage threshold4.7Optical design with Zemax4.8Alignment and metrology4.9Free-space optical communications4.10Lab: optical design of a beam expander
5.1HPM sources: magnetrons and vircators at a conceptual level5.2Pulsed power and Marx generators5.3High-power antennas5.4Microwave propagation5.5Coupling to electronic systems5.6Civil applications: accelerators and heating5.7Plasma research5.8Safety against microwave radiation5.9Exposure regulations5.10Case study: analysis of coupling to cables
6.1Effects of intense fields on electronics6.2Electromagnetic pulse IEC 61000-2-96.3Equipment hardening6.4Shielding and filtering6.5Protection of critical infrastructure6.6MIL-STD-188-125 standards6.7Susceptibility testing6.8Robust system design6.9Risk management6.10Workshop: hardening plan for a data centre
7.1Laser classification IEC 60825-17.2Maximum permissible exposure7.3Nominal hazard zones7.4Eye and skin hazards7.5Directive 2006/25/EC on optical radiation7.6Laser safety in airspace7.7CCW Protocol IV on blinding laser weapons7.8ANSI Z136 laser safety programmes7.9Protective equipment7.10Practical exercise: calculation of the nominal ocular hazard distance
8.1Energy balance of high-power systems8.2Liquid and phase-change cooling8.3High-power electrical storage8.4Supercapacitors and batteries8.5Integration into platforms8.6System efficiency8.7Thermal simulation8.8Thermal reliability8.9Energy management8.10Lab: thermal simulation with Ansys Icepak
9.1International humanitarian law9.2CCW Protocol IV9.3Article 36 legal review9.4Export control of lasers9.5Air and space safety9.6Responsibility and accountability9.7Academic debate on stability9.8Research ethics9.9Responsible communication9.10Workshop: academic legal review of a technology
10.1Laser test facilities10.2Measurement of power and beam profile10.3Plasma diagnostics10.4Damage threshold testing of materials10.5Laboratory safety procedures10.6Risk management in testing10.7High-voltage electrical safety10.8Laboratory regulations10.9Test documentation10.10Practical exercise: safety procedure for a laser laboratory
11.1Industrial laser manufacturing11.2Lasers in medicine11.3Inertial confinement fusion11.4Space debris removal: research11.5Wireless power transmission11.6Optical communications11.7Particle accelerators11.8Research trends11.9European photonics industry11.10Case study: market analysis of industrial lasers
12.1Definition of the engineering problem12.2State-of-the-art review12.3Physical modelling12.4Propagation or optical analysis12.5Safety analysis12.6Legal and ethical assessment12.7Design or test proposal12.8Conclusions and future work12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training 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 the intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zemax OpticStudio, COMSOL Multiphysics, Ansys Icepak, MATLAB and CST Studio Suite, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied, such as simulation of atmospheric beam propagation, calculation of laser safety distances and damage threshold testing of optical materials. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IEC 60825-1, ANSI Z136.1, Directive 2006/25/EC, CCW Protocol IV, IEC 61000-2-9, MIL-STD-188-125, Recommendation 1999/519/EC.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Zemax OpticStudio, COMSOL Multiphysics, Ansys Icepak, MATLAB and CST Studio Suite, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's 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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