Master’s in Industrial Protocols
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in industrial protocols — OPC UA, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus and MQTT Sparkplug. 12 modules covering industrial communications, serial fieldbuses, PROFINET IO, EtherNet/IP and CIP, EtherCAT and motion protocols, OPC UA, industrial IoT protocols, telecontrol, industrial wireless networks, integration and gateways, and diagnostics and cybersecurity, with IEC 61158, IEC 61784-2 and IEC 62541 (OPC UA) and an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Industrial Protocols — studying from Australia
Electronics and embedded systems underpin a wide range of Australian industries, including defence, mining automation, medical devices and consumer technology. The telecommunications sector is significant, with ongoing investment in fibre, mobile networks and satellite communications for remote regions. Research organisations such as CSIRO and university groups contribute to advances in sensing, communications and signal processing. Engineers typically work on hardware design, firmware development, testing and certification. Employers include telecommunications carriers, defence contractors, instrumentation companies and product manufacturers.
Fees for Australia: A$11,000 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Is this qualification recognised for electronics engineering in Australia?
SEIUM's qualifications are private and not official state degrees, and they are not accredited by Engineers Australia or the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Recognition for electronics and telecom roles generally depends on accredited degrees, licences and experience. Employers or the relevant body make the final decision.
Which Australian employers hire embedded and telecom engineers?
Australia has telecommunications carriers, defence electronics firms, medical device makers, mining technology companies and IoT developers. Employers mostly assess your hands-on skills, project record and certifications. Ask prospective employers whether they would consider a private online qualification.
Can I study this part-time while working, and how is it supported?
The courses are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia without needing a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, 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 industrial communication architectures.
Configure PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT networks.
Develop solutions with OPC UA.
Integrate industrial IoT protocols.
Implement telecontrol protocols.
Design industrial wireless networks.
Diagnose and secure industrial networks.
Who it's for
- Industrial communications engineers.
- Automation engineers who want to master fieldbus and Ethernet protocols.
- System integrators.
- Industrial network technicians.
- Telecontrol engineers.
- IIoT engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter industrial automation.
What you'll work with
- IEC 61158 (industrial communication networks — fieldbus specifications)
- IEC 61784-2 (communication profiles for real-time Ethernet)
- IEC 62541 (OPC UA unified architecture)
- IEC 62443-3-3 (system security requirements and security levels)
- IEC 60870-5-104 (telecontrol over TCP/IP networks)
- IEC 61850-8-1 (MMS and GOOSE mapping for substation communication)
- IEEE 1815 (DNP3 distributed network protocol)
- IEC 62591 (WirelessHART wireless communication)
- Siemens TIA Portal
- Rockwell Studio 5000
- Beckhoff TwinCAT
- Wireshark
- UaExpert
12 modules
1.1The automation pyramid1.2Real-time requirements1.3The OSI model in industry1.4Industrial network topologies1.5Physical media: copper, fibre and radio1.6Determinism and bus cycle1.7Evolution of fieldbuses1.8Industrial Ethernet and its variants1.9Protocol selection1.10Case study: communications architecture of a plant
2.1RS-232 and RS-4852.2Modbus RTU protocol2.3PROFIBUS DP and PA2.4CANopen networks and the object dictionary2.5DeviceNet networks over CAN2.6AS-Interface bus for sensors2.7HART protocol in instrumentation2.8Diagnostics of serial buses2.9Migration to Ethernet2.10Lab: Modbus RTU network with an analyser
3.1PROFINET IO architecture3.2RT and IRT classes3.3Device description with GSDML3.4Configuration in TIA Portal3.5MRP ring redundancy3.6Diagnostics of PROFINET networks3.7PROFIsafe safety communication3.8PROFINET over TSN3.9Device certification3.10Practical exercise: PROFINET network with TIA Portal
4.1Common Industrial Protocol (CIP)4.2Explicit and implicit messaging4.3EDS description files4.4Configuration in Studio 50004.5CIP Safety communication4.6Motion control with CIP Motion4.7DLR ring redundancy4.8Diagnostics of EtherNet/IP4.9Integration with other protocols4.10Lab: EtherNet/IP communication between PLCs
5.1Processing-on-the-fly principle5.2EtherCAT master and slaves5.3Distributed clocks and synchronisation5.4ESI description files5.5CoE, FoE and EoE5.6Safety over EtherCAT5.7SERCOS III protocol5.8Ethernet POWERLINK protocol5.9Performance comparison5.10Practical exercise: EtherCAT network with TwinCAT
6.1OPC UA client-server architecture6.2Information model6.3OPC UA companion specifications6.4Security in OPC UA6.5OPC UA PubSub6.6OPC UA FX6.7Server development6.8Integration with MES and the cloud6.9Server performance and scalability6.10Lab: OPC UA server with open62541
7.1MQTT and Sparkplug B7.2Messaging with the AMQP protocol7.3CoAP protocol for constrained devices7.4DDS publish-subscribe middleware7.5REST in industry7.6Unified Namespace pattern in the plant7.7IIoT edge gateways7.8Security of IoT protocols7.9Protocol comparison7.10Practical exercise: Sparkplug B with a PLC
8.1IEC 60870-5-101 and 1048.2DNP3 protocol in telecontrol8.3IEC 61850 MMS and GOOSE8.4Modbus TCP in telecontrol8.5Communication with RTUs8.6Telecontrol networks8.7Time synchronisation of RTUs8.8Security in telecontrol8.9Applications in water and energy8.10Lab: IEC 104 communication with an RTU
9.1WirelessHART protocol for instruments9.2ISA100.11a standard for process applications9.3Industrial Wi-Fi and fast roaming9.4Bluetooth in industrial environments9.55G networks in industry9.6Private LTE networks9.7Coexistence of wireless networks9.8Coverage planning9.9Reliability of wireless links9.10Case study: wireless network in a chemical plant
10.1Gateways between protocols10.2Integration of multi-protocol environments10.3Data mapping10.4Gateway performance10.5Integration with SCADA10.6Integration with MES10.7Configuration management10.8Network documentation10.9Integration testing10.10Workshop: PROFINET to Modbus TCP gateway
11.1Diagnostic tools11.2Traffic analysis with Wireshark11.3Network monitoring11.4Physical network problems11.5Cybersecurity according to IEC 6244311.6Network segmentation11.7Use of secure protocols11.8Anomaly detection11.9Network maintenance11.10Practical exercise: diagnosing a faulty PROFINET network
12.1Analysis of the industrial system12.2Communication requirements12.3Protocol selection12.4Network design12.5Device configuration12.6Systems integration12.7Testing and diagnostics12.8Network security12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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 you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell Studio 5000, Beckhoff TwinCAT, Wireshark and UaExpert, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for network configuration on PLC test benches, industrial traffic analysis and device interoperability testing. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IEC 61158, IEC 61784-2, IEC 62541 (OPC UA), IEC 62443-3-3, IEC 60870-5-104, IEC 61850-8-1, IEEE 1815 (DNP3) and IEC 62591 (WirelessHART).
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
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 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 Siemens TIA Portal, Rockwell Studio 5000, Beckhoff TwinCAT, Wireshark and UaExpert, 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 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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