Avionics Safety Cases Course
Online course of 300 hours in safety cases in avionics, structured in 6 modules covering safety argumentation, GSN and CAE notations, evidence and confidence, safety cases for novel systems and case maintenance and review, with an assigned technical tutor.
Avionics Safety Cases Course — studying from Canada
Canada has a substantial aerospace sector, anchored in Montréal and Québec City, with major manufacturers and suppliers such as Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada and CAE. Ontario's Greater Toronto and Ottawa regions host avionics, satellite and space technology firms, while the Canadian Space Agency coordinates national space programmes, including robotics for the International Space Station. Urban air mobility and drone operations are emerging under Transport Canada's regulatory framework. Engineers in this area typically work on airframe design, systems integration, certification and space mission support.
Fees for Canada: C$698 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Does a SEIUM qualification give me recognition with Canadian professional bodies for aerospace work?
Not automatically. In Canada, engineering is regulated by provincial and territorial associations such as Professional Engineers Ontario, which licence Professional Engineers (P.Eng.). SEIUM qualifications are private and are not official state degrees, so they do not confer P.Eng. status or accreditation. Recognition by employers or other bodies is decided case by case, so check directly with them before enrolling.
Will Canadian aerospace, drone or space employers value this training?
Employer valuation depends on the specific employer and role. Canada has a sizeable aerospace sector, including companies in Quebec, Ontario and Western Canada, and employers generally judge candidates on demonstrated skills, projects and experience. SEIUM's final project can serve as evidence of capability, but whether a private qualification carries weight is for each employer to decide. Discuss your goals with prospective employers.
Can I study this alongside a full-time job in Canada, and what about language?
Yes, the programmes are 100% online, so you can study from home at your own pace around work. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. Teaching is in English, and each student has an assigned technical tutor. Employer sponsorship and fees payable in instalments may help, depending on your circumstances.
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 structure and purpose of safety cases.
Build arguments using the GSN and CAE notations.
Assess the sufficiency of evidence and confidence in it.
Apply safety cases to novel and autonomous systems.
Manage case maintenance in response to changes and service data.
Identify fallacies and weaknesses in safety arguments.
Develop a complete safety case for an avionics system.
Who it's for
- System safety engineers.
- Assurance analysts.
- Independent safety assessors.
- Certification engineers.
- Product safety managers.
- Autonomous systems consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to work for aircraft manufacturers.
What you'll work with
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 15026-2:2022 (assurance case)
- Goal Structuring Notation Community Standard v3 (SCSC-141C) (GSN standard)
- SAE ARP4761A / EUROCAE ED-135 (safety assessment process for civil aircraft)
- UK Def Stan 00-56 (safety management requirements for defence systems)
- UL 4600 (safety for the evaluation of autonomous products)
- JARUS SORA 2.5 (specific operations risk assessment)
- SAE ARP4754B / EUROCAE ED-79B (development of civil aircraft and systems)
- Adelard ASCE
- Astah GSN
- Ansys medini analyze
- NOR-STA
- Cameo Systems Modeler
6 modules
1.1What a safety case is1.2Claims, arguments and evidence1.3Assurance cases according to ISO/IEC/IEEE 150261.4Regulatory use in defence, rail and nuclear1.5Safety cases in civil and unmanned aviation1.6Safety cases versus safety assessments1.7Common argument fallacies1.8The safety case life cycle1.9The role of the independent assessor1.10Case study: critical reading of a published case
2.1Elements of Goal Structuring Notation2.2Goals, strategies and solutions2.3Context, assumptions and justifications2.4CAE notation for claims and evidence2.5Reusable argument patterns2.6Modular arguments and contracts2.7Extensions for confidence in arguments2.8Argument editing tools2.9Readability best practices2.10Workshop: GSN structure for a landing function
3.1Types of evidence: analysis, testing and reviews3.2Evidence from DO-178C and DO-254 processes3.3Evidence from ARP4761A analyses3.4Confidence arguments on evidence3.5Eliminative argumentation and defeaters3.6Assessing evidence sufficiency3.7Uncertainty and unverified assumptions3.8Evidence management in repositories3.9Evidence from service data3.10Lab: confidence argument on a tool
4.1Machine learning in avionics4.2EASA guidance on artificial intelligence4.3Autonomous systems and UL 46004.4SORA methodology for drones4.5Safety cases in urban air mobility4.6Arguments about emergent behaviour4.7Run-time monitoring4.8Combined safety and cybersecurity arguments4.9Dynamic safety cases4.10Practical exercise: argument for an obstacle detector
5.1Change management in the case5.2Impact analysis on arguments5.3Tracking assumptions in service5.4Incorporating incident data5.5Independent review and audit5.6Regulator acceptance criteria5.7Communication with stakeholders5.8Argument quality measures5.9Archiving and configuration control5.10Case study: update after a design modification
6.1Definition of the system and its context6.2Top-level claim and strategy6.3Developing the argument in GSN6.4Identifying available evidence6.5Associated confidence arguments6.6Assumptions and residual risks6.7Case maintenance plan6.8Critical review of the argument6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM Institute campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is Adelard ASCE, Astah GSN, Ansys medini analyze, NOR-STA and Cameo Systems Modeler, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: building arguments in GSN notation, assessing confidence in evidence and updating a safety case after modifications. Assessment is continuous by module, plus a final capstone project.
Standards covered: ISO/IEC/IEEE 15026-2:2022, Goal Structuring Notation Community Standard v3 (SCSC-141C), SAE ARP4761A / EUROCAE ED-135, UK Def Stan 00-56, UL 4600, JARUS SORA 2.5, SAE ARP4754B / EUROCAE ED-79B.
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
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Adelard ASCE, Astah GSN, Ansys medini analyze, NOR-STA and Cameo Systems Modeler, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, 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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