Master’s in Process Safety Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in Process Safety Engineering, with 12 modules covering major accidents, hazardous substances and reactions, HAZOP, LOPA, safety instrumented systems, pressure relief, fires and explosions, consequence modelling, PSM elements and human factors, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Process Safety Engineering — studying from Canada
Canada has a well-developed health technology and medical device sector, with concentrations in Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia. Research institutions and hospitals collaborate with companies on biomechanics, rehabilitation engineering and wearable sensing. Medical devices are regulated by Health Canada under the Medical Devices Regulations, and workplace safety is overseen by provincial occupational health and safety bodies. Engineers in this field contribute to device development, ergonomics and operational safety assessment.
Fees for Canada: C$10,800 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Is this programme recognised by professional bodies in Canada for engineering work in health and biomechanics?
SEIUM's qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body in Canada. Professional engineering in Canada is regulated provincially by bodies such as Professional Engineers Ontario or Engineers and Geoscientists BC, which set licensing requirements. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so you should check directly with them before relying on it.
Will this qualification help me find work in biomechanics or wearables in Canada?
It can strengthen your technical profile, but employers in Canada, including hospitals, medical device firms and safety-focused companies, decide how much weight to give a private qualification. Many roles in regulated health technology also require provincial licensing or specific credentials. A final project and an assigned technical tutor can help you show practical capability in interviews, but no job outcome can be guaranteed.
Can I study this while working full time in Canada, and do I need a visa?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home and no student visa is needed. Specialist courses are about 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours, so plan your weekly study time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Check the time zone for live elements with the school before enrolling.
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
Explain the mechanisms of major process accidents.
Characterise the hazards of chemical substances and reactions.
Lead HAZOP studies in accordance with IEC 61882.
Apply LOPA and determine safety integrity levels.
Design safety instrumented and pressure relief systems.
Model the consequences of fires, explosions and toxic dispersion.
Implement and audit process safety management systems.
Who it's for
- Process safety engineers.
- HAZOP facilitators.
- Functional safety engineers.
- Consequence analysts.
- Plant PSM managers.
- Inspectors of Seveso establishments.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the chemical and petrochemical sector.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III, major-accident hazards)
- IEC 61511 (functional safety in the process industry sector)
- IEC 61882 (HAZOP studies)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119 (Process Safety Management)
- API 520 and API 521 (pressure-relieving systems)
- Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX equipment)
- API RP 754 (process safety performance indicators)
- ANSI/ISA 18.2 (alarm management)
- DNV Phast
- PHA-Pro
- exSILentia
- ALOHA
- Aspen HYSYS
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Difference between process safety and personal safety1.2The Bhopal, Piper Alpha and Buncefield accidents1.3Loss of containment and its consequences1.4Process safety management (PSM)1.5Elements of the CCPS RBPS model1.6OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1191.7Seveso III Directive1.8Cost of major accidents1.9Historical lessons learned1.10Case study: analysis of Buncefield
2.1Flammability and explosive limits2.2Toxicity and AEGL values2.3Chemical reactivity and runaway reactions2.4Calorimetry and DSC2.5Chemical incompatibility matrices2.6Combustible dusts and their characterisation2.7CLP hazardous substances2.8Safety data sheets2.9Inventories and Seveso thresholds2.10Lab: thermal stability analysis with DSC
3.1Methodology and guidewords3.2Preparation and nodes3.3Leading sessions3.4Recording and recommendations3.5Procedural HAZOP3.6Batch HAZOP3.7IEC 61882 HAZOP studies3.8Quality and review of HAZOP3.9Software-assisted HAZOP3.10Practical exercise: HAZOP of a nitration reactor
4.1LOPA scenarios4.2Initiating events and frequencies4.3Independent protection layers4.4Conditional probability modifiers4.5Tolerability criteria4.6Calculation of the target SIL4.7Limitations of LOPA4.8Integration with HAZOP4.9Documentation and audit4.10Practical exercise: LOPA of overpressure in a separator
5.1IEC 61511 lifecycle5.2Safety requirements specification (SRS)5.3Architectures and fault tolerance5.4PFD calculation5.5Proof testing and diagnostic coverage5.6Bypass management5.7Design of safety valves5.8Alarms and operator response5.9Functional safety and cybersecurity5.10Lab: PFD calculation with exSILentia
6.1API 520 relief valve sizing6.2API 521 relief scenarios6.3Rupture discs6.4Flares and disposal systems6.5Reaction venting6.6Pressure vessels and Directive 2014/68/EU6.7Mechanical integrity programmes6.8Corrosion and damage mechanisms6.9API 580 risk-based inspection6.10Practical exercise: sizing a safety valve
7.1Pool fire and jet fire models7.2BLEVEs and fireballs7.3Vapour cloud explosions7.4Dust explosions7.5Explosive atmospheres and hazardous area classification7.6ATEX Directives 2014/34/EU and 1999/92/EC7.7Passive fire protection7.8Gas and flame detection systems7.9Active protection and water systems7.10Case study: ATEX hazardous area classification
8.1Release sources8.2Dense gas dispersion8.3Gaussian plume models8.4Thermal radiation and overpressure8.5Vulnerability of people and equipment8.6Domino effects between installations8.7Consequence software8.8Model validation8.9Use in emergency planning8.10Lab: chlorine dispersion with ALOHA
9.1Process safety information9.2Operating procedures and safe operating limits9.3Management of change (MOC)9.4Pre-startup safety review9.5Asset integrity9.6Competence of process personnel9.7Contractors in process operations9.8Permits to work in process units9.9Incident investigation9.10Workshop: management of change procedure
10.1Control room design10.2ISA 18.2 alarm management10.3Procedures and human error10.4Operator situation awareness10.5Fatigue in process operations10.6Communication at shift handover10.7Operator competence10.8Process simulators10.9Process safety culture10.10Case study: alarm rationalisation
11.1API RP 754 Tiers 1 to 411.2Barrier indicators11.3PSM audits11.4Seveso safety report11.5Seveso inspections by the competent authority11.6Process safety benchmarking11.7Management review of PSM11.8Improvement plans11.9Communication with the community11.10Practical exercise: audit of a PSM element
12.1Selected process facility12.2Gathering process information12.3HAZOP of a unit12.4LOPA and SIL determination12.5Consequence modelling12.6Relief and containment analysis12.7PSM management plan12.8Recommendations and prioritisation12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online learning on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is DNV Phast, PHA-Pro, exSILentia, ALOHA and Aspen HYSYS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: HAZOP and LOPA studies of process units, consequence modelling of releases and audits of PSM elements. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III), IEC 61511, IEC 61882, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.119, API 520 and API 521, Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX), API RP 754, ANSI/ISA 18.2.
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'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 DNV Phast, PHA-Pro, exSILentia, ALOHA and Aspen HYSYS, 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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