Postgraduate Diploma in Undercarriage for Extreme Climates
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in running gear for extreme climates, with 8 modules covering extreme environments and mobility, wheel and track terramechanics, materials for extreme cold and heat, track and suspension design, tyres and CTIS, and testing and reliability, with an assigned technical tutor.
Postgraduate Diploma in Undercarriage for Extreme Climates — studying from Canada
Canada's defence sector is centred on procurement and sustainment through the Department of National Defence and Defence Research and Development Canada. Industrial activity spans land vehicles, naval systems, avionics and electronics, with firms in Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Companies such as General Dynamics Land Systems Canada and Lockheed Martin Canada are notable employers, alongside a broad base of small and medium suppliers. Engineers work on systems integration, vehicle protection, logistics and sustainment, operating within strict security and export control frameworks.
Fees for Canada: C$1,400 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Which Canadian bodies or processes govern defence engineering recognition?
Defence engineering in Canada often involves government procurement and security clearances, and engineers typically hold provincial Professional Engineer licences where a title is required. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not official state degrees or accredited by a national body, so they do not confer licensing or clearance. Recognition is for employers or the relevant body to decide, so verify this first.
Would Canadian defence or land systems employers accept this training?
Canadian defence employers and contractors generally rely on security clearance, licensing and demonstrated experience. A private qualification may support your application, but it is unlikely to replace those requirements, and its acceptance is up to each employer. A SEIUM final project can help show applied skill, so discuss expectations with prospective employers early.
Can I study remotely while working, and what are the costs and language demands?
Yes, the programmes are fully online, so you can study from Canada or elsewhere without a student visa, and fit sessions around work. Specialist courses are 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. Teaching is in English, supported by an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be available.
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
Characterise the extreme environments that affect mobility.
Apply terramechanics models to wheels and tracks.
Select steels and elastomers for extreme cold and heat.
Design durable tracks and running gear components.
Adapt suspension and damping to extreme temperatures.
Evaluate tyres and central tyre inflation systems.
Plan reliability testing with sustainability criteria.
Who it's for
- Running gear engineers in the land defence industry.
- Materials engineers dealing with extreme service conditions.
- Terramechanics specialists.
- Climatic test engineers.
- Tyre and wheel engineers.
- Reliability engineers working on off-road vehicles.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the land defence industry.
What you'll work with
- MIL-STD-810H (environmental testing)
- AECTP-300 (NATO climatic testing)
- ASTM D746 (brittleness temperature of elastomers)
- ISO 815-1 (compression set)
- ASTM D2240 (Shore hardness)
- ISO 148-1 (Charpy test)
- Abaqus
- MSC Adams
- MATLAB
- ANSYS Mechanical
8 modules
1.1Climate classification and operating environments1.2Behaviour of frozen ground, snow and permafrost1.3Sands, dunes and desert soils1.4Mud, peat and low-bearing-capacity terrain1.5Terrain parameters: cone index and cohesion1.6Environmental testing to MIL-STD-8101.7Mobility requirements in AECTP 200 standards1.8Ethical and legal framework for military vehicle design1.9Fundamentals of Bekker terramechanics1.10Case study: environmental profile of an Arctic mission
2.1Ground pressure and the MMP index2.2Wheel-soil interaction and rolling resistance2.3Track-soil interaction and slip2.4Bekker-Wong equations for traction2.5Wheel versus track comparison in snow2.6NRMM mobility prediction models2.7Effect of variable inflation pressure2.8Discrete element simulation of terrain2.9Validation with field tests2.10Lab: calculating net traction in snow
3.1Ductile-brittle transition in steels3.2Low-temperature Charpy testing3.3Elastomers and rubbers for low temperatures3.4UV degradation of polymers3.5Lubricants and greases for extreme ranges3.6Behaviour of aluminium and titanium alloys3.7Thermal fatigue and freeze cycles3.8Corrosion from sand, salt and humidity3.9Material selection with Ashby charts3.10Practical exercise: selecting an elastomer for track pads
4.1Track types: steel, rubber and continuous band4.2Links, pins and rubber bushes4.3Drive sprockets, road wheels and idlers4.4Tensioning and catenary control4.5Preventing de-tracking in snow and mud4.6Ice and mud build-up in the running gear4.7Abrasive wear in silica sands4.8Field maintenance and modular replacement4.9Running gear mass and its effect on mobility4.10Workshop: sizing a rubber band track
5.1Torsion bars and hydropneumatic suspensions5.2Dampers for extreme thermal loads5.3Hydraulic fluid viscosity versus temperature5.4Semi-active and active suspension5.5Ride comfort and vibration exposure to ISO 26315.6Wheel travel and obstacle profiles5.7Heat dissipation on undulating terrain5.8Ground clearance and variable ride height5.9Multibody modelling of the suspension5.10Lab: multibody simulation on undulating terrain
6.1Radial tyres for off-road and sand6.2Central tyre inflation systems (CTIS)6.3Run-flat inserts and their thermal behaviour6.4Rubber compounds for severe cold6.5Snow chains and traction devices6.6Tyre heating in the desert6.7STANAG standards for military vehicle tyres6.8Low-temperature rolling tests6.9Tyre fleet management6.10Case study: CTIS strategy for a desert route
7.1Test campaigns in climatic chambers7.2Mobility trials on proving grounds7.3RAM analysis and running gear failure rates7.4FMECA of running gear components7.5Life cycle and total cost of ownership7.6Environmental impact on fragile ecosystems7.7Noise and vibration footprint of the running gear7.8Ethical and export control requirements7.9Technical documentation and traceability7.10Workshop: FMECA of a road wheel assembly
8.1Defining the environment and mobility requirements8.2Choosing a wheeled or tracked configuration8.3Terramechanical analysis of the solution8.4Selecting materials and lubricants8.5Suspension and damping design8.6Environmental test plan8.7Reliability and maintenance analysis8.8Ethical, legal and environmental assessment8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
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 it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Abaqus, MSC Adams, MATLAB and ANSYS Mechanical, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for extreme cold and heat climatic chambers, low-temperature Charpy impact tests and mobility trials on snow, sand and mud. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Standards covered: MIL-STD-810H, AECTP-300, ASTM D746, ISO 815-1, ASTM D2240, ISO 148-1.
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.
- A computer capable of running the programme software and an internet connection.
- 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 Abaqus, MSC Adams, MATLAB and ANSYS Mechanical, 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 suitable computer 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.
Related programmes
Diploma in Ethics in the Coordination of Autonomous Systems
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in ethics in the coordination of autonomous systems. 8 modules covering multi-agent systems and swarms, responsibility in collective decisions, the…
Diploma in INS and Secure Timing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in inertial navigation systems (INS) and secure timing. 8 modules covering inertial navigation principles, inertial sensors, calibration and alignment, navigation…
Diploma in Military Multimodal Sensor Validation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in Military Multimodal Sensor Validation. 8 modules covering multimodal sensors, metrology and uncertainty (GUM, ISO 5725), calibration, fusion validation, simulation…
More in Defense, Military Engineering & Land Systems
All Defense, Military Engineering & Land Systems programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships