Diploma in Corporate Responsibility in Defence
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in corporate responsibility in defence. 8 modules covering business and human rights, due diligence, export control and end use, integrity and anti-bribery, sustainability reporting and compliance systems, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Corporate Responsibility in Defence — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €1,290 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
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 social and legal responsibility of defence companies.
Apply the international frameworks on business and human rights.
Implement due diligence processes across the value chain.
Assess export and end-use risks.
Design integrity and anti-bribery programmes.
Prepare sustainability and transparency reports.
Manage relations with investors and stakeholders.
Who it's for
- Compliance officers in defence companies.
- Corporate sustainability managers.
- Business and human rights advisers.
- Integrity auditors.
- Export control analysts.
- Corporate social responsibility consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence industry.
What you'll work with
- UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (international framework on corporate respect for human rights)
- OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (responsible business conduct)
- Directive (EU) 2024/1760 (corporate sustainability due diligence)
- Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (export of military technology and equipment)
- Law 53/2007 (Spanish law on the control of foreign trade in defence and dual-use material)
- ISO 37001 (anti-bribery management systems)
- Arms Trade Treaty (international regulation of the arms trade)
- Directive (EU) 2022/2464 (corporate sustainability reporting)
- NVivo
- Power BI
- SAP GRC
- Refinitiv World-Check
8 modules
1.1Specific features of the defence sector1.2Corporate social responsibility1.3Legal liability of the company1.4Reputation and social licence1.5Responsible investment and defence1.6Stakeholders1.7The ethical debate on the industry1.8International cases1.9Corporate governance1.10Case study: analysis of a reputational conflict
2.1The UN Guiding Principles2.2Protect, respect and remedy2.3The OECD Guidelines2.4National contact points2.5Human rights risks in defence2.6Conflict zones2.7End use of products2.8Remedy mechanisms2.9Case-law trends2.10Workshop: human rights risk matrix
3.1The European due diligence directive3.2Identification of impacts3.3Prevention and mitigation3.4Supply chain due diligence3.5Conflict minerals3.6Due diligence on customers and end uses3.7Monitoring and reporting3.8Enhanced due diligence3.9Assessment tools3.10Practical exercise: due diligence for an export operation
4.1The Arms Trade Treaty4.2Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and its criteria4.3Spanish Law 53/20074.4End-user certificates4.5Post-shipment verification4.6Re-export and diversion4.7Export transparency4.8Responsibility of the exporting company4.9International sanctions4.10Case study: applying the Common Position criteria
5.1Corruption risks in defence5.2ISO 370015.3International anti-bribery laws5.4Intermediaries and agents5.5Industrial offsets and their risks5.6Gifts and hospitality5.7Whistleblowing channels5.8Internal investigations5.9Criminal liability of legal persons5.10Lab: audit of an anti-bribery programme
6.1The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive6.2European reporting standards6.3Double materiality6.4Environment in the defence industry6.5Social indicators6.6Integrated reports6.7External assurance6.8Transparency indices6.9Investor communication6.10Practical exercise: analysis of a sustainability report
7.1Architecture of the compliance programme7.2Compliance risk assessment7.3Policies and procedures7.4Training and culture7.5Monitoring and audit7.6Compliance body7.7Indicators7.8Continuous improvement7.9Certifications7.10Workshop: design of an integrated compliance system
8.1Company profile8.2Risk map8.3Applicable regulatory framework8.4Due diligence process8.5Integrity programme8.6Transparency strategy8.7Monitoring indicators8.8Recommendations8.9Report 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 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 NVivo, Power BI, SAP GRC and Refinitiv World-Check, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: a human rights due diligence assessment of an export, an audit of an anti-bribery programme and the analysis of a sustainability report. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, Directive (EU) 2024/1760, Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, Law 53/2007, ISO 37001, Arms Trade Treaty, Directive (EU) 2022/2464.
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.
- An 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 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 NVivo, Power BI, SAP GRC and Refinitiv World-Check, 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 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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