Diploma in Ethics of Stealth Technology Development
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in the ethics of stealth technology development. 8 modules covering low-observability concepts, the ethics of concealment, secrecy and society, export control and proliferation, health, safety and the environment, programme economics and governance, and responsible civil transfer, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Ethics of Stealth Technology Development — 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: €1,090 (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
Explain the fundamentals of low observability.
Analyse the ethics of concealment in the military sphere.
Balance secrecy with democratic transparency.
Apply export control to signature technologies.
Manage the health and environmental risks of the materials involved.
Assess the economic governance of major programmes.
Identify responsible opportunities for civil transfer.
Who it's for
- Ethics advisers on defence programmes.
- Export control managers in defence and aerospace companies.
- Programme managers overseeing complex defence projects.
- Chemical safety technicians dealing with coatings and composites.
- Defence policy analysts.
- Auditors of public programmes.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Arts. 36 and 37 (legal review of new weapons and prohibition of perfidy)
- Directive 2009/43/EC (intra-EU transfers of defence-related products)
- Law 9/1968 (Spanish Official Secrets Act)
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (US defence export controls)
- Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH, chemicals)
- Law 19/2013 (Spanish transparency and access to public information)
- Directive 2009/81/EC (defence and security procurement)
- CST Studio Suite
- SimaPro
- Zotero
- Power BI
8 modules
1.1The concept of low observability1.2Radar, infrared and acoustic signatures1.3History of stealth technology1.4Shaping and faceting1.5Absorbent materials: principles1.6Signature management across the life cycle1.7Naval and land applications1.8Civil applications of signature reduction1.9Limits of low observability1.10Case study: historical evolution of a platform
2.1Concealment and deception in military ethics2.2Lawful ruses and perfidy2.3Strategic stability and deterrence2.4Technology races and security2.5Democratic transparency and secrecy2.6Opportunity cost of spending2.7Engineering ethics in classified programmes2.8Responsibility for future uses2.9Just war perspectives2.10Practical exercise: ethical analysis of a historical programme
3.1Classification of information3.2The Official Secrets Act3.3Parliamentary oversight of programmes3.4Academic freedom and restrictions3.5Whistleblowing3.6Access to public information3.7Declassification and memory3.8Risks of opacity3.9Balancing security and transparency3.10Case study: declassification of a programme
4.1Military lists4.2Signature technologies on control lists4.3Intra-community transfers4.4US ITAR regulations4.5International cooperation in programmes4.6Technology transfer to partners4.7Industrial espionage4.8Due diligence in exports4.9Penalties for non-compliance4.10Practical exercise: analysis of a transfer licence
5.1Hazardous materials and coatings5.2Worker exposure during maintenance5.3Ventilation and personal protection5.4REACH restrictions on coatings5.5Composite material waste5.6Life cycle and recycling5.7Environmental footprint of manufacturing5.8Health surveillance5.9Transparency with workers5.10Case study: chemical risk in a coatings workshop
6.1Costs of low-observability programmes6.2Cost overruns and delays6.3Accountability6.4Defence public procurement6.5Conflicts of interest6.6Programme audits6.7Industrial return and employment6.8The budget debate6.9Lessons from major programmes6.10Workshop: analysis of an audit report
7.1Noise reduction in civil aviation7.2Absorbent materials in telecommunications7.3Electromagnetic compatibility7.4Aerodynamics and efficiency7.5Remote sensing and signatures7.6Responsible innovation in defence7.7University involvement7.8Technology impact assessment7.9Dialogue with society7.10Practical exercise: proposal for the civil transfer of a technology
8.1Programme or technology analysed8.2Strategic context8.3Legal and control framework8.4Ethical analysis8.5Health and environmental impacts8.6Governance proposal8.7Recommendations8.8Conclusions8.9Report 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 the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulation and applied exercises. The working software is CST Studio Suite, SimaPro, Zotero and Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real material: analysis of declassified historical programmes, chemical risk assessment of coatings and study of programme audit reports. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (Arts. 36 and 37), Directive 2009/43/EC, Law 9/1968, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Regulation (EC) 1907/2006, Law 19/2013, Directive 2009/81/EC.
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 CST Studio Suite, SimaPro, Zotero and Power BI, 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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