Diploma in Internal and External Risk Assessment
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in internal and external risk assessment. 8 modules covering risk concepts in defence, insider threat, external threats, assessment methods, information protection, risk treatment and continuity, and governance, compliance and ethics, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Internal and External Risk Assessment — 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: €1,490 (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 risk concepts as applied to defence.
Analyse insider threat and the programmes that mitigate it.
Identify external threats to defence organisations.
Apply qualitative and quantitative assessment methods.
Protect classified and sensitive information.
Design treatment and continuity plans.
Integrate ethics and compliance into risk management.
Who it's for
- Corporate risk managers.
- Security directors.
- Industrial security managers in defence contractors.
- Threat analysts.
- Business continuity managers.
- Compliance managers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 31000:2018 (risk management)
- ISO/IEC 27005:2022 (information security risk management)
- ISO 22301:2019 (business continuity)
- IEC 31010 (risk assessment techniques)
- Law 8/2011 (Spanish critical infrastructure protection)
- Spanish National Security Framework (Royal Decree 311/2022) (information security in the public sector)
- Law 2/2023 (Spanish whistleblower protection)
- PILAR
- @RISK
- BowTieXP
- Microsoft Power BI
- Archer GRC
8 modules
1.1Risk, threat and vulnerability1.2Internal and external risks1.3Risk taxonomies1.4Risk appetite and tolerance1.5ISO 31000 risk management1.6Corporate governance and risk1.7Risks in defence programmes1.8Strategic and operational risks1.9Geopolitical context1.10Case study: risk register for a programme
2.1Types of insider threat2.2Motivating factors2.3Behavioural indicators2.4Insider threat programmes2.5Personnel security clearances2.6Access and privilege control2.7Monitoring and privacy2.8Organisational culture and loyalty2.9Response and case management2.10Workshop: designing an insider threat programme
3.1Industrial and state espionage3.2Advanced persistent cyber threats3.3Sabotage and physical attacks3.4Hybrid threats3.5Supply chain risks3.6Foreign investment and control3.7Disinformation and reputation3.8Natural and climate risks3.9Threat intelligence3.10Case study: threat profile for a facility
4.1Probability and impact matrices4.2Bow-tie analysis4.3Event and fault trees4.4Monte Carlo simulation4.5MAGERIT and PILAR4.6Scenarios and sensitivity analysis4.7Delphi methods and expert judgement4.8Facility vulnerability analysis4.9Key risk indicators4.10Practical: bow-tie analysis of a scenario
5.1Classified information5.2Spanish Official Secrets Act5.3National Security Authority5.4Industrial security in contracts5.5Facility security clearance5.6Spanish National Security Framework (ENS)5.7ISO/IEC 27005 for information risks5.8Personal data protection5.9Breach management5.10Case study: protection plan for a classified contract
6.1Risk treatment strategies6.2Preventive and corrective controls6.3ISO 22301 continuity plans6.4Crisis management6.5Insurance and risk transfer6.6Physical security of facilities6.7Critical infrastructure protection6.8Exercises and testing6.9Crisis communication6.10Practical: business impact analysis
7.1Risk management functions7.2Three lines model7.3Regulatory and criminal compliance7.4Whistleblowing channels and Law 2/20237.5Workers' rights7.6Proportionality of measures7.7Ethics of surveillance7.8Risk auditing7.9Reporting to senior management7.10Case study: balancing security and privacy
8.1Context of the organisation8.2Identification of internal risks8.3Identification of external risks8.4Analysis and evaluation8.5Treatment plan8.6Continuity plan8.7Indicators and monitoring8.8Report to senior management8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme 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 can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is PILAR, @RISK, BowTieXP, Microsoft Power BI and Archer GRC, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for bow-tie scenario analysis, business impact analysis and crisis management exercises. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: ISO 31000:2018, ISO/IEC 27005:2022, ISO 22301:2019, IEC 31010, Law 8/2011, Spanish National Security Framework (Royal Decree 311/2022), Law 2/2023.
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. A university degree is not required.
- 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 PILAR, @RISK, BowTieXP, Microsoft Power BI and Archer GRC, 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 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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