Diploma in International Law and Ethics in War Medicine
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in international law and ethics in war medicine, structured in 8 modules covering international humanitarian law in healthcare, medical ethics in conflict, detainees, triage, attacks on health care, research ethics and Spanish regulations, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in International Law and Ethics in War Medicine — 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: €1,790 (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 protection that IHL grants to the wounded and to medical personnel.
Apply the principles of medical ethics in conflict settings.
Ensure the proper treatment of detainees and prisoners.
Manage the ethical dilemmas of triage.
Analyse attacks on health care.
Assess the ethics of research and new technologies.
Draw up codes of conduct for medical units.
Who it's for
- Military doctors seeking a solid grounding in IHL and medical ethics.
- Emergency nurses who work, or plan to work, in conflict zones.
- Humanitarian law advisers supporting health services.
- Humanitarian aid coordinators responsible for medical operations.
- Ethics committee members reviewing care and research in armed forces.
- IHL trainers who teach health personnel.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into military health.
What you'll work with
- 1949 Geneva Conventions (core treaties of international humanitarian law)
- 1977 Additional Protocol I (protection of victims of international armed conflicts)
- Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016) (protection of health care in armed conflict)
- 1977 Additional Protocol II (protection of victims of non-international armed conflicts)
- WMA Declaration of Geneva (physicians' ethical pledge)
- Istanbul Protocol (investigation and documentation of torture)
- Rome Statute (International Criminal Court)
- Nelson Mandela Rules (UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners)
- ICRC IHL Database
- REDCap
- IBM SPSS Statistics
8 modules
1.1The 1949 Geneva Conventions1.2The 1977 Additional Protocols1.3Protection of the wounded and sick1.4Status of medical personnel1.5Medical units and transports1.6Protective emblems1.7Loss of protection1.8ICRC study on customary IHL1.9Non-international armed conflicts1.10Practical exercise: analysis of a case using customary IHL
2.1Principles of bioethics2.2Dual loyalty2.3WMA Declaration of Geneva2.4WMA Regulations in Times of Armed Conflict2.5Impartiality in care2.6Confidentiality2.7Informed consent2.8Triage and distributive justice2.9Health Care in Danger initiative2.10Case study: a dual-loyalty dilemma
3.1Third Geneva Convention3.2Nelson Mandela Rules3.3Prohibition of torture3.4Istanbul Protocol3.5Hunger strikes and the Declaration of Malta3.6Medical documentation3.7The role of health personnel in interrogations3.8Historical cases3.9ICRC visits3.10Workshop: documentation according to the Istanbul Protocol
4.1Triage systems4.2Allocation of scarce resources4.3Medical echelons Role 1 to 44.4Medical evacuation4.5Tactical casualty care4.6Care for the civilian population4.7Ethics of triage4.8Communication with families4.9Mass-casualty incidents4.10Case study: triage in a mass-casualty incident
5.1Security Council Resolution 22865.2Health Care in Danger project5.3WHO Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care5.4Investigation of incidents5.5Criminal liability5.6Rome Statute5.7Documented cases5.8Protection of hospitals5.9Public advocacy5.10Case study: analysis of a documented attack
6.1Research involving military personnel6.2Declaration of Helsinki6.3Belmont Report6.4Human enhancement6.5Telemedicine6.6AI in diagnosis6.7Health data protection6.8Nuremberg Code6.9Ethics committees6.10Case study: ethical review of a protocol
7.1Spanish Military Health Service7.2Royal Ordinances of the Armed Forces7.3Military Criminal Code7.4Cooperation with the ICRC7.5IHL training7.6Operational legal advice7.7International missions7.8Lessons learned7.9Professional medical deontology7.10Case study: code of conduct for a medical unit
8.1Case selection8.2Conflict context8.3Applicable legal framework8.4Ethical analysis8.5Stakeholders involved8.6Proposed course of action8.7Training recommendations8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, 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 texts and applied exercises. The working software is the ICRC IHL Database, REDCap and IBM SPSS Statistics, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: analysis of medical IHL cases, triage drills and ethical review of research protocols. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: 1949 Geneva Conventions, 1977 Additional Protocol I, Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016), 1977 Additional Protocol II, WMA Declaration of Geneva, Istanbul Protocol, Rome Statute, Nelson Mandela Rules.
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 the ICRC IHL Database, REDCap and IBM SPSS Statistics, 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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