Diploma in SATCOM and NATO Standards
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in SATCOM and NATO standards. 8 modules covering satellite link fundamentals, space segment and payload, ground terminals, waveforms and medium access, networks and management, allied interoperability and service protection and resilience, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in SATCOM and NATO Standards — 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
Calculate satellite link budgets.
Analyse payloads and coverage.
Size fixed and mobile ground terminals.
Select waveforms and access schemes.
Design multi-orbit satellite networks.
Ensure interoperability with allied standards.
Apply service protection and resilience measures.
Who it's for
- SATCOM systems engineers.
- Radio frequency engineers.
- Teleport operators.
- Satellite network designers.
- Terminal specialists.
- Interoperability engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- ITU-R P.618-14 (propagation data for Earth-space telecommunication systems)
- ETSI EN 302 307-2 (DVB-S2X extensions)
- MIL-STD-188-164C (interoperability of SHF satellite communications terminals)
- STANAG 4484 (NATO SHF military SATCOM interoperability)
- MIL-STD-188-165B (interoperability of SHF SATCOM modems)
- ITU-R S.580-6 (radiation diagrams for earth station antennas)
- ECSS-E-ST-50C (space engineering: communications)
- Ansys STK
- MATLAB Satellite Communications Toolbox
- SatMaster Pro
- Wireshark
8 modules
1.1Kepler's laws and orbits1.2Visibility geometry1.3Coverage and footprint1.4Free-space losses1.5G/T figure of merit1.6Terminal and satellite EIRP1.7C/N0 ratio1.8Rain attenuation according to ITU-R P.6181.9Doppler effect in LEO1.10Practical exercise: X-band link budget
2.1Transparent transponders2.2Regenerative payloads2.3Spot beams2.4Shaped-beam antennas2.5High-throughput satellites2.6Digital payloads2.7Power budget2.8Intermodulation2.9Payload management2.10Laboratory: coverage analysis with STK
3.1Fixed stations3.2Transportable terminals3.3Terminals on the move3.4Electronic flat-panel antennas3.5LNB and BUC3.6Tracking systems3.7Terminal certification3.8Naval terminals3.9Aeronautical terminals3.10Workshop: sizing a terminal on the move
4.1DVB-S2X standard4.2TDMA and MF-TDMA4.3SCPC4.4Satellite modems4.5Adaptive coding and modulation4.6IP protocols over satellite4.7TCP acceleration4.8Spectral efficiency4.9Latency4.10Practical exercise: DVB-S2X simulation in MATLAB
5.1Star and mesh topologies5.2Teleports5.3Network management systems5.4Integration with terrestrial networks5.5Quality of service5.6Multi-orbit networks5.7LEO constellations5.8Dynamic bandwidth allocation5.9Carrier monitoring5.10Case study: multi-orbit network for a deployment
6.1NATO interoperability requirements6.2STANAG 44846.3MIL-STD-188-164C and 165B standards6.4Interoperability testing6.5NATO SATCOM services6.6Network federation6.7Shared resource management6.8Lessons learned6.9Technological developments6.10Case study: interoperability between two nations
7.1Interference detection and geolocation7.2COMSEC and TRANSEC protection7.3Interference mitigation7.4Space weather7.5Ground segment cybersecurity7.6Redundancy7.7Site diversity7.8Service recovery7.9Spectrum monitoring7.10Case study: analysis of an interference incident
8.1Mission requirements8.2Orbit and band selection8.3Link budget8.4Terminal selection8.5Network architecture8.6Interoperability8.7Resilience measures8.8Budget and schedule8.9Report 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 you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys STK, MATLAB Satellite Communications Toolbox, SatMaster Pro and Wireshark, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures for link budget calculation, testing of terminals on the move and carrier monitoring. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrated project.
Standards covered: ITU-R P.618-14, ETSI EN 302 307-2, MIL-STD-188-164C, STANAG 4484, MIL-STD-188-165B, ITU-R S.580-6 and ECSS-E-ST-50C.
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 Ansys STK, MATLAB Satellite Communications Toolbox, SatMaster Pro and Wireshark, 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 capable of running 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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