Postgraduate Diploma in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling. 8 modules covering Directive (EU) 2016/2284 (national emission ceilings), the EMEP/EEA Emission Inventory Guidebook and AERMOD. Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling — studying from Ireland
Ireland's civil engineering sector is driven by public infrastructure investment in roads, water, housing and public transport, alongside rail projects such as Dublin's light rail and commuter rail upgrades. Transport Infrastructure Ireland sets standards for national roads, while Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann operate and develop the rail network. Smart city initiatives in Dublin and other urban areas create demand for engineers working on sensors, data platforms and integrated mobility systems. Typical employers include contractors, consultancies, local authorities and public agencies, with Engineers Ireland providing professional recognition.
Fees for Ireland: €895 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is a SEIUM qualification recognised for chartered civil or rail engineering status in Ireland?
Chartered engineer status in Ireland is administered by Engineers Ireland, which sets its own criteria for membership and registration. Rail is regulated in part by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail-related bodies, while building and infrastructure standards involve other authorities. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is for those bodies and employers to decide.
Do Irish civil, rail and smart-city employers consider private online engineering study?
Irish infrastructure, consultancy and local authority employers usually weigh chartered status, project experience and relevant degrees heavily. A private online qualification may be considered as supporting evidence of skills, but its value is at each employer's discretion. We cannot promise any outcome, so discuss it with prospective employers.
Can I study alongside a site or office job, and is employer funding common?
The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Many Irish employers have continuing professional development budgets, so ask yours.
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 sources and processes of atmospheric pollution.
Prepare emission inventories using standardised methodologies.
Estimate sectoral emissions using emission factors and activity data.
Interpret the meteorology that controls the dispersion of pollutants.
Apply Gaussian and Lagrangian dispersion models.
Assess the impact of emissions on air quality.
Propose measures based on best available techniques and communicate them.
Who it's for
- Air quality engineer who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Emission inventory technician who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Atmospheric dispersion modeller who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Environmental impact assessment consultant who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Environmental permitting technician who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Industrial emissions analyst who wants to specialise in Emission Inventories and Dispersion Modelling.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter environmental consultancy.
What you'll work with
- Directive (EU) 2016/2284 (national emission ceilings)
- EMEP/EEA Emission Inventory Guidebook
- 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
- Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 (E-PRTR register)
- Directive 2010/75/EU (industrial emissions)
- Directive (EU) 2015/2193 (medium combustion plants)
- ISO 14064-1 (quantification of GHG emissions)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Primary and secondary pollutants1.2PM10 and PM2.5 particles1.3NOx, ozone and photochemistry1.4SO2, CO and volatile organic compounds1.5Directive (EU) 2024/2881 on ambient air quality1.6WHO Guidelines 20211.7Royal Decree 102/20111.8Monitoring and measurement networks1.9Health and ecosystem effects1.10Workshop: data analysis from an air quality network
2.1EMEP/EEA methodology2.2IPCC guidelines for greenhouse gases2.3Spanish National Inventory System2.4Emission factors and activity data2.5SNAP and NFR classification2.6Top-down and bottom-up approaches2.7Inventory uncertainty2.8Emission projections2.9E-PRTR register2.10Practical: inventory for a municipality
3.1Road traffic: COPERT3.2Non-exhaust emissions: brakes and tyres3.3Residential sector and heating3.4Industry and combustion3.5Agriculture and ammonia3.6Ports and airports3.7Biogenic emissions: MEGAN3.8Diffuse and fugitive sources3.9Spatial and temporal disaggregation3.10Laboratory: COPERT calculation for a road corridor
4.1Atmospheric boundary layer4.2Stability and Pasquill classes4.3Mixing height4.4Wind roses and climatology4.5Temperature inversions4.6WRF meteorological models4.7Surface data and radiosondes4.8Flows in urban environments4.9Topographic effects4.10Practical: meteorological pre-processing for a model
5.1Gaussian plume model5.2AERMOD and its pre-processor5.3CALPUFF for medium-range distances5.4Street canyon models: OSPM5.5Microscale CFD models5.6Photochemical models CMAQ and CHIMERE5.7Dry and wet deposition5.8Plume rise and stacks5.9Validation against measurements5.10Laboratory: AERMOD simulation of an industrial plant
6.1Atmospheric environmental impact assessment6.2Stack height and good practice6.3Source contribution and source apportionment6.4Population exposure assessment6.5Concentration maps and GIS6.6Low emission zones6.7Air quality improvement plans6.8Emission reduction scenarios6.9Uncertainty analysis6.10Case study: assessment of a low emission zone
7.1Emission permits7.2Best available techniques7.3Continuous monitoring systems7.4Pollution episodes and protocols7.5Operational air quality forecasting7.6Copernicus CAMS7.7National air quality index7.8Risk communication7.9Environmental justice and unequal exposure7.10Workshop: NO2 episode protocol
8.1Definition of the study area8.2Emission inventory8.3Spatial disaggregation8.4Meteorological pre-processing8.5Model configuration8.6Simulation and validation8.7Scenario evaluation8.8Proposal of measures8.9Report and presentation8.10Final 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. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AERMOD, CALPUFF, WRF, Python (pandas), QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assignments are based on real procedures for preparing urban emission inventories, dispersion modelling for impact assessments and model validation against station data. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the sources and processes of atmospheric pollution.
Prepare emission inventories using standardised methodologies.
Estimate sectoral emissions using emission factors and activity data.
Interpret the meteorology that controls the dispersion of pollutants.
Apply Gaussian and Lagrangian dispersion models.
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's software.
- Sufficient English to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 comprises 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses AERMOD, CALPUFF, WRF, Python (pandas) and QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An institutional diploma from SEIUM Institute upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher-level programme. Please check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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