Rad-hard components course
Online course of 300 hours in rad-hard components: 6 modules covering EEE components for space, radiation degradation mechanisms, hardening techniques, radiation hardness assurance and applications and architectures, with an assigned technical tutor.
Rad-hard components course — studying from Ireland
Ireland's aerospace sector is concentrated in Shannon, Limerick and the Dublin region, with a strong base of maintenance, repair and overhaul, avionics, aerostructures and engine component manufacturing. Multinational suppliers and specialist SMEs serve global airframe and engine programmes, while the Irish Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency shape certification and airworthiness requirements. Growing interest in drones, urban air mobility and space-related research is supported by university spin-outs and national research centres. Engineers here work on design assurance, systems integration, maintenance planning and compliance across the aviation value chain.
Fees for Ireland: €743 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by professional bodies in Ireland for aerospace work?
SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state-awarded, and are not accredited by any national body. Engineers Ireland is the main professional body for engineers in Ireland and sets its own membership criteria, so recognition is decided by them, not by SEIUM. Aviation safety oversight sits with the Irish Aviation Authority. Check directly with these bodies before relying on any credential for licensing or chartership.
Do Irish aerospace and drone employers value private online engineering qualifications?
Hiring in Ireland's aerospace and drone sector is generally driven by demonstrable skills, relevant experience and, for many roles, recognised degrees. A private qualification may support a CV, particularly alongside practical experience, but its weight is decided by each employer. We cannot promise any outcome. Speaking to prospective employers about how they view SEIUM's programmes is the most reliable way to judge.
Can I study this programme alongside a full-time job in Ireland?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so there is no travel and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. You will have an assigned technical tutor, and fees can be paid in instalments. Some employers offer funding, which you should ask about directly.
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 quality classes and selection processes of EEE components.
Understand radiation degradation mechanisms.
Compare process and design hardening techniques.
Apply the radiation hardness assurance process.
Evaluate COTS components for space applications.
Design architectures that combine COTS and rad-hard components.
Prepare a justified components list for a mission.
Who it's for
- EEE component engineers.
- Product assurance engineers.
- Radiation effects engineers.
- Space electronics designers.
- Technical procurement engineers.
- Microelectronics engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space industry.
What you'll work with
- ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C (radiation hardness assurance for EEE components)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60C (EEE components)
- ESCC 22900 (total dose steady-state irradiation test method)
- MIL-STD-883 (method 1019) (total dose test procedure)
- MIL-PRF-38535 (integrated circuit manufacturing (QML))
- ESCC 25100 (single-event effects test method)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C (commercial EEE components)
- MIL-PRF-19500 (semiconductor devices)
- OMERE
- SPENVIS
- CREME96
- Geant4
- FASTRAD
6 modules
1.1Component quality classes1.2Qualified, QML and ESCC components1.3COTS and automotive components1.4Preferred parts lists1.5Selection processes1.6Component derating1.7Obsolescence1.8Supply chain and ITAR1.9Space-grade versus military-grade components1.10Workshop: comparison of components by quality class
2.1Total dose in MOS and bipolar devices2.2ELDRS in bipolar devices2.3Displacement damage in optoelectronics2.4SEE sensitivity of memories2.5Effects on converters and power devices2.6Degradation of image sensors2.7Annealing and dose-rate effects2.8Emerging technologies and their response2.9Effects on power components2.10Practical exercise: analysis of total dose data for an amplifier
3.1Radiation hardening by process3.2SOI and SOS technologies3.3Radiation hardening by design (RHBD)3.4DICE cells and TMR in ASICs3.5Antifuse and flash rad-hard FPGAs3.6MRAM and FRAM memories3.7Packaging and spot shielding3.8Cost versus performance3.9Rad-hard memories and flip-flop hardening3.10Lab: comparison of rad-hard FPGAs
4.1The RHA process4.2Radiation design margins4.3Lot and wafer testing4.4Radiation test databases4.5Evaluation of COTS through testing4.6Worst-case analysis with radiation4.7Approval documentation4.8Deviation management4.9Lot review and traceability4.10Case study: justification of a COTS part for LEO
5.1LEON and RAD750 rad-hard processors5.2Hardened power electronics5.3Analogue-to-digital converters5.4Sensors and detectors5.5Hybrid COTS and rad-hard architectures5.6New space and CubeSats5.7Long-duration missions5.8Lessons from in-orbit failures5.9Processors for on-board artificial intelligence5.10Case study: mixed avionics architecture
6.1Mission requirements6.2Radiation environment6.3Component selection6.4RHA analysis6.5Test plan6.6Design-level mitigation6.7Cost and schedule6.8Declared components list6.9Report and presentation6.10Final 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. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: component selection for low-cost LEO avionics, evaluation of total dose data for components and preparation of a components list with RHA analysis. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final project.
Standards covered: ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C, ECSS-Q-ST-60C, ESCC 22900, MIL-STD-883 (method 1019), MIL-PRF-38535, ESCC 25100, ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C, MIL-PRF-19500.
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
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, 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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