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Master'sElectronics, Embedded Systems & Telecom Applications open

Master’s in Functional Safety in Electronics

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in functional safety in electronics (IEC 61508, ISO 13849, design and safety case). 12 modules covering hazard and risk analysis, safe hardware architectures, hardware metrics, FMEDA, diagnostic mechanisms, safety-related software, ISO 26262 for automotive, industry and machinery, rail and medical sectors, and verification, validation and assessment, applied to IEC 61508, ISO 26262 and IEC 61511 with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration12–14 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Apply the functional safety life cycle.

02

Analyse hazards and allocate integrity levels.

03

Design safe hardware architectures.

04

Calculate hardware metrics and carry out FMEDA.

05

Implement effective diagnostic mechanisms.

06

Apply sector-specific functional safety standards.

07

Verify, validate and document safety cases.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Functional safety engineers.
  • Safety-critical hardware engineers.
  • Functional safety assessors.
  • Reliability engineers.
  • Safety-critical software engineers.
  • Functional safety managers.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the automotive industry.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • IEC 61508 (functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems)
  • ISO 26262 (functional safety of road vehicles)
  • IEC 61511 (safety instrumented systems for the process industry)
  • IEC 62061 (functional safety of machinery control systems)
  • ISO 13849-1 (safety-related parts of control systems)
  • UNE-EN 50129 (railway safety-related electronic systems)
  • IEC 61709 (reference conditions for failure rates of components)
  • Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (Machinery Regulation)
  • Ansys medini analyze
  • Isograph Reliability Workbench
  • SISTEMA (IFA)
  • Polyspace
  • exida exSILentia
Syllabus

12 modules

  1. 1.1Risk and safety concepts
  2. 1.2Functional safety versus intrinsic safety
  3. 1.3Safety life cycle
  4. 1.4Random and systematic failures
  5. 1.5IEC 61508 as the basic standard
  6. 1.6Derived sector standards
  7. 1.7SIL and ASIL levels
  8. 1.8Functional safety management
  9. 1.9Reference accidents
  10. 1.10Case study: safety life cycle of a controller
  1. 2.1Hazard identification
  2. 2.2HAZOP
  3. 2.3HARA in automotive
  4. 2.4Risk graph
  5. 2.5Layers of protection analysis (LOPA)
  6. 2.6Safety goals
  7. 2.7Functional safety requirements
  8. 2.8SIL allocation
  9. 2.9Documentation
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: HARA of a braking system
  1. 3.11oo1, 1oo2 and 2oo3 architectures
  2. 3.2Redundancy and diversity
  3. 3.3Lockstep microcontrollers
  4. 3.4Watchdogs and supervisors
  5. 3.5Power supply monitoring
  6. 3.6Diagnostic channels
  7. 3.7Safe state
  8. 3.8Common cause failures
  9. 3.9Architecture selection
  10. 3.10Lab: design of a 1oo2D architecture
  1. 4.1FIT failure rates
  2. 4.2SN 29500 and IEC 61709 databases
  3. 4.3Safe failure fraction (SFF)
  4. 4.4Diagnostic coverage
  5. 4.5Hardware fault tolerance
  6. 4.6Single-point fault metric (SPFM)
  7. 4.7Latent fault metric (LFM)
  8. 4.8PMHF
  9. 4.9Calculation of PFD and PFH
  10. 4.10Practical exercise: PMHF calculation for a board
  1. 5.1FMEDA methodology
  2. 5.2Component failure modes
  3. 5.3Failure classification
  4. 5.4Diagnostics and coverage
  5. 5.5Fault tree analysis
  6. 5.6Dependent failure analysis
  7. 5.7FMEDA tools
  8. 5.8Independent review
  9. 5.9Safety report
  10. 5.10Lab: FMEDA of an analogue input stage
  1. 6.1RAM and Flash memory self-tests
  2. 6.2CPU checks
  3. 6.3Clock monitoring
  4. 6.4I/O tests
  5. 6.5Channel comparison
  6. 6.6Sensor plausibility
  7. 6.7Short-circuit detection
  8. 6.8Proof tests
  9. 6.9Start-up diagnostics
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: RAM self-test on a microcontroller
  1. 7.1Software requirements of IEC 61508-3
  2. 7.2ISO 26262-6
  3. 7.3MISRA C coding standards
  4. 7.4Static analysis
  5. 7.5Unit testing and coverage
  6. 7.6Software separation and partitioning
  7. 7.7Certified RTOS
  8. 7.8Tool qualification
  9. 7.9Configuration management
  10. 7.10Lab: MISRA analysis with a static analysis tool
  1. 8.1Parts of ISO 26262
  2. 8.2Item definition
  3. 8.3Functional safety concept
  4. 8.4Technical safety concept
  5. 8.5ASIL decomposition
  6. 8.6Hardware to ISO 26262-5
  7. 8.7Semiconductors (ISO 26262-11)
  8. 8.8Safety Element out of Context
  9. 8.9Interaction with SOTIF
  10. 8.10Case study: technical concept for a steering ECU
  1. 9.1IEC 61511 for the process industry
  2. 9.2IEC 62061 for machinery
  3. 9.3ISO 13849 and performance levels (PL)
  4. 9.4Typical safety functions
  5. 9.5Drives with STO functions
  6. 9.6Safety relays and PLCs
  7. 9.7Validation of safety functions
  8. 9.8Machinery Regulation 2023/1230
  9. 9.9Technical documentation
  10. 9.10Practical exercise: PL calculation with SISTEMA
  1. 10.1EN 50126, 50128 and 50129
  2. 10.2IEC 62304 for medical software
  3. 10.3IEC 60601 and essential safety
  4. 10.4IEC 61513 for nuclear
  5. 10.5DO-254 in avionics
  6. 10.6Equivalences between standards
  7. 10.7Cross-certification
  8. 10.8Component reuse
  9. 10.9Sector-specific features
  10. 10.10Workshop: comparing requirements across sectors
  1. 11.1Verification plan
  2. 11.2Fault injection
  3. 11.3HiL testing
  4. 11.4Safety validation
  5. 11.5Safety case
  6. 11.6Assessment and audit
  7. 11.7Certification bodies
  8. 11.8Change management
  9. 11.9Safety in operation
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: fault injection campaign
  1. 12.1System and context
  2. 12.2Risk analysis
  3. 12.3Safety requirements
  4. 12.4Hardware architecture
  5. 12.5FMEDA and metrics
  6. 12.6Diagnostic mechanisms
  7. 12.7Verification plan
  8. 12.8Safety case
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online 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 fits around your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys medini analyze, Isograph Reliability Workbench, SISTEMA (IFA), Polyspace and exida exSILentia, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for FMEDA analysis, fault injection campaigns and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: IEC 61508, ISO 26262, IEC 61511, IEC 62061, ISO 13849-1, UNE-EN 50129, IEC 61709, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (machinery).

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of IEC 61508, ISO 26262 and IEC 61511 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:Ansys medini analyze, Isograph Reliability Workbench, SISTEMA (IFA), Polyspace and exida exSILentia, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:Functional safety case for an electronic system, from risk analysis and safety requirements to hardware architecture, FMEDA, diagnostics and verification plan, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Hazard and risk analysis
Carry out a HARA and allocate SIL/ASIL to the safety goals.
Safe architecture
Design a 1oo2D hardware architecture with its diagnostic channels.
FMEDA and metrics
Perform an FMEDA and calculate SPFM, LFM and PMHF.
Verification
Plan and run a fault injection campaign on the design.
Master's Thesis
Complete safety case for an electronic system, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Functional safety engineerSafety-critical hardware engineerFunctional safety assessorReliability engineerSafety-critical software engineerFunctional safety manager
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • 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.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with Ansys medini analyze, Isograph Reliability Workbench, SISTEMA (IFA), Polyspace and exida exSILentia, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), 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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