Master’s in Hardware, PCB and Reliability Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in hardware, PCB and reliability engineering. 12 modules covering hardware product development, schematic and PCB design to IPC-2221B, signal and power integrity, thermal management, reliability prediction, failure mechanisms, qualification testing and manufacturing to IPC-A-610H, with an assigned technical tutor.
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
Design robust schematics with justified component selection.
Carry out the physical design of multilayer boards to IPC standards.
Apply signal integrity, power integrity and thermal management criteria.
Predict reliability using failure-rate models.
Plan qualification and accelerated life tests.
Analyse hardware failures with systematic methods.
Prepare designs for manufacturing, assembly and test.
Who it's for
- Electronic hardware engineers seeking a more rigorous design and reliability approach.
- PCB designers moving into multilayer and high-speed boards.
- Electronic reliability engineers working with prediction and qualification.
- Component engineers managing selection, obsolescence and counterfeits.
- Electronics industrialisation engineers bridging design and production.
- Hardware validation engineers planning environmental and life testing.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to move into industrial electronics.
What you'll work with
- IPC-2221B (generic standard on printed board design)
- IPC-A-610H (acceptability of electronic assemblies)
- IPC-6012E (qualification and performance of rigid printed boards)
- IEC 61709 (reference conditions for failure rates)
- MIL-HDBK-217F (reliability prediction of electronic equipment)
- IEC 60068-2 (environmental testing)
- JEDEC JESD22 (reliability test methods)
- IPC-7351B (surface-mount land pattern design)
- Altium Designer
- KiCad
- Cadence OrCAD
- LTspice
- Ansys Sherlock
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Lifecycle of an electronic product1.2Hardware requirements specification1.3Block architecture and partitioning1.4Power, cost and space budgets1.5Phased design reviews1.6Hardware configuration management1.7Technical design documentation1.8Coordination with mechanics and firmware1.9EVT, DVT and PVT prototypes1.10Case study: specification of an industrial control board
2.1Component selection and lifecycle2.2Power supply and protection circuits2.3Digital interfaces and logic levels2.4Analogue signal-conditioning circuits2.5Clocks and oscillators2.6ESD and overvoltage protection2.7Design for test at schematic level2.8Systematic schematic review2.9Component and symbol libraries2.10Practical: schematic of a microcontroller board
3.1Layer stack-up and dielectric materials3.2Design rules to IPC-2221B3.3Component footprints to IPC-7351B3.4Functional component placement3.5Ground and power planes3.6Signal routing and vias3.7Track widths and current capacity3.8Insulation and safety clearances3.9Gerber and IPC-2581 manufacturing files3.10Lab: design of a four-layer board in KiCad
4.1Transmission lines and controlled impedance4.2Reflections and terminations4.3Crosstalk between tracks4.4Differential pair routing4.5Power distribution network4.6Decoupling capacitors4.7Signal integrity simulation4.8Oscilloscope and reflectometry measurements4.9Practical design rules4.10Workshop: impedance and decoupling calculation
5.1Heat transfer mechanisms5.2Thermal resistances and models5.3Board-level dissipation and thermal vias5.4Heatsinks and airflow5.5Thermal interface materials5.6Thermal simulation of boards5.7Measurement with thermography and thermocouples5.8Effect of temperature on reliability5.9Thermal derating of components5.10Practical: thermal analysis of a regulator
6.1Reliability and availability concepts6.2The bathtub curve6.3Exponential and Weibull distributions6.4Failure rate and MTBF6.5Reliability block diagrams6.6Redundancy and fault-tolerant architectures6.7Prediction with MIL-HDBK-217F6.8Prediction with IEC 61709 and FIDES6.9Limitations of prediction6.10Lab: reliability prediction of a board
7.1Solder joint fatigue7.2Electromigration and semiconductor degradation7.3Corrosion and dendritic growth7.4Conductive anodic filaments7.5Failures in electrolytic and ceramic capacitors7.6Delamination and the popcorn effect7.7Latent electrostatic discharge damage7.8Physics of failure and acceleration models7.9Life simulation with Ansys Sherlock7.10Case study: BGA solder fatigue analysis
8.1Hardware design FMEA8.2FMEDA failure mode analysis8.3Fault trees8.4Worst-case circuit analysis8.5Component stress analysis8.6Monte Carlo tolerance analysis8.7Component obsolescence8.8Counterfeit component prevention8.9Supply chain risk management8.10Workshop: FMEA of a power supply
9.1Product qualification plan9.2IEC 60068-2 environmental tests9.3Thermal cycling and thermal shock9.4Vibration and mechanical shock9.5Humidity and damp heat9.6HALT accelerated life testing9.7HASS screening in production9.8JEDEC component tests9.9Statistical analysis of results9.10Practical: design of an accelerated life test
10.1Board manufacturing processes10.2ENIG and OSP surface finishes10.3SMT assembly and soldering profiles10.4Wave and selective soldering10.5Optical and X-ray inspection10.6IPC-A-610H acceptance criteria10.7Design for manufacturing (DFM)10.8Design for assembly (DFA)10.9Design for test (DFT)10.10Case study: DFM review of a board
11.1Failure analysis methodology11.2Non-destructive inspection techniques11.3Microsections and microscopy11.4Root cause analysis with 8D11.5Field failures and returns11.6Field reliability and warranty data11.7Reliability growth11.8Design lessons learned11.9Continuous product improvement11.10Lab: failure analysis of a returned assembly
12.1Definition of the hardware product12.2Requirements specification12.3Schematic design12.4Physical board design12.5Integrity and thermal analysis12.6Reliability prediction12.7Qualification plan12.8Conclusions and future work12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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 the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Altium Designer, KiCad, Cadence OrCAD, LTspice and Ansys Sherlock, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Work is based on real procedures: complete design of a multilayer printed circuit board, reliability analysis and failure-rate prediction, and accelerated life and thermal cycling tests. Assessment is continuous per module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IPC-2221B, IPC-A-610H, IPC-6012E, IEC 61709, MIL-HDBK-217F, IEC 60068-2, JEDEC JESD22, IPC-7351B.
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
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 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 Altium Designer, KiCad, Cadence OrCAD, LTspice and Ansys Sherlock, 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 university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), 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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