Master’s in Policy, Procurement & International Compliance Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in defence policy, acquisition and international compliance engineering. 12 modules covering defence and security policy, capability planning, the acquisition cycle, defence public procurement, export control, international compliance, industrial and information security, European funding instruments, defence economics, international cooperation and governance, with Directive 2009/81/EC, Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and the Dual-Use Regulation (EU) 2021/821, 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
Analyse European and allied defence policy.
Understand capability planning processes.
Manage the acquisition cycle of defence systems.
Apply defence public procurement regulations.
Implement export control compliance programmes.
Prepare proposals for European funding instruments.
Assess governance and ethics in the defence industry.
Who it's for
- Defence policy analysts
- Acquisition managers
- Compliance officers
- Export control specialists
- International programme managers
- European funding consultants
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter defence public administration
What you'll work with
- Directive 2009/81/EC (defence and security procurement)
- Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (control of exports of military technology and equipment)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use export control)
- Arms Trade Treaty (international arms trade)
- Spanish Law 24/2011 (public sector contracts in defence and security)
- ISO 37301 (compliance management systems)
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations – ITAR (US defence export control)
- Export Administration Regulations – EAR (US dual-use export control)
- Microsoft Excel
- Power BI
- Microsoft Project
- SAP Ariba
- PRICE TruePlanning
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1EU Global Strategy and Strategic Compass1.2NATO Strategic Concept1.3Common Security and Defence Policy1.4National security strategies1.5Defence technological and industrial base1.6European strategic autonomy1.7Defence spending and commitments1.8Institutional actors1.9Ethics in defence policy1.10Case study: analysis of the Strategic Compass
2.1NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP)2.2EU Capability Development Plan2.3Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD)2.4Military needs and requirements2.5Gap analysis2.6Investment prioritisation2.7Programme portfolio management2.8Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)2.9Capability assessment2.10Workshop: capability gap analysis
3.1Phases of the acquisition life cycle3.2Requirements definition3.3Analysis of alternatives3.4Acquisition strategies3.5Evolutionary and incremental acquisition3.6Programme management3.7Testing and acceptance3.8Sustainment and disposal3.9OCCAR and NSPA agencies3.10Practical exercise: acquisition strategy for a system
4.1Directive 2009/81/EC4.2Spanish Law 24/2011 on public sector contracts in defence4.3Award procedures4.4Article 346 TFEU exemptions4.5Award criteria4.6Security of supply and of information4.7Subcontracting4.8Appeals and complaints4.9Transparency and competition4.10Case study: analysis of a defence tender specification
5.1Common Position 2008/944/CFSP5.2Dual-Use Regulation (EU) 2021/8215.3Arms Trade Treaty5.4Multilateral regimes: Wassenaar and MTCR5.5US ITAR and EAR regulations5.6Licences and authorisations5.7Product classification5.8Internal compliance programmes5.9Sanctions and embargoes5.10Workshop: classification of a dual-use product
6.1International humanitarian law6.2Arms control treaties6.3Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions6.4Ottawa Convention and cluster munitions6.5Human rights due diligence6.6Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive6.7Anti-corruption: FCPA and UK Bribery Act6.8ISO 37301 compliance management systems6.9Internal investigations6.10Practical exercise: compliance risk map
7.1Facility security clearances for companies7.2Protection of classified information7.3Bilateral security agreements7.4Supply chain security7.5Cybersecurity in the defence industry7.6Foreign investment screening7.7Intellectual property and technology7.8Technology transfer7.9Security audits7.10Case study: foreign direct investment screening
8.1European Defence Fund8.2EDIRPA and ASAP8.3EDIP programme8.4European Investment Bank and defence8.5Funding of defence R&D8.6Proposal preparation8.7International consortia8.8Grant management8.9Impact assessment8.10Workshop: structure of a European Defence Fund proposal
9.1Defence markets and their structure9.2Programme costs and cost escalation9.3Parametric cost estimation9.4Industrial offsets9.5Economic return on investment9.6Industrial consolidation9.7SMEs in the value chain9.8Cost-benefit analysis9.9Economic indicators9.10Practical exercise: parametric cost estimation
10.1Multinational programmes10.2Work share and fair return10.3Government-to-government agreements10.4Memoranda of understanding10.5Interoperability and standardisation10.6Cooperation with NATO10.7Transatlantic cooperation10.8Managing cultural differences10.9Lessons from cooperative programmes10.10Case study: analysis of a multinational programme
11.1Transparency and accountability11.2Parliamentary oversight11.3Integrity in procurement11.4Corporate social responsibility11.5ESG criteria in the defence industry11.6Ethics of defence technology11.7Conflict of interest management11.8Civil society and public debate11.9Policy evaluation11.10Workshop: code of ethics for a defence company
12.1Selection of the policy or acquisition case12.2Analysis of the regulatory framework12.3Capability and requirements analysis12.4Acquisition strategy12.5Compliance analysis12.6Economic evaluation12.7Policy recommendations12.8Conclusions12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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 it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Microsoft Project, SAP Ariba and PRICE TruePlanning, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied, such as analysis of procurement tender specifications, classification of dual-use products and parametric cost estimation of programmes. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2009/81/EC, Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, Dual-Use Regulation (EU) 2021/821, Arms Trade Treaty, Spanish Law 24/2011, ISO 37301, ITAR, EAR.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's 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 Microsoft Excel, Power BI, Microsoft Project, SAP Ariba and PRICE TruePlanning, 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's 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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