Master’s in Railway and Marine Cabs
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in railway and marine cabs: sector standards, ergonomics and safety in prolonged operation. 12 modules covering human factors, railway cab and ship bridge regulations, console architecture, driving and navigation interfaces, visibility, onboard comfort, passive safety, simulation, automation and cab project management, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Railway and Marine Cabs — studying from Malta
Malta's manufacturing base is comparatively small but includes food, pharmaceutical, electronics and light engineering activities, many serving export markets. Quality management and materials expertise are important for companies needing to meet international standards. The Malta Standards Authority oversees national standardisation and conformity, supporting firms in certification and product compliance. Engineers in this area often work in production, process improvement and quality assurance, frequently within multinational or export-oriented operations.
Fees for Malta: €6,920 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Is there a recognised professional route in Malta for materials and quality engineers?
In Malta, engineering titles are regulated through the Malta Council for Professions and the Chamber of Engineers. Quality work often references international standards bodies and certifications such as those from ASQ or ISO-based schemes, which many Maltese manufacturers use. SEIUM's qualifications are its own private ones, not official state degrees or accredited by a national body, so recognition depends on the employer or relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might value manufacturing and quality training?
Malta's manufacturing sector includes electronics, aerospace-related and marine industries, which employ quality and materials engineers. Whether a private online qualification helps depends on each employer's hiring criteria. Experience, certifications and your final project will matter, and employers ultimately decide whether SEIUM's qualification is useful to them.
Can I study this online while working in Malta, and how are fees handled?
Yes. Programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and you are assigned a technical tutor throughout.
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
Apply human factors and anthropometry to the design of control stations.
Interpret the railway and maritime regulations governing cabs and bridges.
Design ergonomic, maintainable consoles, desks and controls.
Evaluate driving and navigation interfaces using usability methods.
Analyse visibility, environmental comfort and passive safety of the workstation.
Validate proposals through simulation, prototypes and user testing.
Anticipate the impact of automation on the operator's role.
Who it's for
- Driver's cab designers at rolling stock manufacturers.
- Human factors engineers working on safety-critical workstations.
- Railway HMI specialists designing DMI and onboard displays.
- Navigation bridge designers in shipbuilding.
- Rolling stock interior engineers.
- Industrial ergonomics consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter rolling stock manufacturing.
What you'll work with
- EN 16186-1 (railway driver's cab: anthropometric data and visibility)
- SOLAS Chapter V (safety of navigation)
- ISO 8468 (ship's bridge layout and associated equipment)
- EN 15227 (crashworthiness of railway vehicle bodies)
- EN 45545-2 (fire protection of railway vehicles, material requirements)
- ISO 11064 (ergonomic design of control centres)
- MSC/Circ.982 (IMO guidelines on ergonomic criteria for bridge equipment and layout)
- ISO 2631-1 (whole-body vibration evaluation)
- RAMSIS
- Siemens Jack
- CATIA V5
- Unity
- Tobii Pro Lab
12 modules
1.1Anthropometry of train drivers and ship officers1.2P5 to P95 percentiles and reach zones1.3Mental workload and sustained vigilance1.4Fatigue, shifts and drowsiness1.5Field of view and blind spots1.6Postural ergonomics over long shifts1.7Human error and the SHERPA method1.8Situational awareness in dynamic environments1.9Hierarchical task analysis (HTA)1.10Workshop: task analysis of a train driver
2.1EN 16186 and driver's cab design2.2Forward visibility and windscreens2.3TSIs for locomotives and rolling stock2.4Crashworthiness to EN 152272.5Fire safety to EN 455452.6Cab air conditioning to EN 148132.7Interior noise to ISO 33812.8Standardised driver's desk and control layout2.9Vehicle authorisation process2.10Case study: cab compliance checklist
3.1SOLAS Chapter V and bridge design3.2MSC/Circ.982 guidelines on bridge ergonomics3.3ISO 8468 bridge layout3.4Visibility from the conning position3.5Integrated bridge systems and INS3.6Bridge alert management (BAM)3.7Manoeuvring consoles and bridge wings3.8Night lighting and dark-adapted vision3.9Bridges of high-speed craft3.10Practical: bridge layout for a ferry
4.1Zoning of primary and secondary controls4.2Traction and brake controllers4.3Azimuth propulsion joysticks4.4Integration of multifunction displays4.5Seat and footrest adjustment4.6Accessibility for maintenance4.7Wiring and heat dissipation in consoles4.8Hard-wearing materials and finishes4.9Modularity for fleet variants4.10Lab: full-scale driver's desk mock-up
5.1HMI principles for critical systems5.2ERTMS/ETCS DMI to CLC/TS 504595.3Chart display in ECDIS5.4Alarm hierarchy and alert fatigue5.5Colour codes and symbology5.6Touchscreens under vibration5.7Night mode and dimming5.8Evaluation with SUS and NASA-TLX5.9Interface prototyping in Figma5.10Practical: redesign of a DMI screen
6.1Signal visibility calculation6.2Windscreen wipers and demisting6.3Solar glare and sun visors6.4Reflections on glass and screens6.5Dimmable interior lighting6.6Radar and night vision aids6.7Rear-view cameras and mirrors6.8Visibility maps with a digital human model6.9Visibility in fog and rain6.10Case study: visibility study with RAMSIS
7.1Air quality and air renewal in the cab7.2Whole-body vibration to ISO 26317.3Ship motion and seasickness7.4Acoustic insulation of panels7.5Suspension seats7.6Thermal comfort to ISO 77307.7Circadian lighting for night watches7.8Low-frequency vibration7.9Measurement in commercial service7.10Practical: vibration measurement in a cab
8.1Crashworthy cabs8.2Survival spaces and energy absorption8.3Impact-resistant windscreens8.4Emergency exits and evacuation8.5Fire protection on bridges8.6Structural composites in cabs8.7Finite element analysis of the structure8.8Scale impact tests8.9Classification society requirements8.10Case study: cab escape route
9.1Train driving simulators9.2Certified bridge simulators9.3Digital human models in Jack and RAMSIS9.4Virtual reality reviews9.5Foam and wood prototypes9.6Tests with professional users9.7Eye tracking and attention measurement9.8Iteration between design and evaluation9.9Statistical analysis of tests9.10Lab: user test in a simulator
10.1Railway grades of automation (GoA)10.2Maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS)10.3Teleoperation and remote control centres10.4Return to manual control10.5Automatic train operation (ATO)10.6Collision avoidance and obstacle detection systems10.7Skill degradation and complacency10.8Single-operator workstations10.9Cybersecurity of the control station10.10Case study: cab for ATO GoA2
11.1Operator and customer requirements11.2Requirements engineering with DOORS11.3Configuration management11.4Cost and weight control11.5Driver's desk and seat suppliers11.6Verification and validation plan11.7Assessment by a notified body11.8Feedback from operation11.9Lessons learned across fleets11.10Workshop: requirements traceability matrix
12.1Selection of the vehicle or vessel for study12.2User and task analysis12.3Applicable regulatory requirements12.4Layout concept and alternatives12.5Visibility and reach study12.6Physical or virtual prototype12.7User evaluation12.8Final design proposal12.9Master'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 each intake, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is RAMSIS, Siemens Jack, CATIA V5, Unity and Tobii Pro Lab, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Cases are studied on real procedures: user tests in driving and bridge simulators, visibility studies with digital human models, and noise and vibration measurements in service. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: EN 16186-1, SOLAS Chapter V, ISO 8468, EN 15227, EN 45545-2, ISO 11064, MSC/Circ.982, ISO 2631-1.
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 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 RAMSIS, Siemens Jack, CATIA V5, Unity and Tobii Pro Lab, 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 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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