Master’s in Space Radiation and Rad-Hard Components Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in space radiation and rad-hard components engineering: 12 modules covering the radiation environment, radiation-matter interaction, total dose, single-event and displacement damage effects, rad-hard and COTS components, design mitigation, space FPGAs and processors, radiation testing and hardness assurance, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Space Radiation and Rad-Hard Components Engineering — studying from Malta
Malta's aerospace activity is concentrated around Malta International Airport at Luqa, where aircraft maintenance, cabin interiors and aviation services form a significant part of the local economy. The island's aviation sector is supported by a long-established regulatory framework and a growing interest in drone operations and advanced air mobility. Engineers here commonly find work with aircraft maintenance organisations, aviation services providers and companies engaged in unmanned systems testing. Expertise in airworthiness, systems integration and regulatory compliance is particularly valued by employers operating within this niche but internationally connected market.
Fees for Malta: €5,920 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which professional bodies in Malta recognise engineers working in aerospace, UAM, drones and space, and how does that affect my title?
Malta's Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' under the Engineering Profession Act. Aviation safety is overseen by the Malta Competition and Consumers Affairs Authority's aviation counterpart, Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, which licenses operators and certain technical staff. A private SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition depends on the employer or the relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might hire someone with an aerospace or drone engineering background?
Malta has an aviation sector centred on Malta International Airport, aircraft maintenance and MRO activity, and a growing drone and space-related presence at the University of Malta and in private firms. Employers vary in their hiring criteria. A private qualification can support a application, but employers will weigh it against experience and any formal credentials they require.
Can I realistically study this 1,900-hour programme while working full time in Malta, and do I need a visa?
Programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Malta or elsewhere without a student visa. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor. Workload should be planned around your job; 1,900 hours is substantial, so most working professionals spread it over a long period. Ask about employer sponsorship and instalment fee options before enrolling.
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 space radiation environment.
Analyse the interaction of radiation with electronic components.
Assess total dose, single-event and displacement effects.
Select suitable rad-hard and COTS components.
Design mitigations at system and circuit level.
Plan radiation tests.
Apply radiation assurance in space projects.
Who it's for
- Radiation effects engineers looking for a structured, standards-based framework.
- Space EEE component engineers responsible for part selection and approval.
- Product assurance engineers who handle radiation hardness assurance.
- Space electronics designers who need to build in tolerance from the start.
- Space FPGA engineers working on mitigation and testing.
- Radiation physics researchers moving into applied space engineering.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space sector.
What you'll work with
- ECSS-E-ST-10-04C (space environment)
- ECSS-E-ST-10-12C (methods for the calculation of radiation received)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C (radiation hardness assurance)
- ESCC Basic Specification 22900 (total dose steady-state irradiation test method)
- ESCC Basic Specification 25100 (single-event effects test method)
- MIL-STD-883 Method 1019 (ionising radiation (total dose) test procedure)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60C (EEE components)
- JESD57 (heavy-ion single-event effects testing)
- SPENVIS
- OMERE
- Geant4
- FASTRAD
- CREME96
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Van Allen belts and their dynamics1.2Galactic cosmic rays1.3Solar particle events1.4South Atlantic Anomaly1.5Radiation in LEO, MEO and GEO orbits1.6AE9/AP9 and CREME96 models1.7LET and energy spectra1.8Space weather and its forecasting1.9Environments for Jupiter and deep-space missions1.10Lab: radiation spectrum of an orbit with SPENVIS
2.1Ionisation and linear energy transfer2.2Atomic displacement and NIEL2.3Total ionising dose2.4Proton and neutron interaction2.5Secondary particles in shielding2.6Charge physics in oxides2.7Effects on materials and optical sensors2.8Units and dosimetry2.9Particle transport tools2.10Practical exercise: dose calculation behind aluminium shielding
3.1Threshold voltage shift3.2Leakage currents3.3ELDRS effects in bipolar transistors3.4Degradation in analogue components3.5Effects on memories3.6Annealing and dose-rate-dependent effects3.7RDM design margins3.8Testing to ESCC 229003.9Testing with cobalt-60 sources3.10Case study: dose margin analysis of a regulator
4.1SEU and MBU in memories4.2SET in logic and analogue devices4.3SEL and its protection4.4SEGR and SEB in power MOSFETs4.5SEFI in complex devices4.6Cross-section and Weibull curves4.7Calculation of in-orbit error rates4.8Heavy-ion testing4.9Proton testing4.10Lab: SEU rate with a Weibull curve
5.1Effects on solar cells5.2Degradation of CCD and CMOS detectors5.3Optocouplers and LEDs5.4Charge transfer in sensors5.5Displacement damage dose models5.6Proton and neutron testing5.7Mitigation by design5.8Impact on observation missions5.9Examples of in-flight degradation5.10Practical exercise: efficiency degradation of a solar panel
6.1Rad-hard by process technologies6.2Rad-hard by design6.3Silicon-on-insulator technology6.4Components from the EPPL list6.5QML-V and QML-Q components6.6Space component manufacturers6.7ESCC quality classes6.8Costs and lead times6.9European non-ITAR components6.10Case study: selecting a processor for a GEO mission
7.1New space and the use of COTS7.2Risks of COTS7.3Screening and lot acceptance7.4Radiation testing of COTS7.5AEC-Q100 automotive components7.6System-level mitigation strategies7.7Experience in CubeSats7.8ECSS standards for COTS7.9Risk management in constellations7.10Workshop: COTS evaluation plan for a constellation
8.1Shielding and sector analysis8.2Triple modular redundancy (TMR)8.3EDAC error detection and correction codes8.4Memory scrubbing8.5Watchdogs and supervision8.6Latch-up protection8.7Design of tolerant FPGAs8.8Fault-tolerant architectures8.9Fault-tolerant software8.10Lab: implementing EDAC in memory
9.1Antifuse and flash FPGAs9.2Tolerant SRAM FPGAs9.3European NanoXplore BRAVE FPGAs9.4LEON and GR740 processors9.5Space ARM processors9.6Mitigation in SRAM FPGAs9.7Design tools9.8Radiation testing of FPGAs9.9Trends in space computing9.10Practical exercise: sensitivity analysis of an FPGA design
10.1European test facilities10.2Campaign planning10.3Device preparation10.4Real-time measurements10.5Data analysis10.6ESCC 25100 and MIL-STD-883 standards10.7Low-dose-rate testing10.8Pulsed laser testing10.9Test reports10.10Case study: heavy-ion test plan
11.1Requirements of ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C11.2Radiation hardness assurance11.3Worst-case analysis11.4Radiation databases11.5Management of critical components11.6Design review11.7Requirements verification11.8Lessons from in-flight anomalies11.9Radiation documentation11.10Practical exercise: RHA analysis of an electronic board
12.1Mission and orbit definition12.2Radiation environment analysis12.3Component selection12.4Dose and shielding analysis12.5Calculation of single-event rates12.6Mitigation design12.7Test plan12.8Radiation assurance analysis12.9Master's Thesis: written 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, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SPENVIS, OMERE, Geant4, FASTRAD and CREME96, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for total dose testing with cobalt-60, single-event testing with heavy ions and sector shielding analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: ECSS-E-ST-10-04C, ECSS-E-ST-10-12C, ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C, ESCC Basic Specification 22900, ESCC Basic Specification 25100, MIL-STD-883 Method 1019, ECSS-Q-ST-60C, JESD57.
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 SPENVIS, OMERE, Geant4, FASTRAD and CREME96, 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.
Related programmes
Master’s in Aeronautical Communications and Datalink Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in aeronautical communications and datalink engineering, structured in 12 modules covering radio fundamentals, VHF datalinks, CPDLC and ATN, SATCOM, future…
Master’s in Regulation, Continuing Airworthiness & Business Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in aviation regulation, continuing airworthiness and business engineering. 12 modules covering the EASA Basic Regulation, Part 21, Regulation (EU) 1321/2014,…
Master’s in Supersonic and Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in supersonic and hypersonic aerothermodynamics engineering, structured in 12 modules covering compressible flow, supersonic aerodynamics, hypersonics, high-temperature gases, aerothermal heating,…
More in Aerospace, UAM, Drones & Space
All Aerospace, UAM, Drones & Space programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships