Postgraduate Diploma in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA. 8 modules covering IEC 62682 / ISA-18.2 (alarm management), EEMUA 191 (design and management of alarm systems) and MATLAB/Simulink. Tutor assigned and enrolment open.
Postgraduate Diploma in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA — studying from Malta
Malta's healthcare system relies on public hospitals alongside a growing private sector, creating demand for engineers in medical devices, clinical technology and facilities. The Medicines Authority and the Health Directorate set regulatory expectations that shape work on medical equipment. Biomechanics and wearable technology are emerging interests, particularly in rehabilitation, sports science and occupational safety. Professionals in this area often collaborate with clinicians, distributors and regulators to ensure devices meet national and European requirements.
Fees for Malta: €1,090 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Is this programme recognised by a professional body in Malta for engineers working in health, biomechanics or wearables?
SEIUM Institute's qualifications are its own private qualifications. They are not official Maltese state degrees and are not accredited by any national body. In Malta, engineering titles are regulated through the Malta Council for Professions and the Chamber of Engineers, and medical devices fall under the Medicines Authority. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will employers in Malta value this training for roles in wearables or operational safety?
Employers in Malta's health technology, manufacturing and safety-related sectors decide for themselves how much weight to give a private online qualification. Many weigh practical experience and a final project heavily. SEIUM's programmes include a final project, but whether it helps your career in Malta depends on your employer's view. Speaking with prospective employers beforehand is the most reliable way to find out.
Can I study this alongside a full-time job in Malta, and is employer funding possible?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor for support.
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
Explain the situational awareness model and its levels.
Classify automation levels and their effects on the operator.
Design rationalised alarm systems in accordance with ISA-18.2.
Apply high-performance HMI design principles.
Measure situational awareness using objective and subjective techniques.
Analyse the risks of automation and AI in safety-critical systems.
Validate a supervision design through simulator trials.
Who it's for
- Human factors engineer who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Supervision interface designer who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Alarm management engineer who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Process automation specialist who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Critical systems engineer who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Operational safety consultant who wants to specialise in Alert Design, Automation Levels and SA.
- Graduates in engineering or science looking to enter the process industry.
What you'll work with
- IEC 62682 / ISA-18.2 (alarm management)
- EEMUA 191 (design and management of alarm systems)
- ISO 11064 (ergonomic design of control centres)
- ISA-101.01 (human-machine interfaces)
- SAE J3016 (levels of driving automation)
- NUREG-0700 (human-system interface design)
- IEC 61508 (functional safety)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Endsley's three-level model1.2Perception, comprehension and projection1.3Situational awareness errors1.4Selective and divided attention1.5Working memory and cognitive load1.6Experts versus novices1.7Team situational awareness1.8Domains: aviation, process control and healthcare1.9Goal-oriented design1.10Case study: analysis of an accident caused by loss of SA
2.1Sheridan and Verplank taxonomy2.2Parasuraman, Sheridan and Wickens model2.3SAE J3016 in automated driving2.4Adaptive automation2.5Complacency and automation bias2.6Out of the loop and skill degradation2.7Calibrated trust in automation2.8System transparency2.9Transfer of control2.10Practice: allocation of functions in a control room
3.1Alarm philosophy according to ISA-18.23.2EEMUA 191 alarm management3.3Alarm flooding and fatigue3.4Prioritisation and rationalisation3.5Auditory alarms IEC 60601-1-83.6Visual and haptic alarms3.7Suppression and state-dependent alarms3.8Alarm system performance metrics3.9Alarm lifecycle3.10Workshop: rationalisation of an alarm list
4.1High-performance HMI4.2Display hierarchy4.3Use of colour and greyscale4.4Trend indicators4.5Ecological interface design4.6Embedded and configuration displays4.7Interfaces for remote operation4.8Augmented reality in supervision4.9ISO 11064 control room standards4.10Practice: redesign of an HMI display
5.1SAGAT technique5.2SART scale5.3Process measures and eye tracking5.4Mental workload with NASA-TLX5.5Physiological workload measures5.6Simulation scenario design5.7Performance analysis5.8Validity and reliability of measures5.9Interpretation of results5.10Laboratory: application of SAGAT in simulation
6.1Intelligent agents as teammates6.2Explainability of automated decisions6.3Automation modes and mode confusion6.4Human oversight under the AI Act6.5Design for failure recovery6.6Cockpit automation and autopilot6.7Clinical decision support systems6.8Automated driving vehicles6.9Lessons from incidents6.10Case study: mode confusion in an automated system
7.1Cognitive task analysis7.2User trials in simulator7.3Integrated system validation7.4Human reliability analysis7.5HMI change management7.6Training and instruction7.7Safety indicators7.8Alarm system audit7.9Human factors documentation7.10Practice: HMI validation plan
8.1System selection and context8.2Analysis of SA objectives and requirements8.3Function allocation8.4Alarm design8.5Interface design8.6Simulation evaluation8.7Analysis of results8.8Recommendations8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online study on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, PsychoPy, Tobii Pro Lab, Python (pandas), Ignition (Inductive Automation), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Trials are studied using real control room simulator procedures, situational awareness measurement with SAGAT, and analysis of alarm logs. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain the situational awareness model and its levels.
Classify automation levels and their effects on the operator.
Design rationalised alarm systems in accordance with ISA-18.2.
Apply high-performance HMI design principles.
Measure situational awareness using objective and subjective techniques.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
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 800 hours, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses MATLAB/Simulink, PsychoPy, Tobii Pro Lab, Python (pandas), Ignition (Inductive Automation). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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