Postgraduate Diploma in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality. 8 modules covering IEC 60601-1:2005+A2:2020, IEC 60601-2-25:2011 and MATLAB Signal Processing Toolbox. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality — studying from Malta
Malta has a well-developed telecommunications sector, with a history of hosting submarine cable landing points and a substantial base of network and communications providers. The island's regulatory environment supports digital infrastructure, and this has encouraged companies in embedded systems, network engineering and electronics design. Employers include telecommunications operators, software and hardware developers, and multinational technology firms with Maltese engineering teams. Engineers with knowledge of wireless systems, network security and embedded programming find steady demand.
Fees for Malta: €1,290 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
How are electronics and telecom engineers recognised professionally in Malta?
Engineering titles in Malta are regulated by the Chamber of Engineers (KSU) under the Engineering Profession Act. Telecommunications is overseen by the Malta Communications Authority, which regulates licensing and spectrum. A SEIUM qualification is a private one, not a state degree and not accredited by a national body, so recognition depends on employers and the relevant authority.
Which Maltese employers hire embedded systems and telecom engineers?
Malta has telecoms operators, electronics manufacturers and component suppliers, iGaming and technology firms that use embedded hardware, and defence and maritime electronics companies. Employers typically assess hands-on design experience and certifications. A private qualification can help your profile, especially alongside practical projects.
Can I fit this programme around work, and what are the practical requirements?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, with an assigned technical tutor. You can study from Malta without a student visa. Choose a course length that matches your available time, from 300 hours up to 1,900. Ask about fee instalments and employer sponsorship 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
Characterise the main bio-signals and their artefacts.
Select electrodes and sensors according to the application.
Design low-noise analogue front-ends.
Configure synchronised digital acquisition systems.
Apply filtering techniques and event detection.
Assess signal quality using objective indices.
Meet the safety requirements of IEC 60601.
Who it's for
- Biomedical engineer who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Medical electronics designer who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Signal processing engineer who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Wearable device engineer who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Medical device validation engineer who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Neurotechnology researcher who wants to specialise in Bio-signal Acquisition/Quality.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter healthcare technology.
What you'll work with
- IEC 60601-1:2005+A2:2020
- IEC 60601-2-25:2011
- IEC 60601-1-2:2014+A1:2020
- ISO 14971:2019
- IEC 60601-2-47:2012
- ISO 10993-1:2018
- Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Bioelectricity and action potentials1.2ECG signal and leads1.3EEG signal and brain rhythms1.4Surface EMG signal1.5PPG photoplethysmography and oximetry1.6Respiration signals and bioimpedance1.7Typical amplitudes and bandwidths1.8Physiological and motion artefacts1.9Electrode-skin interface and its model1.10Workshop: characterisation of an ECG recording
2.1Wet Ag/AgCl electrodes2.2Dry and textile electrodes2.3Contact impedance and its measurement2.4Optical sensors for PPG2.5Accelerometers and inertial sensors2.6Body temperature sensors2.7Biocompatibility under ISO 109932.8Electrode placement and skin preparation2.9Electrode ageing and drift2.10Practice: electrode-skin impedance measurement
3.1Instrumentation amplifiers3.2Common-mode rejection CMRR3.3Driven right leg3.4Antialiasing filters of appropriate order3.5Integrated front-ends ADS1298 and AD82323.6Input noise and its budget3.7Defibrillation protection3.8Isolation and leakage currents3.9PCB design for microvolt signals3.10Laboratory: single-lead ECG front-end
4.1Sampling frequency and the Nyquist theorem4.2High-resolution sigma-delta ADCs4.3Multichannel synchronisation of channels4.4Timestamps and clocks4.5Wireless transmission of bio-signals4.6EDF and WFDB formats4.7Lossless compression4.8Storage and metadata4.9Latency in continuous monitoring4.10Practice: multichannel acquisition with OpenBCI
5.1Filtering mains interference5.2Removal of baseline drift5.3Adaptive filters and reference5.4Wavelet transform for denoising5.5QRS detection with Pan-Tompkins5.6EEG spectral analysis5.7EMG envelope extraction5.8Independent component analysis5.9Real-time processing on embedded systems5.10Laboratory: QRS detector in Python
6.1Signal quality indices SQI6.2Automatic artefact detection6.3Signal-to-noise ratio in real recordings6.4Quality in ambulatory monitoring6.5Detection of loose electrodes6.6Saturation and clipping6.7Manual annotation and consensus6.8PhysioNet reference databases6.9Impact of quality on algorithms6.10Case study: SQI for an ECG patch
7.1Electrical safety under IEC 60601-17.2Particular requirements for electrocardiographs7.3Electromagnetic compatibility under IEC 60601-1-27.4Equipment for home use7.5Risk management under ISO 149717.6Software as a medical device7.7Classification under the MDR7.8Performance testing with simulators7.9Technical documentation for the medical device7.10Practice: test with a patient simulator
8.1Signal selection and use case8.2Electrode and front-end design8.3Digital acquisition design8.4Processing and filtering8.5Signal quality indicators8.6Testing with volunteers and simulator8.7Device risk analysis8.8Technical validation report8.9Written report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM Institute campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There is 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 Signal Processing Toolbox, Python with NeuroKit2, OpenBCI GUI, EEGLAB, LTspice, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied through real recording procedures with patient simulators, ambulatory acquisition with volunteers, and signal quality assessment using PhysioNet databases. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Characterise the main bio-signals and their artefacts.
Select electrodes and sensors according to the application.
Design low-noise analogue front-ends.
Configure synchronised digital acquisition systems.
Apply filtering techniques and event detection.
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 Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
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 consists of 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with MATLAB Signal Processing Toolbox, Python with NeuroKit2, OpenBCI GUI, EEGLAB, LTspice. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Spanish Ministry of Education.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Consult the recognition policy when you enrol.
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