Rad-hard components course
Online course of 300 hours in rad-hard components: 6 modules covering EEE components for space, radiation degradation mechanisms, hardening techniques, radiation hardness assurance and applications and architectures, with an assigned technical tutor.
Rad-hard components course — 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: €743 (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 quality classes and selection processes of EEE components.
Understand radiation degradation mechanisms.
Compare process and design hardening techniques.
Apply the radiation hardness assurance process.
Evaluate COTS components for space applications.
Design architectures that combine COTS and rad-hard components.
Prepare a justified components list for a mission.
Who it's for
- EEE component engineers.
- Product assurance engineers.
- Radiation effects engineers.
- Space electronics designers.
- Technical procurement engineers.
- Microelectronics engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space industry.
What you'll work with
- ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C (radiation hardness assurance for EEE components)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60C (EEE components)
- ESCC 22900 (total dose steady-state irradiation test method)
- MIL-STD-883 (method 1019) (total dose test procedure)
- MIL-PRF-38535 (integrated circuit manufacturing (QML))
- ESCC 25100 (single-event effects test method)
- ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C (commercial EEE components)
- MIL-PRF-19500 (semiconductor devices)
- OMERE
- SPENVIS
- CREME96
- Geant4
- FASTRAD
6 modules
1.1Component quality classes1.2Qualified, QML and ESCC components1.3COTS and automotive components1.4Preferred parts lists1.5Selection processes1.6Component derating1.7Obsolescence1.8Supply chain and ITAR1.9Space-grade versus military-grade components1.10Workshop: comparison of components by quality class
2.1Total dose in MOS and bipolar devices2.2ELDRS in bipolar devices2.3Displacement damage in optoelectronics2.4SEE sensitivity of memories2.5Effects on converters and power devices2.6Degradation of image sensors2.7Annealing and dose-rate effects2.8Emerging technologies and their response2.9Effects on power components2.10Practical exercise: analysis of total dose data for an amplifier
3.1Radiation hardening by process3.2SOI and SOS technologies3.3Radiation hardening by design (RHBD)3.4DICE cells and TMR in ASICs3.5Antifuse and flash rad-hard FPGAs3.6MRAM and FRAM memories3.7Packaging and spot shielding3.8Cost versus performance3.9Rad-hard memories and flip-flop hardening3.10Lab: comparison of rad-hard FPGAs
4.1The RHA process4.2Radiation design margins4.3Lot and wafer testing4.4Radiation test databases4.5Evaluation of COTS through testing4.6Worst-case analysis with radiation4.7Approval documentation4.8Deviation management4.9Lot review and traceability4.10Case study: justification of a COTS part for LEO
5.1LEON and RAD750 rad-hard processors5.2Hardened power electronics5.3Analogue-to-digital converters5.4Sensors and detectors5.5Hybrid COTS and rad-hard architectures5.6New space and CubeSats5.7Long-duration missions5.8Lessons from in-orbit failures5.9Processors for on-board artificial intelligence5.10Case study: mixed avionics architecture
6.1Mission requirements6.2Radiation environment6.3Component selection6.4RHA analysis6.5Test plan6.6Design-level mitigation6.7Cost and schedule6.8Declared components list6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. 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 OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: component selection for low-cost LEO avionics, evaluation of total dose data for components and preparation of a components list with RHA analysis. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final project.
Standards covered: ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C, ECSS-Q-ST-60C, ESCC 22900, MIL-STD-883 (method 1019), MIL-PRF-38535, ESCC 25100, ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C, MIL-PRF-19500.
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
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. 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 are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, 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.
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