Master’s in Powertrains for Special Machinery/Racing Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in powertrain engineering for special machinery and motorsport, structured in 12 modules covering special powertrain requirements, high-performance engines, adapting series engines, engine calibration, competition and special transmissions, high-performance hybridisation, powertrains for special machinery, extreme thermal management, durability, bench and field testing, and regulations, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Powertrains for Special Machinery/Racing Engineering — studying from New Zealand
Off-road and special vehicle engineering is a major strength in New Zealand, reflecting the importance of agriculture, forestry, mining and construction. Manufacturers and fabricators in the Waikato and Canterbury produce tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment and specialised machinery, many of which are exported worldwide. Engineers in this field work on design, testing and safety compliance for equipment used on farms, in plantations and on remote worksites.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$15,700 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies relate to off-road and specialist vehicle engineering?
Engineering New Zealand is the main professional body, and vehicle compliance is handled by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Heavy machinery and certain specialist vehicles can also fall under WorkSafe New Zealand rules. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so employers and regulators decide their value.
Who hires off-road and special vehicle engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include forestry and agricultural equipment firms, mining and civil construction contractors, fabrication shops, and emergency or utility vehicle fleets. Practical design, safety and maintenance skills are central to hiring. A SEIUM qualification may help, but its weight depends on the employer.
How does the study load work for someone with a job here?
The programme is fully online, so you can study around work from anywhere in New Zealand without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. You get an assigned technical tutor, and fees can be paid in instalments or sponsored by an employer.
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
Define the requirements of special powertrains.
Design and adapt high-performance engines.
Calibrate engines on the bench and under extreme conditions.
Select competition and special transmissions.
Integrate high-power hybrid systems.
Validate durability and reliability with testing and statistics.
Apply technical and emissions regulations.
Who it's for
- Competition engine engineers.
- Engine calibration engineers.
- Special transmission engineers.
- Test bench engineers.
- Reliability engineers.
- Special machinery engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter motorsport.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 (emissions from non-road mobile machinery)
- FIA International Sporting Code Appendix J (technical regulations for competition vehicles)
- ISO 1585 (engine net power test)
- ISO 3046-1 (reciprocating internal combustion engines)
- ISO 6336 (gear load capacity)
- Directive 2000/14/EC (noise emissions from outdoor equipment)
- GT-SUITE
- AVL Boost
- MATLAB/Simulink
- MoTeC M1 Tune
- KISSsoft
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Special machinery versus motorsport1.2Extreme load cycles1.3Required specific power output1.4Reliability required by mission1.5Mass and packaging1.6Cost and short production runs1.7Competition regulations1.8Industrial customer requirements1.9Prototype manufacturing1.10Case study: specifications of an airport vehicle and a T3
2.1Engine thermodynamics2.2Combustion and knock2.3Variable valve lift2.4Turbochargers and anti-lag2.5Intake design2.6Exhaust design2.7High-performance materials2.8Dry-sump lubrication2.9Crankshaft balancing2.10Lab: 1D simulation of an engine
3.1Selection of the base engine3.2Strengthening internal components3.3Programmable engine management3.4Injection and ignition maps3.5Additional engine cooling3.6Intake restrictors3.7Reliability after adaptation3.8Preparation costs3.9Technical documentation of the build3.10Practical: adapting a series engine for competition
4.1Control units4.2Injection mapping4.3Lambda control4.4Ignition advance4.5Boost control4.6Bench calibration4.7Calibration of load transients4.8Altitude compensation4.9Calibration by fuel4.10Lab: calibration on a power dyno
5.1Sequential gearboxes5.2Dog engagement5.3Industrial power-shift transmissions5.4High-pressure hydrostatic transmissions5.5Competition clutches5.6Gearbox lubrication5.7Gear calculation5.8Durability of competition gears5.9Maintenance between events5.10Workshop: overhaul of a sequential gearbox
6.1Kinetic energy recovery6.2High specific power motors6.3High-power batteries6.4High-power supercapacitors6.5Hybrid system control6.6Hybridisation regulations6.7Electrical safety in motorsport6.8Integration in the chassis6.9Motorsport cases6.10Case study: hybrid in rally-raid
7.1Powertrains for snow groomers7.2Powertrains for mobile cranes7.3Powertrains for airport vehicles7.4Fire engines7.5Powertrains for forestry machines7.6Power take-offs7.7Bespoke design7.8Integration with equipment7.9Regulations applicable to special machines7.10Case study: snow groomer powertrain
8.1Extreme ambient heat8.2Cold starting8.3Effect of altitude8.4Radiator design8.5Oil cooling8.6Air-to-air and air-to-water intercoolers8.7Engine bay thermal simulation8.8Climatic chamber testing8.9Cooling pack design8.10Practical: sizing a radiator
9.1Durability cycles9.2Component fatigue9.3Accelerated life testing9.4Durability rigs9.5Failure analysis9.6Weibull distribution9.7Design FMEA9.8Design improvement9.9Field data9.10Lab: Weibull analysis of failures
10.1Engine test benches10.2Chassis dynamometers10.3Engine instrumentation on the bench10.4Emissions measurement10.5Data acquisition10.6Test procedures10.7Test bench safety10.8Bench-to-field correlation10.9Test reports10.10Practical: durability test protocol
11.1FIA engine technical regulations11.2Emissions in special machines11.3Stage V and exemptions11.4Regulated competition fuels11.5Noise limits11.6Engine certification11.7Machine homologation11.8Market surveillance11.9Future evolution of regulations11.10Case study: requirements of a special machine
12.1Definition of the application12.2Requirements and constraints12.3Engine selection12.4Calibration proposal12.5Transmission selection12.6Thermal management of the assembly12.7Test plan12.8Development budget12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
The programme is taught 100% online 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 you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is GT-SUITE, AVL Boost, MATLAB/Simulink, MoTeC M1 Tune and KISSsoft, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for bench engine calibration, transmission durability testing and thermal validation in a climatic chamber. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2016/1628; FIA International Sporting Code Appendix J; ISO 1585; ISO 3046-1; ISO 6336; Directive 2000/14/EC.
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 GT-SUITE, AVL Boost, MATLAB/Simulink, MoTeC M1 Tune and KISSsoft, 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 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.
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