Postgraduate Diploma in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation. 8 modules covering SAE J211-1 (instrumentation for impact tests), ISO 6487 (measurement techniques in impact tests) and LS-DYNA. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Postgraduate Diploma in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation — studying from New Zealand
Health engineering in New Zealand covers medical devices, biomechanics, rehabilitation technology and occupational safety, with significant activity in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Medsafe regulator within the Ministry of Health oversees medical device approval, and the Accident Compensation Corporation plays a central role in workplace injury prevention and safety. Biomechanics research is supported by university groups and by the country's strong sports science community.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Will this qualification be recognised by Engineering New Zealand in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers here and runs the Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) pathway. SEIUM's qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body. Recognition for any purpose is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before relying on it for registration.
Would a biomechanics or wearables background help me find work in New Zealand?
Interest in wearables and workplace safety exists across New Zealand's health technology, rehabilitation, sport science and occupational health sectors. Whether an employer values a SEIUM qualifications depends on the employer's own assessment of your skills and experience. A portfolio of applied projects is often what carries the most weight in hiring decisions.
Can I study this while working full time in New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere, including from home, and you do not need a student visa for that. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
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 biomechanical mechanisms of impact injury.
Select appropriate acceleration and angular velocity sensors.
Process impact data using normalised filtering.
Carry out laboratory tests on protective equipment.
Simulate impacts and crashes with numerical models.
Apply instrumentation to sports monitoring.
Validate systems against experimental and clinical evidence.
Who it's for
- Impact biomechanics engineer who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Protective equipment test engineer who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Sports data analyst who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Crash simulation engineer who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Protective equipment designer who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Sports injury researcher who wants to specialise in Impact and Athlete Crash Instrumentation.
- Graduates in engineering or science looking to enter sports equipment.
What you'll work with
- SAE J211-1 (instrumentation for impact tests)
- ISO 6487 (measurement techniques in impact tests)
- EN 1078 (cycle helmets)
- NOCSAE standards (sports helmets)
- EN 1621-1 (motorcyclists' impact protectors)
- UN Regulation No. 22 (motorcycle helmets)
- EN 13277 (protective equipment for martial arts)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Impact mechanics: impulse and energy1.2Linear and rotational acceleration1.3Mechanisms of brain injury1.4Concussion in sport1.5Cervical and spinal injuries1.6Limb injuries from impact1.7Human impact tolerance1.8Injury criteria: HIC and BrIC1.9Contact and collision sports1.10Case study: impact analysis in rugby
2.1High-end accelerometers2.2Gyroscopes and angular measurement2.3Sensors in mouthguards2.4Sensors in helmets and skin patches2.5Sampling frequency and bandwidth2.6Skull coupling2.7Laboratory calibration2.8Trigger thresholds and recording2.9Power consumption and data transmission2.10Laboratory: calibration of an instrumented mouthguard
3.1Filtering according to SAE J2113.2Transformation to the head's centre of mass3.3Detection of real impacts and false positives3.4Video verification3.5Peak and duration calculation3.6Cumulative exposure metrics3.7Impact databases3.8Statistical analysis3.9Visualisation for coaching staff3.10Practice: processing a training session
4.1Drop towers and pendulums4.2Hybrid III and NOCSAE headforms4.3Helmet testing to standards4.4EN 1078 standard for cycle helmets4.5NOCSAE standards for American football4.6Oblique impact protocols4.7Body protector testing4.8Instrumentation of dummies4.9Repeatability and reproducibility4.10Laboratory: helmet drop test
5.1Collision tests in motorsport5.2FIA safety standards5.3HANS systems and restraints5.4Finite element simulation5.5Human models: THUMS and GHBMC5.6Impact reconstruction using video5.7Multibody simulation5.8Model validation5.9Protection optimisation5.10Practice: impact reconstruction with simulation
6.1Concussion protocols on the field6.2Removal and return to play6.3Managing impact load6.4Helmet and protector design6.5Data-driven rule changes6.6Women's and youth sport6.7Ethics and privacy of athlete data6.8Communication with doctors and coaches6.9Federation research programmes6.10Case study: contact policy in training
7.1Field validation of sensors7.2Accuracy against laboratory references7.3Correlation between impacts and clinical diagnosis7.4Longitudinal studies7.5Limitations of current systems7.6Validation standards for wearables7.7Scientific publication of results7.8Literature review7.9Requirements for clinical use7.10Workshop: sensor validation protocol
8.1Definition of the sport and objective8.2Sensor selection8.3Laboratory protocol8.4Field protocol8.5Processing and analysis8.6Exposure metrics8.7Safety recommendations8.8Technical report8.9Dissertation and presentation8.10Final 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 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 LS-DYNA, MATLAB, NI DIAdem, Python (SciPy), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real drop tower procedures, inertial sensors in helmets and mouthguards, and impact simulation with finite elements. Assessment is continuous per 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.
Explain the biomechanical mechanisms of impact injury.
Select appropriate acceleration and angular velocity sensors.
Process impact data using normalised filtering.
Carry out laboratory tests on protective equipment.
Simulate impacts and crashes with numerical models.
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 command 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 between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with LS-DYNA, MATLAB, NI DIAdem and Python (SciPy). Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor will indicate the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the higher programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Postgraduate Diploma in Post-Incident and Occupational Rehabilitation Protocols
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Post-Incident and Occupational Rehabilitation Protocols. 8 modules covering the Spanish Occupational Risk Prevention Law (Ley 31/1995), ISO 45001 and Kinovea. Assigned…
Postgraduate Diploma in OpenSim: Construction and Calibration of Models
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in OpenSim: Construction and Calibration of Models. 8 modules with ASME V&V 40 (credibility of computational models in medical devices), ISB Recommendations…
Postgraduate Diploma in Post-Market Surveillance and PMCF
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Post-Market Surveillance and PMCF. 8 modules covering Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (medical devices, arts. 83 to 92), MDCG 2020-7 (PMCF plan template)…
More in Health, Biomechanics, Wearables & Operational Safety
All Health, Biomechanics, Wearables & Operational Safety programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships