Postgraduate Diploma in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations
800-hour online Postgraduate Diploma in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations. 8 modules covering IMCA R 004 (code of practice for ROV operations), ISO 13628-8 (ROV interfaces in subsea production systems) and MATLAB/Simulink. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations — studying from New Zealand
Maritime engineering is significant for New Zealand, given its extensive coastline, large exclusive economic zone and a strong sailing and boatbuilding tradition. Auckland, often called the City of Sails, hosts boatbuilders, marine service providers and offshore engineering firms, while Maritime New Zealand regulates safety at sea. Opportunities include naval architecture, offshore energy and aquaculture, and the New Zealand Defence Force's naval fleet supports further demand.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$2,160 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies regulate marine and offshore engineering?
Maritime New Zealand regulates maritime safety and the operation of vessels, and Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers. Marine surveying and certain roles require recognised certificates issued by official bodies. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not replace these requirements.
Do marine and offshore employers in New Zealand value private qualifications?
New Zealand has active marine, boatbuilding, port and offshore sectors, particularly in Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. Employers usually prioritise recognised certificates, licences and practical experience. A SEIUM qualification may support an application, but whether it is valued is for each employer to decide.
Can I study this part-time from New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from New Zealand. You are assigned a technical tutor and must complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Programme lengths range from 300 to 1,900 hours.
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
Classify underwater vehicles according to their mission and degree of autonomy.
Analyse the hydrodynamics and stability of an underwater vehicle.
Select inertial and acoustic navigation systems.
Design basic control and autonomy strategies.
Integrate sensors and payload according to the mission.
Plan underwater operations with risk assessment.
Apply safety codes of practice in ROV operations.
Who it's for
- ROV technical pilot looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Autonomous underwater vehicle engineer looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Underwater operations supervisor looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Navigation and positioning engineer looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Oceanographic sensors specialist looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Marine robotics engineer looking to specialise in ROV/AUV and Underwater Operations.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the offshore industry.
What you'll work with
- IMCA R 004 (code of practice for ROV operations)
- ISO 13628-8 (ROV interfaces in subsea production systems)
- API RP 17H (ROV and tooling interfaces on subsea equipment)
- ISO 19901-6 (marine operations)
- IEC 60529 (degrees of protection, IP ratings)
- COLREG 1972 (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Classification: observation ROVs, work-class ROVs and AUVs1.2Hybrid vehicles and gliders1.3Applications in offshore, science and hydrography1.4Components of an ROV1.5Components of an AUV1.6Depth, endurance and payload1.7Manufacturers and market systems1.8IMCA standards for ROV operations1.9Trends: subsea residents1.10Case study: vehicle selection for a pipeline inspection
2.1Buoyancy and syntactic foam2.2Stability and centre of gravity2.3Hydrodynamic drag2.4Electric and hydraulic thrusters2.5Vectored thruster configuration2.6Pressure vessels and materials2.7Watertightness and connectors2.8Umbilical and TMS system2.9Launch and recovery systems (LARS)2.10Laboratory: buoyancy balance of an ROV
3.1Inertial navigation (INS)3.2Doppler velocity log (DVL)3.3USBL and LBL acoustic positioning3.4Depth and altitude sensors3.5Sensor fusion with Kalman filter3.6Underwater SLAM3.7Acoustic communications3.8Surface-free AUV navigation3.9Navigation errors and drift3.10Practical: Kalman filter for INS-DVL navigation
4.1Dynamic modelling of underwater vehicles4.2Position and heading control4.3Station keeping4.4Trajectory planning4.5Obstacle avoidance4.6Autonomy architectures4.7Mission and fault management4.8Assisted piloting and augmented reality4.9Remote operation from shore4.10Workshop: PID depth control in simulation
5.1Underwater cameras and video5.2Lighting and visibility5.3Side-scan sonar5.4Multibeam echosounders5.5Sediment profilers5.6Laser and 3D photogrammetry5.7Cathodic protection and thickness sensors5.8Manipulator arms and tools5.9Samplers and oceanographic sensors5.10Laboratory: side-scan sonar data processing
6.1Operations planning6.2Support vessels and dynamic positioning6.3Launch and recovery in rough seas6.4Inspection of pipelines and structures6.5Intervention on subsea equipment6.6Diving and saturation support6.7AUV hydrographic surveys6.8Operations in current conditions6.9Reporting and deliverables6.10Case study: inspection campaign for a wind farm
7.1Operational risk analysis7.2Deck and LARS safety7.3IMCA R 004 recommendations7.4Pilot competencies and training7.5Vehicle maintenance7.6Inspection data management7.7Contracts and responsibilities7.8Environmental impact and noise7.9Lessons learned7.10Practical: risk analysis of a work-class ROV operation
8.1Mission definition8.2Vehicle selection8.3Navigation and positioning plan8.4Sensor selection8.5Operation plan8.6Risk analysis8.7Budget and resources8.8Deliverables plan8.9Report 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. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, ROS (Robot Operating System), Gazebo, HYPACK, QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures from towing tank trials, underwater inspection missions and calibration of acoustic positioning systems. Assessment is continuous 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.
Classify underwater vehicles according to their mission and degree of autonomy.
Analyse the hydrodynamics and stability of an underwater vehicle.
Select inertial and acoustic navigation systems.
Design basic control and autonomy strategies.
Integrate sensors and payload according to the mission.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient 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 MATLAB/Simulink, ROS (Robot Operating System), Gazebo, HYPACK, QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM diploma of its own, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official title from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Diploma in Marine HVAC Design and Air Quality
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in marine HVAC design and air quality. 8 modules covering marine HVAC design conditions, marine HVAC equipment, air distribution, onboard…
Postgraduate Diploma in Operational Safety and Internal Traffic Control
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Operational Safety and Internal Traffic Control. 8 modules covering ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management systems), ILO Convention No. 152…
Postgraduate Diploma in Multihulls, Interference and Dynamic Stability
800-hour online Postgraduate Diploma in Multihulls, Interference and Dynamic Stability. 8 modules covering ISO 12217-2 (stability of sailing craft, including multihulls), ISO 12215-7 (scantlings of multihulls)…
More in Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical
All Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships