Postgraduate Diploma in Ergonomics and Habitability in Combat Vehicles
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in ergonomics and habitability in combat vehicles, with 8 modules covering human factors, crew station design, thermal environment, noise and vibration, interfaces and workload, long-mission habitability and HFE verification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Postgraduate Diploma in Ergonomics and Habitability in Combat Vehicles — studying from Singapore
Singapore maintains a comprehensive defence sector through the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Science and Technology Agency, which develops military technologies and manages procurement. Engineering work covers land systems, ammunition, command and control, and simulation. Industry partners include ST Engineering, which supplies defence and security systems globally. Engineers here work within strict security and export control frameworks, often combining systems integration with reliability and safety engineering.
Fees for Singapore: S$1,280 (Singapore dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Singapore
Typical roles
Questions from Singapore
How does defence engineering work in Singapore, and which bodies oversee it?
Singapore's defence engineering is largely centred on the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and DSTA, the defence procurement and development agency, along with the Singapore Armed Forces. Engineers may register with the Professional Engineers Board (PEB). SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and not accredited by any national body, so recognition for defence roles depends on the employer or relevant authority.
Who employs defence and land systems engineers in Singapore?
Main employers include MINDEF, DSTA, the SAF, and defence industry companies including ST Engineering. Access to many roles requires security clearance and citizenship or residency rules, so check eligibility early. Employers focus on proven competence and clearance status. Your final project can illustrate technical capability, but it does not replace these requirements.
Is the course manageable alongside a job, and can employers fund it?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, with an assigned technical tutor. Plan for a heavy workload: 1,900 hours for a master's, 800 for a postgraduate diploma, or 300 for a specialist course. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, which is common in defence-linked organisations, though approval is up to them.
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
Analyse human factors in vehicle design.
Design crew stations using anthropometric models.
Assess the thermal environment and size the climate control system.
Measure and evaluate noise, vibration and shock to standard.
Estimate the workload associated with crew station interfaces.
Define habitability requirements for extended missions.
Plan ergonomic verification with users.
Who it's for
- Ergonomics engineers in the land defence industry.
- Human factors specialists working on vehicle programmes.
- Vehicle climate control engineers.
- Noise and vibration engineers.
- Crew station designers.
- Habitability verification engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the land defence industry.
What you'll work with
- MIL-STD-1472H (human engineering)
- ISO 2631-1 (whole-body vibration)
- ISO 7730 (ergonomics of the thermal environment)
- MIL-STD-1474E (noise limits)
- DEF STAN 00-250 (human factors for designers)
- ISO 5349-1 (hand-arm vibration)
- ISO 9241-11 (usability)
- Siemens Jack
- RAMSIS
- ANSYS Fluent
- MATLAB
8 modules
1.1Human factors engineering (HFE)1.2MIL-STD-1472H standard1.3Defence Standard 00-2501.4Anthropometry of the military population1.5Percentiles and inclusive design1.6Individual equipment and occupied volume1.7Crew: roles and tasks1.8MANPRINT and HSI programmes1.9Women and anthropometric diversity1.10Workshop: task analysis of a crew
2.1Reach and vision envelopes2.2Seats and seated posture2.3Driver station2.4Commander and operator stations2.5Access, hatches and evacuation2.6Space for equipment and stowage2.7Digital human models: RAMSIS and Jack2.8Virtual reality for evaluation2.9Iteration with users2.10Practical exercise: reach study with a digital human model
3.1Thermal load in the crew compartment3.2Heat stress and WBGT3.3Air-conditioning and cooling systems3.4Ventilation and overpressure3.5Heating in cold climates3.6Occupant microclimate conditioning3.7Indoor air quality and CO23.8Engine and weapon gases3.9Environmental testing3.10Lab: heat balance of a crew compartment
4.1Noise exposure and hearing protection4.2MIL-STD-1474 noise standard4.3Verbal communication in noise4.4Whole-body vibration ISO 26314.5Vibration-induced fatigue and performance4.6Shocks and accelerations on the move4.7Motion sickness4.8Isolation and suspended seats4.9Field measurement and assessment4.10Practical exercise: vibration assessment over a test route
5.1Display and control design5.2Situational awareness5.3Mental workload: NASA-TLX5.4Indirect vision and cameras5.5Alarms and attention management5.6Automation and trust5.7Night visibility and lighting5.8Usability with gloves and equipment5.9User evaluation5.10Case study: redesign of a commander console
6.1Mission duration and fatigue6.2Rest and sleep on board6.3Water, food and waste6.4Hygiene and health6.5Space management and personal stowage6.6Psychological factors of confinement6.7Safety: fires and evacuation6.8First aid and casualty evacuation6.9Lessons from real operations6.10Workshop: 72-hour habitability plan
7.1Human factors evaluation plan7.2Trials with representative users7.3Objective and subjective metrics7.4Evacuation trials7.5Use error analysis7.6Integration into design reviews7.7Documentation and traceability7.8Ethics in trials with human participants7.9Continuous improvement in service7.10Case study: HFE evaluation report
8.1Defining users and tasks8.2Human factors requirements8.3Crew station design8.4Climate control and comfort8.5Noise and vibration8.6Interfaces and workload8.7Evaluation plan8.8Design recommendations8.9Report and presentation8.10Final 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. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Siemens Jack, RAMSIS, ANSYS Fluent and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for full-scale ergonomic mock-ups, on-board noise and vibration measurement and thermal assessments in climatic chambers. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Standards covered: MIL-STD-1472H, ISO 2631-1, ISO 7730, MIL-STD-1474E, DEF STAN 00-250, ISO 5349-1, ISO 9241-11.
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- A computer capable of running the programme software and an internet connection.
- 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Siemens Jack, RAMSIS, ANSYS Fluent and MATLAB, 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 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.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a suitable computer 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.
Related programmes
Diploma in Nuclear Fuel Failure and Degradation
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in nuclear fuel failure and degradation. 8 modules covering in-reactor fuel behaviour, failure mechanisms in operation, accident behaviour, failure detection,…
Diploma in Land Mobility Infrastructure Design
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in land mobility infrastructure design: 8 modules covering corridor planning, roads and pavements, bridges and crossings, geotechnics, rail and logistics…
Diploma in Ethics in Military MBSE
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in ethics in military MBSE. 8 modules covering model-based systems engineering, values in systems engineering, modelling human control, safety and…
More in Defense, Military Engineering & Land Systems
All Defense, Military Engineering & Land Systems programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships