Diploma in INS and Secure Timing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in inertial navigation systems (INS) and secure timing. 8 modules covering inertial navigation principles, inertial sensors, calibration and alignment, navigation aids, timekeeping and time references, secure synchronisation, and applications and regulations, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in INS and Secure Timing — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom maintains a substantial defence industry, with prime contractors such as BAE Systems and Babcock, and a wide supply chain across the Midlands, the North West, Bristol and Scotland. Land systems, armoured vehicles, munitions and military engineering programmes provide long-term employment for engineers in design, integration, test and sustainment. The Ministry of Defence, Defence Equipment and Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory oversee procurement and research. Security clearance requirements shape recruitment, and professional standards are maintained through UK defence engineering frameworks.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £910 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies and regulators are relevant to defence and military land systems engineering?
In the UK, the Ministry of Defence sets its own engineering standards and the Engineering Council regulates professional registration. Professional bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Royal Engineers' professional structures are relevant. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so recognition for security-cleared or MOD roles is decided by the employer and the relevant authority.
Will a private qualification help with UK defence industry careers?
UK defence employers, including primes and suppliers, often prioritise security clearance eligibility, relevant experience and formal qualifications recognised by the MOD or industry bodies. A private qualification may support your profile but is unlikely to replace these requirements. Ask prospective employers how they would assess it before enrolling.
Is it practical to study this online while working in the UK, and what about language and funding?
Online study means you can continue working in the UK, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Teaching is in English, so good technical English is essential. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers offer training sponsorship, though policies vary. Each programme has a fixed number of hours and an assigned technical tutor. Confirm the workload and costs 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 principles of inertial navigation.
Select and characterise inertial sensors.
Calibrate and align inertial systems.
Integrate navigation aids using Kalman filters.
Manage time references and oscillators.
Implement secure and resilient synchronisation.
Apply timing and navigation standards in critical sectors.
Who it's for
- Inertial navigation engineers.
- Synchronisation engineers in telecoms, energy or finance.
- Time metrology specialists.
- Embedded systems engineers working on navigation units.
- Telecommunications network engineers.
- Researchers in quantum sensors.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into defence.
What you'll work with
- IEEE 1588-2019 (Precision Time Protocol)
- IEEE 952 (fibre-optic gyroscopes)
- IEEE 1554 (inertial systems test practices)
- ITU-T G.8272 (primary reference time clocks)
- RFC 8915 (Network Time Security)
- IEEE C37.238 (PTP profile for power systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use items)
- MATLAB Navigation Toolbox
- Python NumPy
- Stable32
- Wireshark
- LinuxPTP
8 modules
1.1Newton's laws and reference frames1.2Stabilised-platform and strapdown systems1.3Quaternions and rotation matrices1.4Navigation equations1.5Coriolis effect and Earth rotation1.6Gravity model1.7Error propagation1.8Schuler oscillation1.9Performance classes1.10Workshop: integrating strapdown equations in Python
2.1MEMS accelerometers2.2Quartz accelerometers2.3Fibre-optic gyroscopes2.4Ring laser gyroscopes2.5Hemispherical resonator gyroscopes2.6Cold-atom quantum sensors2.7Bias and scale factor errors2.8Allan variance2.9Sensor selection2.10Lab: Allan variance of a MEMS IMU
3.1Rate table calibration3.2Multi-position calibration3.3Thermal compensation3.4Coarse and fine alignment3.5Gyrocompassing3.6In-motion alignment3.7Transfer alignment3.8Observability3.9IEEE tests3.10Practical exercise: six-position calibration
4.1GNSS integration4.2Odometry and velocity sensors4.3Magnetometers4.4Barometric altimeters4.5Visual navigation4.6Zero-velocity updates4.7Kalman filters4.8Fault detection4.9Hybrid architectures4.10Lab: odometry-aided INS
5.1Time scales and UTC5.2TCXO and OCXO quartz oscillators5.3Rubidium and caesium clocks5.4Chip-scale atomic clocks5.5Stability and Allan variance5.6GNSS disciplining5.7Holdover5.8Time distribution5.9National time laboratories5.10Practical exercise: characterisation of an oscillator
6.1Threats to the time reference6.2GNSS time spoofing6.3NTP and NTS protocols6.4IEEE 1588 PTP and its security6.5Telecom PTP profiles6.6White Rabbit6.7Detection of timing anomalies6.8Source redundancy6.9Resilient timing architectures6.10Lab: PTP network with monitoring
7.1Navigation in defence and space7.2Synchronisation in power grids7.3Synchronisation in 5G7.4Financial markets and MiFID II7.5ITU-T G.8272 standards7.6IEEE C37.2387.7Export controls on inertial sensors7.8PNT resilience framework7.9Ethics of dual use7.10Case study: timing architecture of a substation
8.1Defining the application8.2Sensor selection8.3Navigation algorithm8.4Aiding architecture8.5Time reference8.6Secure synchronisation8.7Test plan8.8Conclusions8.9Report 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. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, Python NumPy, Stable32, Wireshark and LinuxPTP, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for inertial sensor calibration, oscillator characterisation and PTP synchronisation tests. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEEE 1588-2019, IEEE 952, IEEE 1554, ITU-T G.8272, RFC 8915, IEEE C37.238, Regulation (EU) 2021/821.
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.
- 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 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 MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, Python NumPy, Stable32, Wireshark and LinuxPTP, 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 computer able to run the 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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