Postgraduate DiplomaBusiness, Management & Technology Policy Applications open

Diploma in Software Contracts and Platform SLAs

Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in software contracts and platform SLAs. 8 modules covering types of technology contracts, scope definition, service level agreements, security and data compliance (GDPR, DORA, Data Act), intellectual property and liability, contract governance and exit planning, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration6–8 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma

Diploma in Software Contracts and Platform SLAs — studying from the United Kingdom

Engineering organisations in the United Kingdom increasingly require professionals who combine technical understanding with programme management, commercial awareness and policy knowledge. Large engineering groups, consultancies and public bodies across London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh seek leaders who can manage complex projects and navigate regulation. Technology policy shapes funding, innovation strategy and infrastructure investment, linking engineering decisions to national priorities. Graduates often move into project management, business development and advisory roles within engineering-led firms.

Fees for the United Kingdom: £1,250 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom

  • Association for Project Management (APM)
  • Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
  • Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Typical roles

  • Engineering Programme Manager
  • Technology Strategy Consultant
  • Business Development Manager
  • Innovation Policy Analyst

Questions from the United Kingdom

Which UK bodies recognise management and technology policy qualifications?

In the UK, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) are established management bodies, and the British Computer Society (BCS) covers technology-related professional standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and are not accredited by these organisations. Check with CMI or BCS whether your study would count towards their membership or chartered routes.

Where do UK employers use technology policy and management skills, and do they value private qualifications?

Graduates with technology policy and management skills are sought in UK government departments, consultancies, regulators, energy and infrastructure firms, and technology companies. Employers decide how much weight to give a private qualification compared with experience and formal credentials. Demonstrable policy analysis, project management and leadership experience are usually central to hiring decisions.

Can I study this online from the UK while working, and is there a language requirement?

Yes, programmes are 100 per cent online, so you can study from anywhere in the UK, and no student visa is required. Teaching is in English, so strong written and spoken English is important. Your assigned technical tutor will support your progress. Check the hours involved against your working week and ask about instalment payments or possible employer sponsorship.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Distinguish between the different types of technology contracts.

02

Define the scope of platform services precisely.

03

Design measurable service level agreements.

04

Incorporate security and data protection clauses.

05

Negotiate intellectual property and liability.

06

Govern the contract throughout its life.

07

Plan service exit and reversibility.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Technology contract managers who draft and negotiate SaaS and platform agreements.
  • ICT procurement managers buying software and cloud services.
  • Technology legal advisers who need a firmer grasp of SLAs and technical annexes.
  • Service delivery managers accountable for meeting service levels.
  • Supplier management leads overseeing technology vendors.
  • IT service governance consultants.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the technology and software sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
  • Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 – DORA (digital operational resilience of the financial sector and ICT providers)
  • Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 – Data Act (fair access to and use of data, cloud switching)
  • ISO/IEC 20000-1 (IT service management)
  • ISO/IEC 27001 (information security management systems)
  • ISO/IEC 19086-1 (cloud service level agreement framework)
  • ServiceNow
  • Jira Service Management
  • DocuSign CLM
  • Datadog
Syllabus

8 modules

  1. 1.1Software licence versus SaaS service
  2. 1.2Bespoke development contracts
  3. 1.3Systems integration contracts
  4. 1.4Maintenance and support contracts
  5. 1.5IaaS and PaaS cloud services
  6. 1.6Framework agreements and work orders
  7. 1.7Technology outsourcing contracts
  8. 1.8Public procurement of technology
  9. 1.9Essential elements of the contract
  10. 1.10Case study: classifying the contracts of a mobility company
  1. 2.1Functional description of the service
  2. 2.2Technical annexes and specifications
  3. 2.3Service catalogue
  4. 2.4Deliverables and milestones
  5. 2.5Acceptance criteria
  6. 2.6Scope change management
  7. 2.7Customer dependencies
  8. 2.8Interoperability and integrations
  9. 2.9Documentation and training
  10. 2.10Workshop: drafting the scope annex for a platform
  1. 3.1Designing a measurable SLA
  2. 3.2Availability and how it is calculated
  3. 3.3Response and resolution times
  4. 3.4Incident severity levels
  5. 3.5Maintenance windows
  6. 3.6Performance and latency
  7. 3.7SLA exclusions
  8. 3.8Penalties and service credits
  9. 3.9Compliance reporting
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: calculating credits for downtime
  1. 4.1Information security clauses
  2. 4.2Data processing agreement
  3. 4.3International data transfers
  4. 4.4ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications
  5. 4.5National security frameworks for suppliers
  6. 4.6Breach notification
  7. 4.7Customer audits
  8. 4.8DORA Regulation for ICT providers
  9. 4.9European Data Act and portability
  10. 4.10Case study: review of the security clauses of a SaaS
  1. 5.1Ownership of developed code
  2. 5.2Open-source licences in deliverables
  3. 5.3Supplier warranties
  4. 5.4Indemnity for rights infringement
  5. 5.5Limitation of liability
  6. 5.6Force majeure clauses
  7. 5.7Technology liability insurance
  8. 5.8Source code escrow
  9. 5.9Confidentiality obligations between the parties
  10. 5.10Workshop: negotiating the limitation of liability clause
  1. 6.1Steering committees
  2. 6.2Supplier performance indicators
  3. 6.3Management of contractual issues
  4. 6.4Escalation and dispute resolution
  5. 6.5Continuous service improvement
  6. 6.6Price benchmarking
  7. 6.7Subcontractor management
  8. 6.8Contract audit
  9. 6.9Contract management tools
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: governance dashboard for a platform contract
  1. 7.1Pricing models: usage, per user and subscription
  2. 7.2Price reviews and indexation
  3. 7.3Term, renewal and notice
  4. 7.4Termination for breach
  5. 7.5Exit and transition plan
  6. 7.6Reversibility and return of data
  7. 7.7Vendor lock-in risk
  8. 7.8Supplier business continuity
  9. 7.9Lessons from contentious terminations
  10. 7.10Case study: exit from a cloud provider
  1. 8.1Selection of the service
  2. 8.2Scope definition
  3. 8.3SLA design
  4. 8.4Security and data clauses
  5. 8.5Liability regime
  6. 8.6Governance model
  7. 8.7Exit plan
  8. 8.8Final legal review
  9. 8.9Report and presentation
  10. 8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

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 each intake, so the programme is compatible with full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulation and applied exercises. The working software is ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, DocuSign CLM and Datadog, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for reviewing a SaaS contract, calculating service credits for downtime and simulated negotiation of liability clauses. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.

Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 (DORA), Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 (Data Act), ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 19086-1.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of the GDPR, DORA, the Data Act and ISO/IEC 19086-1 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, DocuSign CLM and Datadog, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:a complete platform contract, from scope and SLA design to security clauses, liability, governance and exit plan, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Scope definition
Draft the scope annex for a platform service, with deliverables and acceptance criteria.
SLA design
Design measurable service levels and calculate service credits for downtime.
Security and data clauses
Review and draft the security, data processing and DORA clauses of a SaaS contract.
Liability and exit
Negotiate the limitation of liability and prepare the exit and transition plan.
Final project
Assemble a complete platform contract with its governance model, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Technology Contract ManagerICT Procurement ManagerTechnology Legal AdviserService Delivery ManagerSupplier Management LeadIT Service Governance Consultant
Admissions & scholarships

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 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.

FAQ

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 ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, DocuSign CLM and Datadog, 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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