Master’s in Air Quality, Urban Noise and Environmental Health Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in air quality, urban noise and environmental health engineering: 12 modules covering air pollution, air quality regulations, monitoring, dispersion modelling, environmental noise, acoustic measurement and modelling, environmental epidemiology, mobility, indoor air quality, industrial emissions control and healthy urban planning, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Air Quality, Urban Noise and Environmental Health Engineering — studying from the United Kingdom
Civil and infrastructure engineering is a major employment sector in the United Kingdom, with significant activity in transport, water, energy and urban regeneration. Rail projects such as HS2 and ongoing network upgrades by Network Rail create demand for engineers in track, signalling, structures and systems. Smart city initiatives in cities including Manchester, Glasgow and Milton Keynes apply digital technologies to mobility, utilities and public services. Major contractors and consultancies including Balfour Beatty, Arup and AECOM employ civil and rail professionals across the country.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £4,930 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK professional bodies are relevant to civil and rail engineering qualifications?
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and, for rail, bodies such as the Permanent Way Institution and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers are relevant in the UK. Chartered status is handled through the Engineering Council. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by these bodies, so you should confirm with ICE or the relevant institution how your study would be treated.
Do UK civil, rail and smart city employers recognise online private qualifications?
UK infrastructure employers, including consultancies, contractors, rail operators and local authorities, generally recruit based on competence, professional registration and project experience. A private qualification can add to your profile, but employers decide its relevance. Practical experience and progress towards professional registration usually carry more weight.
How does online study fit with a UK working schedule, and what about funding?
Online study lets you keep working in the UK, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Fees are payable in instalments, and some employers support job-related training, which is common practice in general terms but varies by employer. Each programme has a defined number of hours and an assigned technical tutor. Review the hours and funding options 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
Identify the sources and effects of urban air pollution.
Apply European and Spanish air quality and noise regulations.
Design monitoring networks with stations and sensors.
Model pollutant dispersion and urban noise.
Assess the health impact of environmental exposure.
Propose healthy mobility and urban planning measures.
Control indoor air quality and industrial emissions.
Who it's for
- Air quality officers managing monitoring networks and improvement plans.
- Environmental acoustics engineers producing noise maps and action plans.
- Environmental health officers working in public health.
- Atmospheric dispersion modellers.
- Sustainable mobility consultants assessing low emission zones.
- Municipal environmental officers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to work in public administration.
What you'll work with
- Directive (EU) 2024/2881 (ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe)
- Royal Decree 102/2011 (Spanish air quality regulation)
- Directive 2002/49/EC (assessment and management of environmental noise)
- Law 37/2003 (Spanish Noise Law)
- Royal Decree 1513/2005 (noise assessment and management)
- Directive (EU) 2015/996 (CNOSSOS-EU common noise assessment methods)
- ISO 1996-2:2017 (determination of sound pressure levels)
- IEC 61672-1 (sound level meters)
- AERMOD
- CadnaA
- AirQ+
- QGIS
- R
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Primary and secondary pollutants1.2PM10, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles1.3Nitrogen dioxide and oxides1.4Tropospheric ozone and precursors1.5Volatile organic compounds1.6Urban sources: traffic and heating1.7Basic atmospheric chemistry1.8Meteorology and dispersion1.9Emission inventories1.10Case study: emission inventory of a city
2.1Directive (EU) 2024/2881 on ambient air quality2.2Royal Decree 102/20112.3Limit and target values2.42021 WHO guidelines2.5Air quality improvement plans2.6Low emission zones2.7Protocols for pollution episodes2.8National air quality index2.9Public information and participation2.10Workshop: air quality improvement plan
3.1Monitoring networks and stations3.2Reference measurement methods3.3Low-cost microsensors3.4Sensor calibration and correction3.5Sentinel-5P satellite observation3.6Passive sampler campaigns3.7Uncertainty in environmental measurement3.8Data processing and validation3.9Spatial representativeness of stations3.10Lab: calibration of NO2 sensors
4.1Gaussian dispersion models4.2AERMOD model for sources4.3Street-scale urban models4.4CFD for urban canyons4.5Chemical transport models4.6The street canyon effect4.7Emission reduction scenarios4.8Validation against measurements4.9Population exposure maps4.10Practical exercise: stack dispersion with AERMOD
5.1Physics of sound applied to environmental noise5.2Lden, Ln and Leq indicators5.3Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC5.4Spanish Noise Law 37/20035.5Strategic noise maps5.6Noise action plans5.7Road traffic noise5.8Night-time leisure noise5.9Industrial and activity noise5.10Case study: strategic noise map of a city
6.1Sound level meters and calibration to IEC 616726.2ISO 1996 measurement procedures6.3CNOSSOS-EU common method6.4Acoustic modelling with CadnaA6.5Noise barriers and their effectiveness6.6Low-noise road surfaces6.7Sound insulation of façades6.8Urban quiet areas6.9Soundscape and perception6.10Lab: noise map of a neighbourhood in CadnaA
7.1Health effects of air pollution7.2Health effects of noise7.3Epidemiological study designs7.4Attributable burden of disease7.5Health impact assessment7.6Concentration-response risk functions7.7Vulnerable groups and equity7.8Personal exposure and biomarkers7.9Extreme heat and mortality7.10Workshop: health impact of an LEZ with AirQ+
8.1COPERT traffic emission factors8.2Euro vehicle standards8.3Electrification of urban fleets8.4Brake and tyre wear emissions8.5Design and assessment of low emission zones8.6Superblocks and environmental quality8.7Pedestrianisation and noise8.8Low-emission urban logistics8.9Ex-post evaluation of mobility measures8.10Practical exercise: effect of an LEZ on NO2
9.1Indoor air pollutants9.2Ventilation and air change9.3CO2 as a ventilation indicator9.4Radon in buildings and CTE HS69.5Formaldehyde and indoor VOCs9.6RITE requirements9.7Air quality in schools9.8Air quality in offices9.9Air purifiers and HEPA filtration9.10Case study: indoor air audit of a school
10.1Emissions from industrial installations10.2Integrated environmental authorisation10.3Best available techniques and BREFs10.4Particulate control with filters10.5NOx reduction by SCR10.6VOC treatment10.7Odours and their measurement to EN 1372510.8Continuous emission monitoring10.9PRTR emissions register10.10Lab: selection of a flue gas cleaning technique
11.1Urban planning and public health11.2Urban trees and air quality11.3Design of healthy streets11.4The proximity city and health11.5Urban health indicators11.6Environmental justice and neighbourhoods11.7Public participation in environmental health11.8Citizen science with sensors11.9Integrated air and climate policies11.10Workshop: environmental health diagnosis of a neighbourhood
12.1Definition of the urban area12.2Air quality diagnosis12.3Acoustic diagnosis of the area12.4Scenario modelling12.5Health impact assessment12.6Proposed measures12.7Monitoring plan12.8Cost-benefit analysis12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is AERMOD, CadnaA, AirQ+, QGIS and R, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: air quality measurement campaigns with sensors, noise maps and acoustic measurements, and health impact assessments. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive (EU) 2024/2881, Royal Decree 102/2011, Directive 2002/49/EC, Noise Law 37/2003, Royal Decree 1513/2005, Directive (EU) 2015/996 (CNOSSOS-EU), ISO 1996-2:2017, IEC 61672-1.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with AERMOD, CadnaA, AirQ+, QGIS and R, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience, plus 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.
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