Master’s in Marine Certification Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in maritime certification engineering, structured in 12 modules covering the maritime certification framework, ship classification, structure and stability, fire safety and life-saving, machinery and electrical systems, marine environmental protection, marine equipment, safety management, surveys and inspections, offshore and special ships, and digitalisation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Marine Certification Engineering — studying from the United Kingdom
Regulation, safety and reliability engineering are central to many sectors in the United Kingdom, where RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety) and homologation requirements apply to transport, energy, defence and medical products. Regulators such as the Civil Aviation Authority, the Office of Rail and Road and the Health and Safety Executive set rules that engineers must meet. Certification bodies and testing laboratories support compliance and type approval. Demand is strong for professionals who can manage safety cases, standards compliance and technical assessment.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £8,280 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies govern RAMS and homologation, and is SEIUM training recognised by them?
Relevant UK bodies include the Health and Safety Executive for workplace safety, the Vehicle Certification Agency for vehicle type approval, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology for professional membership. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by any of these bodies, so they do not confer regulatory authority or automatic recognition.
Do UK employers in safety and compliance roles recognise private online qualifications?
Compliance and safety roles in the UK often value recognised certifications, such as IOSH or IRCA auditor training, alongside experience. A private qualification may support an application if it demonstrates relevant RAMS or regulatory knowledge, but employers decide its weight. Check the specific certifications listed in job adverts you are targeting.
Is the course manageable alongside work, and is it taught in English?
Yes, the programmes are delivered entirely online in English. You receive an assigned technical tutor, and workload varies from 300 to 1,900 hours depending on the programme. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. You do not need a student visa to study from home in the UK.
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 maritime certification system.
Apply classification rules to ships.
Assess structure and stability in accordance with the conventions.
Verify fire safety and life-saving requirements.
Certify marine equipment under the MED Directive.
Manage ISM and ISPS safety systems.
Prepare ship surveys and inspections.
Who it's for
- Classification society surveyors
- Naval certification engineers
- Technical superintendents at shipping companies
- ISM auditors
- Stability engineers
- Maritime compliance consultants
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the naval sector
What you'll work with
- SOLAS Convention (safety of life at sea)
- MARPOL Convention (prevention of pollution from ships)
- ISM Code (international safety management)
- Directive 2014/90/EU (Marine Equipment Directive)
- International Convention on Load Lines (freeboard and load line assignment)
- 2008 IS Code (intact stability)
- FSS Code (fire safety systems)
- IACS Common Structural Rules (hull structural requirements for bulk carriers and tankers)
- NAPA
- DNV Nauticus Hull
- Maxsurf
- ShipConstructor
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1The Flag State and its obligations1.2Recognised organisations acting for the flag1.3Classification societies and IACS1.4Statutory and class certificates1.5Port State Control1.6The Paris and Tokyo Memoranda1.7IMO conventions1.8Marine Equipment Directive1.9Shipowner responsibilities1.10Case study: certificates of a container ship
2.1Classification rules2.2Class notations2.3Plan approval2.4Supervision of construction2.5Class surveys2.6IACS Common Structural Rules2.7IACS Unified Requirements2.8Maintenance of class2.9Suspension and withdrawal2.10Workshop: analysis of class notations
3.1Longitudinal strength calculation3.2Finite element structural analysis3.3Fatigue in ship structures3.4Intact stability criteria3.5Damage stability3.6The 2008 IS Code3.7Load lines3.8Gross and net tonnage3.9Inclining tests3.10Practical exercise: intact stability calculation
4.1SOLAS Chapter II-24.2FSS Code for fire safety systems4.3FTP Code for fire test procedures4.4Detection systems4.5Fixed fire-extinguishing systems4.6Life-saving appliances4.7LSA Code for life-saving appliances4.8Evacuation and evacuation analysis4.9Material testing4.10Case study: fire control plan for a ro-pax ship
5.1Main propulsion machinery5.2Engine room auxiliary systems5.3Boilers and pressure vessels5.4Ship electrical systems5.5Automation and unattended machinery spaces5.6Electric and hybrid propulsion5.7Batteries on board5.8Steering gear5.9Factory and on-board tests5.10Workshop: approval of a battery system
6.1MARPOL Annexes I to VI6.2Ballast water and its convention6.3Anti-fouling systems and their convention6.4Energy efficiency: EEDI and EEXI6.5Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)6.6Alternative fuels and their regulation6.7Ship recycling6.8Underwater noise and its mitigation6.9Regional environmental regulations6.10Practical exercise: EEXI calculation for a ship
7.1Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU7.2The wheel mark7.3Marine notified bodies7.4Conformity assessment modules7.5Applicable test standards7.6USCG equipment approval7.7EU–US mutual recognition7.8Classification society type approvals7.9Certificate management7.10Case study: certification of a lifejacket
8.1ISM Code for safety management8.2Safety management system8.3Document of Compliance8.4Safety Management Certificate8.5ISM Code audits8.6ISPS Code for ship security8.7Maritime Labour Convention (MLC)8.8Maritime cyber risk management8.9Combined ISM and ISPS audits8.10Practical exercise: simulated ISM audit
9.1Annual and intermediate surveys9.2Renewal survey9.3Dry-dock inspection9.4Thickness measurement9.5Enhanced Survey Programme9.6Drone inspections9.7Port State Control inspections9.8Detentions and deficiencies9.9Management of findings9.10Case study: preparing for a PSC inspection
10.1Mobile offshore units10.2MODU Code for mobile units10.3Passenger ships10.4Requirements for fishing vessels10.5Recreational craft10.6Offshore service vessels10.7Dynamic positioning systems10.8Autonomous ships and the MASS Code10.9Floating wind platforms10.10Workshop: requirements for a wind farm support vessel
11.1Electronic ship certificates11.2Ship digital twins11.3Remote surveys by video11.4Condition-based maintenance11.5Fleet data and classification11.6Artificial intelligence in inspection11.7Decarbonisation and new rules11.8Cybersecurity: UR E26 and E2711.9Regulatory trends in the sector11.10Practical exercise: remote survey plan
12.1Selection of the ship or equipment12.2Analysis of applicable conventions12.3Classification requirements12.4Design approval plan12.5Construction and testing plan12.6Safety management system12.7Environmental compliance plan12.8Conclusions and future lines of work12.9Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online 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 you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original conventions and rules and applied exercises. The working software is NAPA, DNV Nauticus Hull, Maxsurf and ShipConstructor, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: class and statutory surveys, inclining and stability tests, and marine equipment testing. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: SOLAS Convention, MARPOL Convention, ISM Code, Directive 2014/90/EU, International Convention on Load Lines, 2008 IS Code, FSS Code, IACS Common Structural Rules.
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 NAPA, DNV Nauticus Hull, Maxsurf and ShipConstructor, 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 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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