Master’s in Railway Certification Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in railway certification engineering, structured in 12 modules covering the railway system and its regulation, vehicle authorisation, rolling stock and TSIs, control-command and signalling, infrastructure and energy, safety and risk management, railway RAMS, certification testing, maintenance and operation, component certification and certification project management, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Railway 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: £6,600 (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 European railway regulatory framework.
Manage vehicle authorisation with ERA.
Apply the TSIs to rolling stock, CCS and infrastructure.
Assess risks using the Common Safety Method.
Prepare RAMS safety cases.
Plan railway certification tests.
Lead certification projects for vehicles and subsystems.
Who it's for
- Railway certification engineers
- Authorisation managers at rolling stock manufacturers
- Notified body assessors
- Railway RAMS engineers
- ECM managers
- Railway test engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the railway sector
What you'll work with
- Directive (EU) 2016/797 (interoperability of the rail system)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545 (practical arrangements for vehicle authorisation)
- Regulation (EU) 1302/2014 (LOC&PAS TSI) (locomotives and passenger rolling stock)
- Directive (EU) 2016/798 (railway safety)
- EN 50126-1 (railway RAMS process)
- EN 14363 (testing of running characteristics of railway vehicles)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013 (common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/779 (certification of entities in charge of maintenance)
- ERA One-Stop Shop
- SIMPACK
- Polarion ALM
- IBM DOORS
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Structural and functional subsystems1.2Infrastructure managers and railway undertakings1.3European Union Agency for Railways1.4National safety authorities1.5Fourth Railway Package1.6Single European Railway Area1.7National technical rules1.8Notified and designated bodies1.9Risk assessment bodies1.10Case study: actors in the authorisation of a train
2.1Directive (EU) 2016/7972.2Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/5452.3Vehicle type authorisation2.4Authorisation for placing on the market2.5Area of use2.6One-Stop Shop (OSS)2.7Pre-engagement phase2.8Timescales and assessment2.9Route compatibility check2.10Workshop: application file in the OSS
3.1LOC&PAS TSI for locomotives and passenger stock3.2WAG TSI for wagons3.3NOI TSI for noise3.4PRM TSI for accessibility3.5SRT TSI for tunnels3.6Vehicle dynamics to EN 143633.7Carbody strength to EN 126633.8Passive safety to EN 152273.9Braking to EN 145313.10Practical exercise: LOC&PAS TSI compliance matrix
4.1Control-command and signalling TSI4.2ETCS and ERTMS4.3SUBSET system specifications4.4ETCS laboratory testing4.5ETCS technical compatibility4.6Class B systems4.7GSM-R and FRMCS4.8CCS notified body4.9Safety to EN 501294.10Case study: ETCS integration on a train
5.1Infrastructure TSI5.2Energy TSI5.3Gauges and structures5.4Track and switches5.5Electrification and pantograph5.6Electromagnetic compatibility with the network5.7EC verification of subsystems5.8Authorisation for placing in service5.9Register of Infrastructure (RINF)5.10Workshop: verification of a section of track
6.1Directive (EU) 2016/7986.2Common Safety Method CSM-RA6.3Assessment of significant change6.4Assessment body (AsBo)6.5Safety management system6.6Single safety certificate6.7Entities in charge of maintenance6.8Common safety indicators6.9Accident investigation6.10Practical exercise: assessment of a significant change
7.1EN 50126-1 and the life cycle7.2EN 50126-2 and safety7.3Software to EN 507167.4SIL allocation7.5Safety case7.6Independent safety assessment (ISA)7.7Hazard log7.8In-service RAM demonstration7.9Cross-acceptance of products7.10Case study: safety case for a subsystem
8.1Vehicle static tests8.2On-track dynamic tests8.3Braking tests8.4Pantograph tests8.5Railway EMC tests8.6Noise tests8.7HVAC tests8.8European test centres8.9Test campaign planning8.10Lab: analysis of dynamic test data
9.1Entity in charge of maintenance9.2Regulation (EU) 2019/7799.3Maintenance plan9.4Configuration management9.5National vehicle register9.6Train driver licences9.7Operating rules9.8Incident management9.9Authority supervision9.10Workshop: ECM system for a fleet
10.1Interoperability constituents10.2Conformity assessment modules10.3EC declarations of conformity10.4Safety components10.5Wheelsets and axles10.6Pantographs and equipment10.7Signalling components10.8Suppliers and the supply chain10.9Certificate management10.10Case study: certification of an interoperability constituent
11.1Certification planning11.2Assessment strategy11.3Coordination of assessment bodies11.4Document management and version control11.5Risk management11.6Certification costs11.7Relationship with ERA and NSAs11.8Project indicators11.9Lessons-learned register11.10Practical exercise: certification plan for a regional train
12.1Selection of vehicle or subsystem12.2Analysis of TSIs and national rules12.3Authorisation strategy12.4Assessment and test plan12.5Safety case12.6Maintenance management12.7Project 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 legislation and standards and applied exercises. The working software is ERA One-Stop Shop, SIMPACK, Polarion ALM and IBM DOORS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: on-track dynamic vehicle tests, EC verification of subsystems and ETCS integration tests. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive (EU) 2016/797, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545, Regulation (EU) 1302/2014 (LOC&PAS TSI), Directive (EU) 2016/798, EN 50126-1, EN 14363, Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013, Regulation (EU) 2019/779.
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 ERA One-Stop Shop, SIMPACK, Polarion ALM and IBM DOORS, 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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