Postgraduate Diploma in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety. 8 modules covering ISO 12215-5 (scantlings of small craft hulls), ISO 12217 (stability and buoyancy assessment) and Maxsurf. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety — studying from the United Kingdom
Naval and offshore engineering is a significant sector in the United Kingdom, with shipbuilding and naval programmes on the Clyde, in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness and Rosyth, and offshore energy activity in Aberdeen and the North Sea. Companies such as BAE Systems Maritime, Babcock and offshore service providers employ engineers in design, construction and maintenance. Sports nautical engineering, including yacht design and marine leisure, is concentrated in the Solent and South Coast. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulates shipping safety, and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects supports professional standards.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £746 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies relate to naval and marine engineering, and does SEIUM training count towards them?
Key UK bodies include the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Maritime qualifications are often regulated through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for certificates of competency. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so any recognition would be decided by them separately.
Will UK offshore, naval or marine employers value a private online engineering qualification?
Employers in these sectors often prioritise certified competencies, sea-going experience and regulatory certificates. A private qualification may support your application where it shows relevant technical depth, but it does not replace statutory requirements. Acceptance is for each employer to decide, so consider how the qualification complements your existing certifications.
Can I study this online from the UK alongside offshore rotations, and is language support available?
Online study can be flexible, but rotation patterns make scheduling important, so plan around your time at sea or on site. Programmes are taught entirely in English, and each learner is assigned a technical tutor. No visa is required to study from within the UK. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
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
Define hull forms suited to the vessel's mission and speed.
Estimate resistance to forward motion and the propulsive power required.
Assess stability and buoyancy in accordance with ISO 12217.
Develop the general arrangement and the deck and interior layout.
Calculate the hull scantlings in accordance with ISO 12215-5.
Integrate on-board safety requirements into the design.
Develop the complete design of a recreational craft.
Who it's for
- Recreational craft designer wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Naval architect wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Naval structures engineer wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Shipyard drawing office technician wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Marine safety inspector wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Craft certification engineer wishing to specialise in Hull/Layout Design and On-board Safety.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to join recreational boatyards.
What you'll work with
- ISO 12215-5 (scantlings of small craft hulls)
- ISO 12217 (stability and buoyancy assessment)
- Directive 2013/53/EU (recreational craft)
- ISO 15085 (prevention of falling overboard)
- ISO 9094 (fire protection on small craft)
- ISO 15083 (bilge pumping systems)
- ISO 8666 (principal data of craft)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Types: displacement, semi-displacement and planing1.2Monohulls and multihulls1.3Form coefficients and slenderness ratios1.4Deadrise angle and chines1.5Surface generation in Rhino and Orca3D1.6Surface fairing and curvature1.7Lines plan and offset table1.8Appendages: keels, rudders and centreboards1.9Influence of hull forms on behaviour1.10Workshop: 3D modelling of a planing hull
2.1Components of resistance to forward motion2.2Savitsky methods for planing hulls2.3Systematic series and Holtrop-Mennen2.4Power and speed estimation2.5Selection of inboard and outboard engines2.6Propellers and waterjets on craft2.7Trim, trim tabs and interceptors2.8Porpoising and dynamic stability2.9Correlation with sea trials2.10Practice: power prediction using the Savitsky method
3.1Naval architecture: basic hydrostatics3.2GZ curve and righting moment3.3ISO 12217: design categories3.4Inclining test and lightship displacement3.5Buoyancy of flooded craft3.6Stability of sailing craft: STIX index3.7Maximum load and number of persons3.8Effects of passengers and free surfaces3.9Stability of multihulls3.10Case study: ISO 12217 verification of an 8 m launch
4.1Requirements programme and intended use4.2Deck and cockpit layout4.3Interior layout and habitability4.4Location of engines, tanks and weights4.5Centre of gravity and design trim4.6Access, stairs and circulation4.7Visibility from the helm position (ISO 11591)4.8Systems integration and records4.9Stowage spaces and safety equipment4.10Workshop: general arrangement plan of a 12 m sailing yacht
5.1ISO 12215: design pressures5.2GRP laminates: fibres and resins5.3Sandwich construction and cores5.4Stiffening: floors, longitudinals and bulkheads5.5Panel and stiffener calculations5.6Hull-to-deck joints5.7Anchor points and concentrated loads5.8Keel structure and its attachment5.9Laminate quality control5.10Practice: scantling of a bottom panel to ISO 12215-5
6.1Directive 2013/53/EU on recreational craft6.2Prevention of falling overboard (ISO 15085)6.3Guardrails, handrails and lifelines6.4Fire prevention (ISO 9094)6.5Bilge drainage and bilge pumps (ISO 15083)6.6Ventilation of petrol compartments6.7Openings, hatches and watertightness (ISO 12216)6.8Emergency exits and evacuation6.9Safety equipment by navigation zone6.10Case study: risk analysis of a recreational craft
7.1Fuel systems (ISO 10088)7.2Liquefied petroleum gas installations (ISO 10239)7.3Fresh, grey and black water7.4Steering systems (ISO 10592 and 13929)7.5Basic electrical installations (ISO 13297)7.6Exhausts and engine cooling7.7Through-hull fittings and seacocks7.8Acoustic and thermal insulation7.9Maintainability and accessibility7.10Practice: systems diagram of a 10 m craft
8.1Requirements specification8.2Hull form design8.3General arrangement8.4Stability and design category8.5Structural scantlings8.6Safety plan8.7Systems integration8.8Weight and cost estimation8.9Report and presentation8.10Final 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. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Maxsurf, Rhinoceros 3D, DELFTship, Orca3D, AutoCAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for stability and inclining tests, sea trials of the craft and the hydrodynamic towing tank. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus a final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Define hull forms suited to the vessel's mission and speed.
Estimate resistance to forward motion and the propulsive power required.
Assess stability and buoyancy in accordance with ISO 12217.
Develop the general arrangement and the deck and interior layout.
Calculate the hull scantlings in accordance with ISO 12215-5.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient English to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
Work is carried out with Maxsurf, Rhinoceros 3D, DELFTship, Orca3D, AutoCAD. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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