Postgraduate Diploma in Navigation and Automation Tools
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Navigation and Automation Tools. 8 modules covering SOLAS Chapter V, IEC 61174 (ECDIS) and ECDIS (e.g. Furuno or Kongsberg). Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Navigation and Automation Tools — 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: £910 (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
Describe the architecture of integrated navigation systems.
Operate and configure ECDIS in accordance with IMO standards.
Evaluate the accuracy of positioning systems and sensors.
Tune autopilot systems and track control.
Analyse ship automation systems and their IEC 61162 interfaces.
Assess the technical and regulatory challenges of autonomous navigation.
Plan the maintenance and management of bridge equipment.
Who it's for
- Navigation systems engineer wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- ECDIS-specialist bridge officer wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- Marine automation engineer wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- Marine electronics technician wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- Autonomous vessel control engineer wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- Technical superintendent for bridge equipment wishing to specialise in Navigation and Automation Tools.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter the maritime transport sector.
What you'll work with
- SOLAS Chapter V
- IEC 61174 (ECDIS)
- Res. MSC.232(82) (ECDIS performance standards)
- IEC 61162 (digital navigation interfaces)
- IEC 62065 (track control systems)
- IHO S-52 and S-57 / S-100
- MSC.1/Circ.1638 (autonomous ships MASS)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Integrated bridge architecture (INS)1.2INS performance standard MSC.252(83)1.3Sensors: GNSS, gyrocompass and log1.4X-band and S-band radar1.5AIS: classes, messages and limitations1.6Echo sounder and environmental sensors1.7Data integration and NMEA 0183/2000 networks1.8IEC 61162-450 standard and Ethernet networks1.9Centralised alarm management (BAM)1.10Laboratory: configuring an NMEA 2000 network
2.1ENC charts and S-572.2Presentation according to S-522.3ECDIS: SOLAS requirements and IEC 61174 performance2.4Chart updates and licences2.5Route checking and alarms2.6Back-up mode and redundancy2.7Common errors and ECDIS pitfalls2.8Transition to S-100 and S-1012.9Leisure plotters versus ECDIS2.10Practical: planning and checking a route in ECDIS
3.1GNSS systems: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou3.2SBAS and DGNSS corrections3.3Integrity and RAIM monitoring3.4GNSS interference, jamming and spoofing3.5Inertial systems and sensor fusion3.6Kalman filter in navigation3.7Fibre-optic gyroscopes3.8Satellite compasses3.9PNT resilience and eLoran3.10Laboratory: spoofing detection in GNSS data
4.1Principles of heading control4.2PID and adaptive controllers4.3Track control4.4Autopilot tuning according to sea state4.5Actuators: steering gear and hydraulics4.6Joystick and dynamic positioning control4.7Integration with thrusters and bow thrusters4.8Failure modes and manual changeover4.9Sea trials of the steering system4.10Practical: tuning an autopilot in a simulator
5.1Monitoring and alarm systems5.2Machinery automation and UMS5.3PLCs and onboard control networks5.4SCADA and HMI on ships5.5Power management systems (PMS)5.6Bridge and machinery integration5.7Class automation notations5.8FAT, HAT and SAT testing5.9Cybersecurity: IACS UR E26 and E275.10Workshop: alarm logic in a marine PLC
6.1IMO MASS autonomy levels6.2Perception: cameras, LIDAR and radar6.3Automated collision avoidance and COLREGs6.4Remote control centres6.5Satellite connectivity and latency6.6Validation through simulation and scenarios6.7Regulatory framework of the MASS Code6.8Risks and safety analysis (STPA)6.9Human factors in remote supervision6.10Case study: STPA analysis of an autonomous vessel
7.1Annual inspections of navigation equipment7.2Radar performance tests7.3Calibration of echo sounder and log7.4Magnetic compass deviation7.5Software updates and version control7.6Voyage data recording (VDR)7.7Repairs and critical spare parts7.8Equipment-specific type training7.9Flag State audits and Port State Control7.10Practical: maintenance plan for the integrated bridge
8.1Operational requirements of the vessel8.2System architecture8.3Selection of sensors and equipment8.4Network design and integration8.5Automation and alarms8.6Cybersecurity analysis8.7Test plan8.8Maintenance plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake period, making it easy to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ECDIS (e.g. Furuno or Kongsberg), Wärtsilä NTPRO, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, OpenCPN, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures from integrated bridge simulators, autopilot sea trials and verification of navigation sensors. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the architecture of integrated navigation systems.
Operate and configure ECDIS in accordance with IMO standards.
Evaluate the accuracy of positioning systems and sensors.
Tune autopilot systems and track control.
Analyse ship automation systems and their IEC 61162 interfaces.
Where this takes you
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'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 consists of 800 hours in total, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
You will work with ECDIS (e.g. Furuno or Kongsberg), Wärtsilä NTPRO, MATLAB/Simulink, Python and OpenCPN. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry title.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be recognised towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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