Diploma in Military Maritime Ethics and Law
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in military maritime ethics and law. 8 modules covering the law of the sea, the law of armed conflict at sea, maritime security, search and rescue and the protection of persons, the marine environment, emerging naval technologies and the ethics of naval command, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Military Maritime Ethics and Law — studying from the United States
Defense engineering is a major pillar of the American economy, with strong clusters in Virginia, Maryland, Alabama, Connecticut and California. Prime contractors such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems Inc. develop land, air and naval systems for the Department of Defense. Work spans vehicle design, weapons integration, survivability and secure systems, governed by strict security and procurement rules. Engineers in this field often hold or pursue security clearances, which shapes career paths and project access.
Fees for the United States: US$2,000 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
What US bodies and clearance rules apply to defense and land-systems engineering?
Defense engineering in the US is shaped by the Department of Defense and agencies such as the Army Contracting Command, with work often requiring security clearances issued through federal processes. Professional engineering bodies include the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and ASME for mechanical systems. Licensure, where needed, comes from state boards. SEIUM's private qualifications are not official degrees and do not confer clearances or licences.
Do US defense contractors and government employers recognize private engineering qualifications?
US defense primes and government employers typically require US citizenship for many roles, security clearances, and accredited degrees or proven experience. A private online qualification is not a substitute for these and is assessed by each employer. It may complement existing expertise, but it should not be relied on as a route into cleared or government positions.
Can a US-based engineer study land-systems topics online alongside full-time work?
Yes, the programmes are online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. The workload is about 1,900 hours for a master's, 800 hours for a postgraduate diploma, or 300 hours for a specialist course. Each student receives an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and some employers fund training, so you may wish to ask your employer about support.
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
Interpret the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Apply the law of armed conflict at sea.
Analyse the maritime security regime.
Assess the duty to render assistance and the protection of persons.
Evaluate the environmental obligations of navies.
Analyse the legal status of emerging naval technologies.
Deliberate on the ethics of naval command.
Who it's for
- Naval legal advisers.
- Maritime security analysts.
- Maritime compliance officers in shipping companies.
- Law of the sea consultants.
- Search and rescue coordinators.
- International law researchers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter naval defence.
What you'll work with
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
- San Remo Manual (1994) (international law applicable to armed conflicts at sea)
- SUA Convention (1988) (suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation)
- SOLAS Convention (safety of life at sea)
- SAR Convention (1979) (maritime search and rescue)
- MARPOL 73/78 (prevention of pollution from ships)
- COLREG (1972) (international regulations for preventing collisions at sea)
- Law 14/2014 (Spanish Maritime Navigation Act)
- MarineTraffic
- QGIS
- OpenCPN
- Zotero
8 modules
1.1The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea1.2The territorial sea and contiguous zone1.3The exclusive economic zone1.4The high seas and its freedoms1.5International straits1.6Warships and immunity1.7The right of visit1.8Hot pursuit1.9Dispute settlement1.10Case study: incident in an international strait
2.1The San Remo Manual2.2Naval operations zones2.3Hospital ships and their protection2.4Naval blockade: legal regime2.5Protection of neutral merchant vessels2.6The shipwrecked and wounded2.7The marine environment in armed conflict2.8Submarine cables2.9Lessons from recent conflicts2.10Practical exercise: legal analysis of a blockade
3.1Piracy and armed robbery at sea3.2Operation Atalanta3.3Maritime terrorism and the SUA Convention3.4Illicit trafficking by sea3.5Port and ship security3.6Security of undersea infrastructure3.7International cooperation3.8Integrated maritime surveillance3.9Private security on board3.10Case study: detention of pirates and legal safeguards
4.1The duty to render assistance at sea4.2The SOLAS and SAR Conventions4.3Maritime migration4.4The principle of non-refoulement4.5Disembarkation in a place of safety4.6Naval rescue operations4.7Commanders' dilemmas4.8Human rights on board4.9Cooperation with NGOs4.10Workshop: rescue dilemma in the Mediterranean
5.1Sovereign immunity and environmental obligations5.2The MARPOL Convention5.3Underwater noise5.4Protected species5.5Marine protected areas5.6Sunken wartime wrecks5.7Munitions dumped at sea5.8Environmental assessment of exercises5.9Environmental liability5.10Case study: chemical munitions in the Baltic
6.1Uncrewed surface vehicles6.2Autonomous underwater vehicles6.3Legal status of uncrewed vessels6.4Collision regulations and autonomy6.5Maritime cybersecurity6.6Satellite maritime surveillance6.7Artificial intelligence in naval systems6.8Liability for incidents6.9The debate at the IMO6.10Practical exercise: legal analysis of a naval drone
7.1Ethics of command at sea7.2The commanding officer's responsibility7.3Obedience and conscience7.4Proportionality in the use of force7.5Rules of engagement: the concept7.6Treatment of detainees7.7Ethics training for ships' companies7.8Naval culture7.9Historical cases7.10Case study: the sinking of the General Belgrano
8.1Selected case8.2Facts and context8.3Applicable legal framework8.4Ethical analysis8.5Rights of the people affected8.6Environmental impact8.7Recommendations8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final 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: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original legal texts and applied exercises. The working software is MarineTraffic, QGIS, OpenCPN and Zotero, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real material: analysis of maritime incidents, deliberation on rescue dilemmas and study of case law from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, San Remo Manual (1994), SUA Convention (1988), SOLAS Convention, SAR Convention (1979), MARPOL 73/78, COLREG (1972), Law 14/2014.
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MarineTraffic, QGIS, OpenCPN and Zotero, 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 final project. 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 are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the programme software 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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