Postgraduate Diploma in Marine Environmental Assessment and Marine Permitting
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Marine Environmental Assessment and Marine Permitting. 8 modules covering Directive 2014/52/EU (environmental impact assessment), Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment and QGIS. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Marine Environmental Assessment and Marine Permitting — studying from the United States
Naval and offshore engineering in the United States is concentrated in Virginia, Maine, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Shipbuilders such as HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and General Dynamics Electric Boat design and construct naval vessels, while offshore energy firms develop platforms and subsea systems. The recreational marine sector, including boat builders in Florida and the Carolinas, adds demand for hull, propulsion and marine systems expertise. Classification societies and government regulators set rigorous standards for safety and performance.
Fees for the United States: US$1,000 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
Which US bodies relate to naval, offshore, and marine engineering?
Relevant bodies include the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), the American Bureau of Shipping as a classification society, and the US Coast Guard, which regulates vessel safety. Professional PE licensure is issued by state boards. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by any national body, so acceptance is decided by employers or these bodies.
Where do marine and offshore engineers typically work in the US?
Common employers include shipyards, naval architecture firms, offshore energy companies, marine equipment suppliers, and sports boat builders. Roles include naval architect, marine systems engineer, and offshore project engineer. Employers judge candidates on experience and technical ability, so a private qualification should be presented alongside practical evidence of skill.
Is the programme workable for someone with a full-time job?
The programmes are online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Workload ranges from 300 hours for specialist courses to 1,900 hours for master's programmes, so estimate your weekly time carefully. An assigned technical tutor supports you, and fees can be paid in instalments.
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 legal framework for the Spanish and European marine environment.
Characterise the environmental baseline of a marine project.
Assess environmental impacts using recognised methodologies.
Design mitigation and compensation measures.
Manage permit applications with the authorities.
Plan public participation and social acceptance processes.
Draft an environmental monitoring programme.
Who it's for
- Marine environmental consultant looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Permit processing technician looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Consultancy marine biologist looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Marine spatial planning specialist looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Environmental monitoring manager looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Stakeholder relations manager looking to specialise in Marine Environmental Assessment and Permitting.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter offshore wind.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2014/52/EU (environmental impact assessment)
- Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment
- Directive 2008/56/EC (Marine Strategy Framework Directive)
- Law 41/2010 on the protection of the marine environment
- Directive 92/43/EEC (Habitats)
- Directive 2014/89/EU (maritime spatial planning)
- Law 22/1988 on Coasts (Ley de Costas)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea1.2Marine Strategy Framework Directive1.3Law 41/2010 on the protection of the marine environment1.4Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment1.5Maritime spatial planning (Directive 2014/89/EU)1.6Maritime spatial plans in Spain1.7Marine Natura 20001.8Habitats and Birds Directives1.9Coastal Law and public maritime-terrestrial domain1.10Case study: analysis of legal restrictions on a site
2.1Oceanographic characterisation2.2Benthos and seabed habitats2.3Ichthyofauna and fisheries2.4Marine mammals and acoustic monitoring2.5Seabirds and surveys2.6Water and sediment quality2.7Landscape and underwater cultural heritage2.8Socio-economic uses of the space2.9Design of sampling campaigns2.10Practice: baseline characterisation plan
3.1Identification and assessment of impacts3.2Underwater construction noise3.3Electromagnetic fields from cables3.4Bird and marine mammal collisions3.5Reef effect and habitat changes3.6Impacts on fishing3.7Landscape and visual impact3.8Cumulative impacts3.9Assessment of implications for Natura 20003.10Workshop: impact matrix for an offshore wind farm
4.1Mitigation hierarchy4.2Bubble curtains and noise reduction4.3Soft start and MMO observers4.4Construction time windows4.5Micro-siting and adaptive design4.6Compensatory measures4.7Habitat restoration4.8Coexistence with fishing4.9Nature-positive design4.10Case study: piling noise mitigation plan
5.1Ordinary environmental assessment procedure5.2Scoping document and impact study5.3Public information and consultations5.4Environmental impact declaration5.5Concession for occupation of the public maritime domain5.6Administrative authorisation of installations5.7Royal Decree 962/2024 on marine renewables5.8Coordination between administrations5.9Timelines and processing risks5.10Practice: permitting schedule for an offshore project
6.1Stakeholder mapping6.2Early public participation6.3Dialogue with the fishing sector6.4Coastal communities and tourism6.5Management of use conflicts6.6Community benefits6.7Communicating environmental risks6.8Transparency and open data6.9Social licence to operate6.10Case study: public participation plan
7.1Environmental monitoring programme7.2BACI monitoring design7.3Passive acoustic monitoring7.4Bird monitoring with radar7.5Benthic monitoring7.6Indicators and thresholds7.7Adaptive management7.8Reports to the authority7.9Data and monitoring platforms7.10Workshop: designing a BACI programme
8.1Project description8.2Analysis of alternatives8.3Environmental baseline8.4Impact assessment8.5Mitigation measures8.6Environmental monitoring plan8.7Permitting strategy8.8Participation plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
I100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is QGIS, ArcGIS, MIKE 21 (DHI), R, Delft3D, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures for benthic and oceanographic baseline studies, sediment dispersion modelling and environmental monitoring plans. Assessment is continuous per 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.
Interpret the legal framework for the Spanish and European marine environment.
Characterise the environmental baseline of a marine project.
Assess environmental impacts using recognised methodologies.
Design mitigation and compensation measures.
Manage permit applications with the authorities.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish 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 amounts to an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses QGIS, ArcGIS, MIKE 21 (DHI), R, Delft3D. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma on passing the continuous assessment and the final integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry of Education qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a Course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher-level programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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