Postgraduate Diploma in WWTP Design and Biological Processes
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in WWTP Design and Biological Processes. 8 modules covering Directive 91/271/EEC (urban waste water treatment), Directive (EU) 2024/3019 (recast on urban waste water) and BioWin. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in WWTP Design and Biological Processes — studying from the United States
Civil and transportation engineering is a large and visible sector in the United States, supported by federal infrastructure investment and active state and municipal programs. Major firms such as AECOM, Jacobs and Kiewit work on highways, bridges, rail and water systems nationwide. Rail engineering, centered on corridors in the Northeast, Midwest and California, is expanding with passenger and freight modernization. Smart city initiatives in cities like Pittsburgh, Boston and Austin integrate sensors, data platforms and digital twins into infrastructure planning and operations.
Fees for the United States: US$1,220 (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United States
Typical roles
Questions from the United States
What US professional bodies and licences apply to civil and rail engineering?
In the US, civil engineers can obtain the Professional Engineer (PE) licence from state boards, which is often required for public infrastructure sign-off. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is the main professional body. Rail is overseen federally by the Federal Railroad Administration. SEIUM's private qualifications are not official degrees or PE-equivalent credentials, so employers and licensing boards decide any recognition.
Do US civil, rail and smart-city employers value private online engineering qualifications?
US public agencies and engineering firms typically require ABET-accredited degrees, PE licensure for certain roles, and relevant project experience. A private online qualification can support specialist knowledge in areas such as smart infrastructure, but it is not a standard requirement for licensed roles. Its usefulness depends on the employer's policies and on your practical background.
Can a US professional study this part-time while working, and what does the commitment look like?
Yes, the programmes are online, taught in English, and do not require a student visa. The time commitment is about 1,900 hours for a master's, 800 hours for a postgraduate diploma, or 300 hours for a specialist course, so planning is important. Each student has an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and some employers sponsor training, so check with yours.
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
Characterise wastewater and establish design flows and loads.
Size pretreatment and primary treatment.
Apply microbiology and kinetics to the design of biological reactors.
Size activated sludge processes with nutrient removal.
Evaluate intensified processes such as MBR, MBBR or granular sludge.
Model processes with ASM models to optimise operation.
Develop the design of a WWTP with energy and control criteria.
Who it's for
- Wastewater treatment process engineer who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- WWTP designer who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- Treatment plant manager who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- Biological process modeller who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- WWTP energy optimisation consultant who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- Sanitation operations technician who wants to specialise in WWTP Design and Biological Processes.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter water and sanitation companies.
What you'll work with
- Directive 91/271/EEC (urban waste water treatment)
- Directive (EU) 2024/3019 (recast on urban waste water)
- EN 12255 series (wastewater treatment plants)
- Royal Decree 509/1996 (implementing Royal Legislative Decree 11/1995 on waste water)
- DWA-A 131 (sizing of activated sludge plants)
- Royal Decree 849/1986 (Regulations on the Public Water Domain)
8 modules · 800 h
- , COD, TSS, nitrogen and phosphorus parameters
1.2COD fractionation1.3Design flows and loads1.4Population equivalents1.5Directive (EU) 2024/3019 on urban waste water1.6Discharge requirements under Royal Decree 509/19961.7Industrial discharges and ordinances1.8Combined sewer overflows1.9Sampling campaigns1.10Practical: design loads for a population
2.1Screening and sieving2.2Grit and grease removal2.3Inlet pumping2.4Primary sedimentation2.5Physicochemical treatment2.6Flow equalisation2.7Pretreatment waste management2.8Plant hydraulic profile2.9Storm tanks2.10Workshop: sizing an aerated grit chamber
3.1Microorganisms in activated sludge3.2Monod kinetics3.3Cell yield and endogenous decay3.4Sludge age3.5Nitrification: bacteria and conditions3.6Denitrification3.7Biological phosphorus removal3.8Filamentous bacteria and bulking3.9Activated sludge microscopy3.10Laboratory: microscopic observation and SVI
4.1Completely mixed and plug-flow reactors4.2Extended aeration4.3Oxygen demand4.4Fine-bubble diffused aeration4.5Secondary sedimentation and solids flux4.6Internal and external recirculation4.7MLE, A2O and Bardenpho configurations4.8Sequencing batch reactors (SBR)4.9Sizing according to DWA-A 131 guidance4.10Practical: sizing an activated sludge system with nitrification
5.1Membrane bioreactors5.2Aerobic granular sludge5.3Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR)5.4Hybrid IFAS systems5.5Anammox and deammonification5.6Submerged biofilters5.7Ozone and carbon for micropollutants5.8Constructed wetlands and trickling filters in small communities5.9Technology selection criteria5.10Case study: capacity expansion with IFAS
6.1ASM1, ASM2d and ASM3 Models 6.2 Fractionation for Modeling 6.3 Calibration Protocols 6.4 Takács Clarifier Model 6.5 Simulation with Commercial Software 6.6 Dynamic Simulation and BSM1 6.7 Energy Optimization Through Simulation 6.8 WWTP Digital Twin 6.9 Uncertainty in Modelling 6.10 Practice: Calibrating an ASM1 Model
7.1Energy consumption of a WWTP7.2Dissolved oxygen control7.3Ammonium-based aeration control7.4Online instrumentation7.5Operational indicators7.6Foaming and filamentous bulking7.7N₂O emissions and carbon footprint7.8Maintenance of electromechanical equipment7.9Health and safety in WWTPs7.10Workshop: aeration control strategy
8.1Design bases and discharge requirements8.2Selection of the water line8.3Sizing of pretreatment and primary treatment8.4Sizing of the biological reactor8.5Secondary sedimentation and tertiary treatment8.6Hydraulic profile and site layout8.7Energy balance and control8.8Budget and operating costs8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is BioWin, GPS-X, SUMO, AutoCAD, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for respirometry tests, analytical characterisation of wastewater and dynamic WWTP simulation. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Characterise wastewater and establish design flows and loads.
Size pretreatment and primary treatment.
Apply microbiology and kinetics to the design of biological reactors.
Size activated sludge processes with nutrient removal.
Evaluate intensified processes such as MBR, MBBR or granular sludge.
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 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 is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with full-time work.
You work with BioWin, GPS-X, SUMO, AutoCAD and advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit-transfer policy when you enrol.
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