Diploma in Passive and Active Sonar
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in passive and active sonar. 8 modules covering underwater acoustics, transducers and hydrophones, passive and active sonar, acoustic signal processing, performance modelling, and sea trials, noise and the environment, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Passive and Active Sonar — studying from South Africa
South Africa has a established defence industry centred on companies such as Denel and Paramount Group, with capabilities in land systems, armoured vehicles and munitions. The sector supports engineering roles in systems integration, vehicle design and test and evaluation. Defence procurement and export controls are overseen by government bodies, and the industry works closely with the South African National Defence Force. Engineers in this field typically combine mechanical, electrical and systems skills.
Fees for South Africa: R 24 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies regulate or recognise defence and military engineering professionals?
Engineers in South Africa are registered through ECSA under the Engineering Profession Act, and defence programmes are guided by institutions such as the South African National Defence Force and Armscor, which set their own requirements. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition is decided by these bodies and your employer, so confirm with them first.
Would this qualification help me find work in South Africa's defence or land systems sector?
South Africa has a defence industry with state-linked entities and private contractors, and employers usually require security clearances, relevant experience and recognised qualifications. A private online programme may support your application but does not guarantee employment or clearance. Check requirements with prospective employers, as roles in this sector can be sensitive and tightly controlled.
Can I study alongside a job, and are there funding options?
The course is 100% online and taught in English, so you need strong English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, each with an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, so ask whether your employer would fund part of the training.
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
Explain how sound propagates in the marine environment.
Characterise transducers and hydrophones.
Apply passive sonar analysis techniques.
Design waveforms for active sonar.
Implement beamforming algorithms.
Predict performance with propagation models.
Plan trials that minimise the impact on marine fauna.
Who it's for
- Sonar systems engineers looking to deepen their knowledge of passive and active systems.
- Underwater acoustics specialists working in defence, oceanography or offshore industry.
- Acoustic signal analysts who process and classify underwater recordings.
- Signal processing engineers moving into sonar applications.
- Sea trials technicians involved in acoustic measurement campaigns.
- Underwater noise consultants assessing environmental impact.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter naval defence.
What you'll work with
- ISO 18405 (underwater acoustics terminology)
- ISO 17208-1 (measurement of radiated underwater sound from ships)
- IEC 60565-1 (calibration of hydrophones)
- ISO 18406 (measurement of radiated sound from marine pile driving)
- ANSI/ASA S1.20 (procedures for calibration of underwater electroacoustic transducers)
- Directive 2008/56/EC (EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive)
- MATLAB Phased Array System Toolbox
- Bellhop (Acoustics Toolbox)
- PAMGuard
- dBSea
- Raven Pro
8 modules
1.1Sound propagation in water1.2Sound speed profiles1.3Propagation and absorption losses1.4SOFAR channels and shadow zones1.5Surface and bottom reverberation1.6Ocean ambient noise1.7The sonar equation1.8Decibel levels and reference values1.9Profile measurement with CTD and XBT1.10Practical exercise: calculating the sonar equation
2.1Piezoelectric materials and PZT ceramics2.2Hydrophones and their sensitivity2.3Acoustic projectors and power2.4Directivity and radiation patterns2.5Reciprocity calibration2.6Cavitation and power limits2.7Encapsulation and hydrostatic pressure2.8Cylindrical, linear and conformal arrays2.9Signal conditioning electronics2.10Laboratory: tank calibration of a hydrophone
3.1Acoustic signatures of ships3.2Noise radiated by propellers and machinery3.3LOFAR and DEMON analysis3.4Towed and hull-mounted arrays3.5Bearing estimation and TMA3.6Contact classification3.7Detection in noisy environments3.8Acoustic monitoring of cetaceans3.9Passive sonobuoys3.10Workshop: LOFAR analysis of a recording
4.1CW and FM waveforms4.2Pulse compression4.3Targets, target strength and reverberation4.4Variable depth sonar4.5Side-scan sonar4.6Multibeam echosounders4.7Synthetic aperture sonar4.8Detection of mines and objects on the seabed4.9Impact of active sonar on marine fauna4.10Practical exercise: design of an LFM waveform
5.1Sampling and analogue-to-digital conversion5.2Fourier transform and spectrograms5.3Conventional beamforming5.4MVDR adaptive beamforming5.5Matched filtering and detection5.6CFAR thresholding5.7Tracking with Kalman filters5.8Machine learning for classification5.9Real-time processing with FPGA5.10Laboratory: beamformer in MATLAB
6.1Ray models and Bellhop6.2Normal modes and the parabolic equation6.3Detection range prediction6.4Probability of detection and false alarm6.5Bathymetric and seabed effects6.6Seasonal ocean variability6.7Tactical decision aids6.8Validation with sea campaign data6.9Environmental uncertainty6.10Case study: detection range in the Mediterranean
7.1Measurement of ship radiated noise7.2Acoustic measurement ranges7.3Sea and tank trials7.4Acoustic signature reduction7.5Underwater noise and the marine strategy7.6Mitigation for marine mammals7.7Civil applications: oceanography and fisheries7.8Underwater inspection of infrastructure7.9Safety in sea campaigns7.10Case study: mitigation plan for a trial
8.1Operational requirements and environment8.2Selection of transducers and array8.3Proposed processing chain8.4Performance modelling8.5Validation test plan8.6Acoustic impact assessment8.7Cost and risk analysis8.8Technical conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with your 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 standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB Phased Array System Toolbox, Bellhop (Acoustics Toolbox), PAMGuard, dBSea and Raven Pro, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for tank calibration of hydrophones, radiated noise measurement on acoustic ranges and sea campaigns with CTD profiles. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 18405, ISO 17208-1, IEC 60565-1, ISO 18406, ANSI/ASA S1.20 and Directive 2008/56/EC.
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's 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 MATLAB Phased Array System Toolbox, Bellhop (Acoustics Toolbox), PAMGuard, dBSea and Raven Pro, 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 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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