Master’s in Defence Supply Chain Management and Industrial Sovereignty Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in defence supply chain management and industrial sovereignty engineering. 12 modules covering defence supply chains, supply risk analysis, European industrial policy, supply planning and operations, supplier management, obsolescence and DMSMS, supply chain security, logistics, digitalisation, resilience and sustainability, with ISO 28000, the Critical Raw Materials Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 and IEC 62402, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Defence Supply Chain Management and Industrial Sovereignty Engineering — 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 185 000 (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
Analyse the structure of defence supply chains.
Identify critical dependencies and supply risks.
Interpret European defence industrial policy.
Plan production capacity for demand peaks.
Manage obsolescence and counterfeit components.
Strengthen supply chain security and resilience.
Integrate sustainability and due diligence criteria.
Who it's for
- Defence supply chain managers
- Supply risk analysts
- Strategic procurement managers
- Obsolescence specialists
- Industrial policy analysts
- Supplier quality managers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the defence industry
What you'll work with
- ISO 28000 (security management systems for the supply chain)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 (critical raw materials)
- IEC 62402 (obsolescence management)
- SAE AS5553 (counterfeit electronic parts)
- NIST SP 800-161 (cybersecurity supply chain risk management)
- AQAP-2110 (NATO quality assurance requirements)
- EN 9100 (aerospace and defence quality management)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/821 (conflict minerals)
- SAP S/4HANA
- AnyLogic
- Python
- Power BI
- SiliconExpert
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Structure of the defence value chain1.2Prime contractors and supplier tiers1.3Specific features of defence demand1.4Long cycles and low volume1.5Supply lessons from the war in Ukraine1.6European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB)1.7Industrial sovereignty and strategic autonomy1.8Industrial capacity indicators1.9Scalability challenges1.10Case study: supply chain map of a vehicle
2.1Identification of supply risks2.2Critical dependencies and single points of failure2.3EU critical raw materials2.4Geopolitical risk2.5Supplier financial risk2.6Multi-tier supply chain mapping2.7ISO 28000 and ISO 31000 methodologies2.8Risk scoring models2.9Mitigation plans2.10Workshop: analysis of critical raw material dependencies
3.1European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS)3.2EDIP programme3.3Critical Raw Materials Act3.4European Chips Act3.5ASAP ammunition plan3.6European Defence Fund3.7Foreign investment screening3.8State aid and defence3.9Cross-border industrial cooperation3.10Practical exercise: impact analysis of EDIS on a sector
4.1Demand planning4.2Production capacity planning4.3MRP and materials planning4.4Strategic inventory management4.5Reserves and safety stocks4.6Production during demand peaks4.7Lean and agility in defence4.8Sales and operations planning (S&OP)4.9Operational indicators4.10Lab: capacity planning model in Python
5.1Selection and qualification5.2Supplier audits5.3AQAP and AS9100 quality5.4Supplier development5.5SMEs and start-ups in the chain5.6Contracts and framework agreements5.7Performance evaluation5.8Collaborative relationships5.9Source diversification5.10Case study: development plan for a critical supplier
6.1Obsolescence of electronic components6.2Proactive DMSMS management6.3IEC 62402 standard6.4Last-time buys6.5Redesign and substitution6.6Counterfeit components6.7SAE AS5553 standard6.8Component banks6.9Prediction tools6.10Practical exercise: obsolescence analysis of a bill of materials
7.1Physical and information security7.2Supplier cybersecurity7.3Cybersecurity risk management NIST SP 800-1617.4Hardware and software integrity7.5Software bill of materials (SBOM)7.6Industrial security clearances7.7Protection against interference7.8Traceability and authenticity7.9Security audits7.10Workshop: cybersecurity assessment of a supplier
8.1Inbound logistics and distribution8.2Transport of dangerous goods (ADR)8.3Transport of defence material8.4Customs and foreign trade8.5Multimodal logistics8.6Military mobility in the EU8.7Secure storage8.8Reverse logistics8.9Logistics indicators8.10Case study: transport plan for sensitive material
9.1End-to-end visibility9.2Supply chain digital twins9.3Predictive risk analytics9.4Blockchain for traceability9.5ERP and planning systems9.6Collaboration platforms9.7Artificial intelligence in procurement9.8Data cybersecurity9.9Digital roadmap9.10Lab: supply chain simulation with AnyLogic
10.1Concept of supply chain resilience10.2Stress testing10.3Continuity plans10.4Reshoring and friend-shoring10.5Surge capacity10.6Supply crisis management10.7Public-private coordination10.8Resilience indicators10.9Lessons from recent crises10.10Practical exercise: stress test of a supply chain
11.1Sustainability in the defence supply chain11.2Conflict minerals11.3Human rights due diligence11.4Supply chain carbon footprint11.5Circular economy11.6ESG criteria and financing11.7Transparency and reporting11.8Ethics in the supply chain11.9Regulatory trends11.10Workshop: conflict minerals due diligence
12.1Selection of the system or sector12.2Supply chain mapping12.3Risk and dependency analysis12.4Mitigation proposal12.5Planning or simulation model12.6Resilience assessment12.7Industrial policy recommendations12.8Conclusions12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
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 the intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SAP S/4HANA, AnyLogic, Python, Power BI and SiliconExpert, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied, such as multi-tier supply chain mapping, resilience stress tests and component obsolescence analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: ISO 28000, Critical Raw Materials Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, IEC 62402, SAE AS5553, NIST SP 800-161, AQAP-2110, EN 9100, Conflict Minerals Regulation (EU) 2017/821.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with SAP S/4HANA, AnyLogic, Python, Power BI and SiliconExpert, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's 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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