Master’s in Hypervisors and Mixed-Criticality
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in hypervisors and mixed-criticality systems, covering partitioning, ARINC 653-like scheduling and safety islands. 12 modules covering hardware virtualisation, hypervisor types, spatial and temporal partitioning, guest operating systems, functional safety, cybersecurity, avionics and automotive applications, and verification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Hypervisors and Mixed-Criticality — studying from South Africa
Electronics and telecommunications are substantial sectors in South Africa, with operators such as MTN, Vodacom and Telkom supporting national connectivity. Electronics manufacturers and design houses serve automotive, industrial and consumer markets, and embedded systems engineers are needed across these industries. Research at institutions such as Stellenbosch University and the CSIR contributes to advances in communications and signal processing. Compliance with national radio spectrum rules is overseen by the national communications regulator.
Fees for South Africa: R 148 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies recognise electronics and telecom engineers, and does SEIUM feature?
ECSA registers engineering professionals in South Africa, and the Electronic Communications and Postal Act means telecom roles are regulated through ICASA and related licensing. SEIUM is a private online institute whose qualifications are not official state degrees and are not accredited by a national body. Recognition is decided by employers or the relevant professional body, so check with them before enrolling.
Would this programme help me work in embedded systems or telecoms in South Africa?
South Africa has electronics manufacturers, telecom operators and technology firms that employ embedded and communications engineers. Employers typically weigh practical skills, experience and recognised qualifications. A private online qualification can strengthen your profile in specialist areas, but it does not guarantee employment. Ask prospective employers whether they would value it.
Can I study around a job, and what English level is needed?
The programme is entirely online and taught in English, so you need solid English for coursework and tutor communication. Because it is remote, 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 supported by a technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
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
Understand the principles of mixed-criticality systems.
Make use of hardware virtualisation extensions.
Select and configure embedded hypervisors.
Implement spatial and temporal partitioning.
Mitigate interference on multicore platforms.
Apply functional safety requirements to partitioning.
Verify isolation and timing performance.
Who it's for
- Embedded virtualisation engineers.
- Mixed-criticality systems architects.
- Avionics software engineers.
- Functional safety engineers.
- Hypervisor developers.
- Real-time systems engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the aeronautical sector.
What you'll work with
- ARINC 653 (avionics application software standard interface for partitioning)
- ISO 26262 (functional safety of road vehicles)
- RTCA DO-178C (software considerations in airborne systems)
- IEC 61508 (functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable systems)
- EASA AMC 20-193 (use of multicore processors in airborne systems)
- RTCA DO-297 (integrated modular avionics development and certification)
- ISO/SAE 21434 (road vehicle cybersecurity engineering)
- CAST-32A (multicore processors position paper)
- Xen
- Jailhouse
- Bao Hypervisor
- QNX Hypervisor
- seL4
12 modules
1.1The concept of mixed criticality1.2Consolidation of functions1.3Benefits and risks1.4Criticality levels by sector1.5Spatial and temporal isolation1.6Federated versus integrated architectures1.7Certification requirements1.8Examples in avionics, automotive and industry1.9Integration roadmap1.10Case study: ECU consolidation in a vehicle
2.1ARM and x86 virtualisation extensions2.2Exception levels in ARMv82.3Two-stage MMU2.4IOMMU and SMMU2.5Virtualised GIC interrupts2.6Shared caches and interference2.7Memory controllers2.8Heterogeneous multicore processors2.9TrustZone and secure environments2.10Lab: exploring a multicore SoC
3.1Type 1 and type 2 hypervisors3.2Microkernels and separation3.3Static partitioning hypervisors3.4Full virtualisation and paravirtualisation3.5Examples: Xen, KVM, Jailhouse, Bao3.6Certified commercial hypervisors3.7Size of the trusted computing base3.8Performance comparison3.9Hypervisor selection3.10Practical exercise: partitioning with Jailhouse
4.1Memory allocation to partitions4.2Peripheral protection4.3Device pass-through4.4Peripheral virtualisation4.5Inter-partition communication4.6Secure shared memory4.7Partition boot4.8Partition fault management4.9Verification of isolation4.10Lab: inter-partition communication
5.1Partition scheduling5.2ARINC 653 cyclic scheduling5.3Hierarchical partition schedulers5.4Interference on shared resources5.5Cache colouring5.6Memory bandwidth regulation5.7WCET execution time analysis5.8Interference measurement5.9Temporal guarantees and their demonstration5.10Practical exercise: cache colouring with Bao
6.1Real-time operating systems as guests6.2Linux as a guest6.3AUTOSAR in virtualisation6.4Avionics operating systems6.5Virtio paravirtualised drivers6.6Guest power management6.7Coordinated boot and shutdown6.8Guest updates6.9Guest debugging6.10Lab: FreeRTOS and Linux on the same SoC
7.1IEC 61508 and partitioning7.2ISO 26262 and freedom from interference7.3DO-178C and DO-2977.4Common cause analysis7.5Safety arguments7.6Hypervisor qualification7.7Monitoring mechanisms7.8Watchdogs and recovery7.9Evidence for certification7.10Workshop: freedom from interference analysis
8.1Hypervisor threat model8.2Side-channel attacks8.3Spectre and Meltdown8.4Secure boot with a hypervisor8.5Key management per partition8.6Trusted execution environments8.7Security audit8.8ISO/SAE 21434 and virtualisation8.9Common Criteria certified separation8.10Practical exercise: cache side-channel analysis
9.1Integrated modular avionics (IMA)9.2ARINC 653 in detail9.3Multicore in avionics: CAST-32A9.4EASA AMC 20-193 guidance for multicore9.5Partitioning in flight systems9.6Configuration tools9.7Application integration9.8Incremental certification of applications9.9Aircraft case studies9.10Case study: ARINC 653 configuration
10.1Central vehicle computers10.2Virtualised digital cockpit10.3Hypervisors in ADAS10.4Virtualised industrial controllers10.5Mixed-criticality robotics10.6PLC virtualisation10.7Partitioning in railway systems10.8Virtualisation in medical devices10.9Comparison of requirements by sector10.10Lab: digital cockpit with a hypervisor
11.1Isolation testing11.2Fault injection11.3Interrupt latency measurement11.4Hypervisor overhead measurement11.5Stress testing11.6Static analysis of the hypervisor11.7Formal verification: seL411.8Tracing and analysis11.9Verification reports11.10Practical exercise: fault injection between partitions
12.1Definition of the mixed-criticality system12.2Isolation requirements12.3Hardware and hypervisor selection12.4Partition design12.5Platform configuration12.6Guest integration12.7Verification of isolation and timing12.8Safety argument12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
The programme is delivered 100% online 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 it can be combined with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is Xen, Jailhouse, Bao Hypervisor, QNX Hypervisor and seL4, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for multicore interference measurement, fault injection testing and interrupt latency analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: ARINC 653, ISO 26262, RTCA DO-178C, IEC 61508, EASA AMC 20-193, RTCA DO-297, ISO/SAE 21434, CAST-32A.
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 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 Xen, Jailhouse, Bao Hypervisor, QNX Hypervisor and seL4, 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 degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), 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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