Master’s in PNT Resilience Engineering: GNSS/INS, Anti-Jamming and Secure Timing
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in PNT resilience engineering: GNSS/INS, anti-jamming and secure timing, structured in 12 modules covering GNSS signals and receivers, interference and receiver robustness, inertial and hybrid navigation, complementary PNT, secure time and synchronisation, testing, integrity and regulation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in PNT Resilience Engineering: GNSS/INS, Anti-Jamming and Secure Timing — 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.
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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 dependencies of critical infrastructure on PNT.
Understand how GNSS signals and receivers work.
Identify vulnerabilities and receiver robustness techniques.
Design hybrid GNSS/INS and complementary PNT solutions.
Implement secure time and synchronisation architectures.
Assess navigation integrity using RAIM and ARAIM.
Prepare contingency plans for GNSS loss.
Who it's for
- GNSS navigation engineers looking to master interference and resilience.
- Synchronisation and timing engineers in telecoms, energy or finance.
- Infrastructure resilience engineers responsible for PNT dependencies.
- Receiver test engineers working with simulators and field trials.
- Navigation integrity engineers in aviation or autonomous systems.
- Space policy consultants who need solid technical grounding in PNT.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space and satellite sector.
What you'll work with
- IEEE 1588 (Precision Time Protocol, PTP)
- ITU-T G.8275.1 (PTP telecom profile for phase/time synchronisation)
- Directive (EU) 2022/2557 (resilience of critical entities)
- RTCA DO-229 (SBAS airborne equipment performance standards)
- EUROCAE ED-259 (DFMC SBAS airborne equipment)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/696 (EU Space Programme)
- ITU-T G.811 (timing characteristics of primary reference clocks)
- GNSS-SDR
- RTKLIB
- MATLAB Navigation Toolbox
- Spirent SimGEN
- GPSTk
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Positioning, navigation and timing as a service1.2Critical PNT dependencies in infrastructure1.3Sectors: energy, finance, telecommunications and transport1.4Economic impact studies of GNSS loss1.5PNT resilience policies in the EU and the US1.6Executive Order 13905 and the responsible PNT framework1.7Architecture of national PNT services1.8Resilience metrics1.9Governance of critical services1.10Case study: PNT dependency map of an electricity operator
2.1Structure of GPS, Galileo and BeiDou signals2.2Spreading codes and BOC modulations2.3Architecture of a GNSS receiver2.4Signal acquisition and tracking2.5DLL, PLL and FLL loops2.6Navigation equation and DOP2.7Ionospheric and tropospheric errors2.8Multipath and mitigation techniques2.9Software GNSS receivers2.10Lab: software receiver with GNSS-SDR
3.1Taxonomy of unintentional interference3.2Intentional interference at a conceptual level3.3Signal spoofing: principles and detection3.4Effects on commercial receivers3.5Documented incidents in aviation and maritime navigation3.6Detection by monitoring C/N0 and AGC3.7Localisation of interference sources3.8Legal framework for interference3.9Incident reporting and management3.10Case study: analysis of a published interference incident
4.1Interference filtering and excision4.2Spatial processing with multi-element antennas4.3Beamforming and null steering: principles4.4Ultra-tight integration with INS4.5Vector tracking4.6Spoofing detection by consistency checks4.7Galileo OSNMA authentication4.8Public Regulated Service (PRS) at a conceptual level4.9Performance standards for robust receivers4.10Practical exercise: C/N0 analysis with recorded data
5.1Inertial sensors and their errors5.2Inertial navigation mechanisation5.3GNSS/INS integration with a Kalman filter5.4Loose, tight and ultra-tight coupling5.5Odometry and auxiliary sensors5.6Navigation holdover without GNSS5.7IMU selection according to requirements5.8Calibration and alignment5.9Validation of hybrid solutions5.10Lab: GNSS/INS integration in MATLAB
6.1eLoran and terrestrial systems6.2Navigation using signals of opportunity6.3Positioning with commercial LEO constellations6.4Visual and terrain-referenced navigation6.5Indoor positioning systems6.6Pseudolites and local systems6.7Magnetic and gravimetric navigation6.8Performance comparison6.9Multi-source architectures6.10Case study: selecting complementary PNT for a port
7.1Time scales: UTC, TAI and GPST7.2Oscillators: quartz, rubidium and caesium7.3Holdover clocks and stability7.4Allan variance and time deviation7.5NTP and IEEE 1588 PTP protocols7.6ITU-T G.8275 telecom profile7.7White Rabbit and sub-nanosecond synchronisation7.8NTS and PTP security7.9Time distribution over fibre7.10Practical exercise: measuring the stability of an oscillator
8.1Timing requirements in 5G networks8.2Power grid synchronisation and PMUs8.3Timestamping in financial markets under MiFID II8.4Timing in transport systems8.5Redundant timing architectures8.6Time quality monitoring8.7Response to loss of reference8.8Auditing time traceability8.9Sector standards for synchronisation8.10Workshop: designing a timing architecture for an operator
9.1GNSS constellation simulators9.2Anechoic chamber testing9.3Receiver robustness testing9.4Standardised test scenarios9.5Field tests and controlled events9.6Performance and integrity metrics9.7Aeronautical certification of receivers9.8EUROCAE and RTCA standards9.9Test documentation9.10Lab: test scenario with a GNSS simulator
10.1Integrity concepts: HPL and VPL10.2RAIM and ARAIM10.3Integrity in hybrid navigation10.4Functional safety in PNT systems10.5Cybersecurity of receivers and firmware10.6PNT risk analysis10.7Safety arguments10.8Integrity for autonomous vehicles10.9Real-time integrity monitoring10.10Case study: calculating ARAIM protection levels
11.1The EU Space Programme and Galileo11.2Critical Entities Resilience Directive11.3National PNT strategies11.4Radionavigation spectrum management11.5ICAO and IMO regulations11.6PNT contingency plans11.7Training and awareness11.8Market for resilient PNT solutions11.9International cooperation11.10Workshop: contingency plan for GNSS loss
12.1Definition of the PNT use case12.2Dependency and risk analysis12.3State of the art of solutions12.4Resilient PNT architecture12.5Simulation and testing12.6Integrity analysis12.7Economic assessment12.8Conclusions and recommendations12.9Master'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 GNSS-SDR, RTKLIB, MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, Spirent SimGEN and GPSTk, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for receiver testing with a constellation simulator, stability measurement of oscillators and clocks, and GNSS/INS integration with recorded data. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: IEEE 1588 (PTP), ITU-T G.8275.1, Directive (EU) 2022/2557, RTCA DO-229, EUROCAE ED-259, Regulation (EU) 2021/696, ITU-T G.811.
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
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- 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 GNSS-SDR, RTKLIB, MATLAB Navigation Toolbox, Spirent SimGEN and GPSTk, 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 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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