UN Conventional Weapons Standards Course
Online 300 h course on UN standards for conventional weapons. 6 modules covering the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW, 1980) and its protocols, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT, 2013) and advanced Excel. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
UN Conventional Weapons Standards Course — 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 12 000 (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
Describe the architecture of the United Nations system on conventional weapons.
Analyse the instruments on weapons with indiscriminate effects and their legal scope.
Interpret the criteria for evaluating transfers under the Arms Trade Treaty.
Assess transparency and confidence-building measures among States.
Identify the national implementation obligations arising from each instrument.
Evaluate verification and compliance mechanisms in real cases.
Prepare a national compliance report with a humanitarian focus.
Who it's for
- Arms control analyst who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- International treaty compliance officer who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- Adviser on disarmament diplomacy who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- International security researcher who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- Transparency manager for transfers who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- Consultant to humanitarian organisations who wants to specialise in UN standards on conventional weapons.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter public administration and diplomacy.
What you'll work with
- Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW, 1980) and its protocols
- Arms Trade Treaty (ATT, 2013)
- Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines (Ottawa, 1997)
- Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008)
- UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (2001)
- United Nations Register of Conventional Arms
- Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP (exports of military technology and equipment)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Bodies involved: General Assembly and Security Council1.2Office for Disarmament Affairs and its functions1.3First Committee and the resolution process1.4Conference on Disarmament and its role1.5Governmental expert groups1.6Difference between resolution, treaty and customary norm1.7Relationship with international humanitarian law1.8Complementary regional instruments1.9Vocabulary of disarmament and arms control1.10Exercise: trace the path of a resolution
2.1Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its protocols2.2Protocol on non-detectable fragments2.3Protocol on mines and other devices2.4Protocol on incendiary weapons2.5Protocol on blinding laser weapons2.6Protocol on explosive remnants of war2.7Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines2.8Convention on Cluster Munitions2.9Demining and victim assistance obligations2.10Practice: compare the obligations of two conventions
3.1Arms Trade Treaty and its object and purpose3.2Categories of material covered3.3Prohibitions and criteria for export assessment3.4Risk of use in serious violations3.5Reporting and record-keeping obligations3.6Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons3.7International Tracing Instrument3.8Protocol on firearms and organised crime3.9Security Council embargoes3.10Practice: assess an export application
4.1United Nations Register of Conventional Arms4.2Standardised military expenditure report4.3State participation and its gaps4.4National reports and their quality4.5Regional transparency mechanisms4.6Verification and its limits for conventional weapons4.7Role of civil society and independent research4.8Open sources and monitoring of transfers4.9Good practice in public reporting4.10Practice: prepare a simulated national report
5.1Transposition of obligations into domestic law5.2Competent national authorities5.3Licensing and control systems5.4Control of brokering and transit5.5Stockpile management and physical security5.6Destruction of surplus stocks5.7International cooperation and assistance5.8Mechanisms for non-compliance5.9Open debates and future agenda5.10Practice: diagnose a State’s compliance
6.1Choice of State or instrument6.2Inventory of applicable obligations6.3Analysis of the current national framework6.4Identification of implementation gaps6.5Proposal of legislative and administrative measures6.6Transparency and reporting system6.7Cooperation and capacity plan6.8Monitoring indicators6.9Analysis report6.10Project defence
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: students progress at their own pace within the enrolment period, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is advanced Excel, Python (pandas), QGIS, Tableau, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work draws on real procedures for analysing national reports to the UN Register, case studies of ATT implementation and simulated multilateral negotiation. Assessment is continuous by 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.
Describe the architecture of the United Nations system on conventional weapons.
Analyse the instruments on weapons with indiscriminate effects and their legal scope.
Interpret the criteria for evaluating transfers under the Arms Trade Treaty.
Assess transparency and confidence-building measures among States.
Identify the national implementation obligations arising from each instrument.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification 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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with advanced Excel, Python (pandas), QGIS and Tableau. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma on passing the 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 Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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