Master’s in Advanced CBRN Protection and Plume Modelling Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in advanced CBRN protection engineering and plume modelling: 12 modules covering source terms, dispersion meteorology, Gaussian, dense-gas and Lagrangian models, CFD, toxicology, radiological dispersion, protective measures, data assimilation and decision support, with an assigned technical tutor.
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
Characterise source terms in accidental scenarios.
Apply boundary-layer meteorology to dispersion.
Use Gaussian, Lagrangian and dense-gas models.
Simulate dispersion in urban environments with CFD.
Assess exposure using toxicological and dosimetric criteria.
Design individual and collective protective measures.
Validate dispersion models with statistical metrics.
Who it's for
- Atmospheric dispersion modellers.
- CBRN protection specialists.
- Industrial safety engineers.
- Radiological emergency technicians.
- Technological risk analysts.
- Air quality researchers.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to work in civil protection and emergency services.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III) (control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances)
- Directive 2013/59/Euratom (basic safety standards for radiation protection)
- EN 14387 (gas filters and combined filters)
- EN 943 (chemical protective suits)
- Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (CLP) (classification, labelling and packaging of substances)
- EPA Guideline on Air Quality Models (technical guidance for air quality modelling)
- ISO 16890 (air filters for general ventilation)
- ALOHA
- HYSPLIT
- OpenFOAM
- AERMOD
- JRODOS
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Industrial and accidental scenarios1.2Source term characterisation1.3Gas and liquid leaks1.4Pool evaporation1.5Releases in fires1.6Accidental radiological emissions1.7Biological aerosols1.8Substance property databases1.9Source term uncertainty1.10Case study: source term of an ammonia leak
2.1Atmospheric boundary layer2.2Pasquill-Gifford stability2.3Monin-Obukhov theory2.4Wind and turbulence profiles2.5Temperature inversions2.6Meteorology in urban environments2.7Weather stations and meteorological data2.8WRF meteorological models2.9ERA5 reanalysis2.10Practical: stability classification with real data
3.1Gaussian plume equation3.2Dispersion coefficients3.3Briggs plume rise3.4Reflection at the ground and the inversion3.5Dry and wet deposition3.6Puff models3.7AERMOD and its formulation3.8Limitations of Gaussian models3.9Validation with experimental campaigns3.10Lab: implementing a Gaussian plume in Python
4.1Behaviour of gases denser than air4.2SLAB and DEGADIS models4.3Lagrangian particle models4.4Eulerian transport models4.5HYSPLIT for long-range transport4.6FLEXPART and its applications4.7Dispersion over complex terrain4.8Model comparison4.9Model selection by scenario4.10Practical: backward trajectories with HYSPLIT
5.1Transport equations and turbulence5.2RANS and LES models5.3Meshing of urban environments5.4Atmospheric boundary conditions5.5Dispersion indoors and in tunnels5.6OpenFOAM for dispersion5.7Validation with wind tunnel data5.8Computational cost and parallelisation5.9Post-processing and visualisation5.10Lab: urban dispersion with OpenFOAM
6.1Dose, concentration and time6.2Acute and chronic toxicity6.3AEGL, ERPG and TEEL values6.4Occupational exposure limits6.5Probit effect models6.6Inhalation exposure6.7Vulnerable populations6.8Effects of mixtures6.9Toxicological data sources6.10Case study: impact zones using AEGL criteria
7.1Radiological emissions to the atmosphere7.2Inhalation and cloud dose models7.3Deposition and ground-shine dose7.4JRODOS and RASCAL tools7.5Intervention levels7.6Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima7.7Radiological early-warning networks7.8Communication of results7.9Integration with emergency plans7.10Practical: dose calculation with RASCAL
8.1Respiratory protective equipment8.2Suits and protection factors8.3Collective protection and filtration8.4Shelter-in-place versus evacuation8.5Shelters and safe buildings8.6HVAC systems and CBRN filters8.7Decontamination of people8.8Surface decontamination8.9Testing of protective equipment8.10Workshop: shelter-in-place analysis of a building
9.1Gas sensors and networks9.2Radiological detectors9.3Remote sensing of plumes9.4Drones for sampling9.5Data assimilation in models9.6Inverse estimation of the source term9.7Bayesian methods9.8Fusion of models and measurements9.9Real-time visualisation9.10Lab: inverse source estimation with Python
10.1Off-site emergency plans10.2Intervention and alert zones10.3Decision support systems10.4GIS integration10.5Evacuation and traffic modelling10.6Communication with the public10.7Exercises and drills10.8Effectiveness indicators10.9Lessons learned10.10Case study: zoning of an off-site emergency plan
11.1Seveso III Directive and risk analysis11.2Radiation protection regulations11.3Model evaluation guidelines11.4Model verification and validation11.5BOOT evaluation protocols11.6Software quality assurance11.7Documentation of studies11.8Ethics in communicating results11.9The modeller's responsibility11.10Workshop: statistical evaluation of a model with BOOT
12.1Definition of the scenario12.2Source term characterisation12.3Meteorological analysis12.4Model selection and application12.5Assessment of exposure and effects12.6Proposal of protective measures12.7Uncertainty analysis12.8Conclusions 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 work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ALOHA, HYSPLIT, OpenFOAM, AERMOD and JRODOS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for atmospheric dispersion simulation with Gaussian and Lagrangian models, inverse estimation of emission sources and CFD modelling of urban dispersion. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2012/18/EU (Seveso III), Directive 2013/59/Euratom, EN 14387, EN 943, Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (CLP), EPA Guideline on Air Quality Models, ISO 16890.
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 able to run 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 ALOHA, HYSPLIT, OpenFOAM, AERMOD and JRODOS, 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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