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Master’s in Advanced Railway Signalling Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in advanced railway signalling engineering. 12 modules covering signalling principles, interlockings, train detection, ERTMS/ETCS, railway communications, CBTC and automation, safety and certification, signalling design and data, testing and maintenance, cybersecurity and innovation, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Apply the safety principles of railway signalling.

02

Design interlockings and train detection systems.

03

Specify ERTMS/ETCS systems and GSM-R and FRMCS communications.

04

Design CBTC systems and metro automation.

05

Prepare safety cases in accordance with EN 50126, 50128 and 50129.

06

Plan testing, commissioning and maintenance.

07

Protect signalling systems against cyber threats.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Railway signalling engineers.
  • ERTMS engineers.
  • CBTC systems engineers.
  • Railway safety specialists.
  • Testing and commissioning engineers.
  • Railway cybersecurity specialists.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to move into the railway sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • EN 50126-1:2017 (railway RAMS: generic RAMS process)
  • EN 50128:2011 (software for railway control and protection systems)
  • EN 50129:2018 (safety-related electronic systems for signalling)
  • EN 50159:2010 (safety-related communication in transmission systems)
  • IEEE 1474.1 (CBTC performance and functional requirements)
  • Regulation (EU) 2023/1695 (CCS TSI) (technical specification for interoperability: control-command and signalling)
  • CLC/TS 50701:2021 (railway cybersecurity)
  • IEC 62443 (security for industrial automation and control systems)
  • OpenTrack
  • RailSys
  • SCADE Suite
  • MATLAB/Simulink
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1History of railway signalling
  2. 1.2Braking distance and block sections
  3. 1.3Lineside signals and their aspects
  4. 1.4Spanish Railway Traffic Regulations
  5. 1.5Automatic and telephone block systems
  6. 1.6The fail-safe principle
  7. 1.7Functions of train detection
  8. 1.8Protected level crossings
  9. 1.9ASFA and LZB systems in Spain
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of a signalling scheme plan
  1. 2.1Route and itinerary logic
  2. 2.2Interlocking tables
  3. 2.3Relay interlockings
  4. 2.4Electronic interlockings and their architecture
  5. 2.5Route setting and release
  6. 2.6Point machines and detection
  7. 2.7Flank protection
  8. 2.8Specific application data
  9. 2.9Interlocking testing
  10. 2.10Lab: interlocking table for a station
  1. 3.1Audio-frequency track circuits
  2. 3.2Axle counters and sections
  3. 3.3Shunting and wheel-rail resistance
  4. 3.4Electromagnetic compatibility with rolling stock
  5. 3.5Failure modes of train detection
  6. 3.6Satellite-based train location
  7. 3.7On-board train integrity
  8. 3.8Traction interference in detection
  9. 3.9Maintenance of detection equipment
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: sizing axle counter sections
  1. 4.1ERTMS system architecture
  2. 4.2ETCS Levels 1, 2 and 3
  3. 4.3Eurobalises and telegram coding
  4. 4.4Radio block centre (RBC)
  5. 4.5Braking curves and supervision
  6. 4.6ETCS operating modes
  7. 4.7Driver machine interface (DMI)
  8. 4.8Baseline 3 and 4 specifications
  9. 4.9Moving block and train integrity
  10. 4.10Workshop: calculating ETCS braking curves
  1. 5.1GSM-R radio and its services
  2. 5.2The future FRMCS system over 5G
  3. 5.3Lineside fibre optic networks
  4. 5.4Safety communications architecture
  5. 5.5The EuroRadio safety protocol
  6. 5.6Quality of service and latency
  7. 5.7Train-to-ground communications for CBTC
  8. 5.8Migration from GSM-R to FRMCS
  9. 5.9Railway radio spectrum
  10. 5.10Lab: radio coverage analysis of a line
  1. 6.1CBTC architecture according to IEEE 1474
  2. 6.2Moving block in metro
  3. 6.3Automatic train operation (ATO)
  4. 6.4Grades of automation (GoA)
  5. 6.5Unattended train operation (UTO)
  6. 6.6Platform screen doors and their integration
  7. 6.7Minimum headways and capacity
  8. 6.8Migration from conventional metro to CBTC
  9. 6.9Interoperability between CBTC suppliers
  10. 6.10Case study: GoA4 automation of an existing line
  1. 7.1RAMS life cycle according to EN 50126
  2. 7.2Railway software according to EN 50128
  3. 7.3Safety-related electronics according to EN 50129
  4. 7.4Safety integrity levels (SIL)
  5. 7.5Preparing the safety case
  6. 7.6The independent safety assessor
  7. 7.7The hazard log
  8. 7.8System verification and validation
  9. 7.9Safety-related communications under EN 50159
  10. 7.10Practical exercise: safety case for an interlocking
  1. 8.1Signalling scheme plans and drawings
  2. 8.2Signal placement and sighting
  3. 8.3Application data engineering
  4. 8.4Signalling design tools
  5. 8.5Capacity simulation with signalling
  6. 8.6Interfaces with electrification and track
  7. 8.7BIM and railML data models
  8. 8.8Data configuration management
  9. 8.9Interdisciplinary design reviews
  10. 8.10Workshop: signalling scheme for a junction
  1. 9.1Factory acceptance tests (FAT)
  2. 9.2Site acceptance tests (SAT)
  3. 9.3System integration testing
  4. 9.4Dynamic tests with trains
  5. 9.5Authorisation for entry into service
  6. 9.6Preventive maintenance of signalling
  7. 9.7Remote and predictive diagnostics
  8. 9.8Obsolescence management
  9. 9.9System reliability indicators
  10. 9.10Lab: test plan for an ETCS section
  1. 10.1Threats to signalling systems
  2. 10.2The IEC 62443 series in railways
  3. 10.3The CLC/TS 50701 specification
  4. 10.4Security zones and conduits
  5. 10.5Cybersecurity risk analysis
  6. 10.6Monitoring and intrusion detection
  7. 10.7Incident response in critical systems
  8. 10.8Obligations under the NIS2 Directive
  9. 10.9Cybersecurity in the supply chain
  10. 10.10Case study: cybersecurity assessment of a CBTC system
  1. 11.1Digital train control systems
  2. 11.2GNSS satellite positioning
  3. 11.3AI applied to signalling maintenance
  4. 11.4Signalling digital twins
  5. 11.5Virtual signalling for regional lines
  6. 11.6ATO over ETCS on main lines
  7. 11.7On-board integrity monitoring
  8. 11.8Moving block in ETCS Level 3
  9. 11.9The Europe's Rail programme
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: ETCS assessment for a regional line
  1. 12.1Definition of the section or line
  2. 12.2Operations and capacity analysis
  3. 12.3Signalling system architecture
  4. 12.4Interlocking and scheme plan design
  5. 12.5ETCS or CBTC design
  6. 12.6Communications and cybersecurity
  7. 12.7RAMS safety analysis
  8. 12.8Test and migration plan
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. You work with OpenTrack, RailSys, SCADE Suite and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: interlocking design on real cases, capacity simulation with different signalling systems, and FAT and SAT test plans. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: EN 50126-1:2017, EN 50128:2011, EN 50129:2018, EN 50159:2010, IEEE 1474.1, Regulation (EU) 2023/1695 (CCS TSI), CLC/TS 50701:2021, IEC 62443.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of EN 50126-1, EN 50128 and EN 50129 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:OpenTrack, RailSys, SCADE Suite and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete signalling system design for a railway section or line, from capacity analysis and interlocking design to ETCS or CBTC, cybersecurity, RAMS analysis and a test and migration plan, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Line and capacity analysis
Define the section or line and analyse its operations and capacity.
System architecture
Define the signalling system architecture and the interlocking and scheme plans.
ETCS or CBTC design
Design the ETCS or CBTC system with its communications and cybersecurity.
RAMS analysis
Carry out the RAMS safety analysis of the system.
Master's Thesis
Prepare the test and migration plan and integrate everything into a final report, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Railway signalling engineerERTMS engineerCBTC systems engineerRailway safety specialistTesting and commissioning engineerRailway cybersecurity specialist
Admissions & scholarships

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.

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FAQ

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 OpenTrack, RailSys, SCADE Suite and MATLAB/Simulink, 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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