Apply now
Master'sRestoration & Classics Applications open

Master’s in Handcrafted Upholstery & Trim Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in craft upholstery and trim engineering, structured in 12 modules covering the history of automotive upholstery, materials, pattern making, sewing techniques, seats, panels, carpets, hoods, trim details, conservation and workshop quality and business, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
Enrol now View syllabus Ask an advisor
Virtual lab · try it before you enrol

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.

SIM · LIVE ●
Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Know the history and styles of automotive upholstery.

02

Select appropriate materials for each era.

03

Carry out traditional and digital pattern making.

04

Make seats, panels and carpets.

05

Fabricate and fit hoods.

06

Conserve original interiors.

07

Manage a craft upholstery workshop.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Classic car upholsterers working with leather, cloth and horsehair.
  • Pattern makers who draft upholstery patterns by hand or digitally.
  • Interior restorers focused on originality and conservation.
  • Hood specialists working with canvas, mohair and tonneau covers.
  • Trimmers fitting panels, headlinings and carpets.
  • Upholstery workshop managers responsible for quoting, suppliers and quality.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to move into classic vehicle restoration.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ISO 3795 (road vehicles — burning behaviour of interior materials)
  • FMVSS 302 (US federal standard for flammability of interior materials)
  • ISO 105-B02 (textiles — colour fastness to artificial light)
  • ISO 12947-2 (textiles — Martindale abrasion resistance)
  • Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH) (registration, evaluation and restriction of chemicals)
  • UN Regulation No. 21 (interior fittings)
  • ISO 17234-1 (leather — determination of certain azo colourants)
  • FIVA Turin Charter (guidelines for the preservation and restoration of historic vehicles)
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Lectra Kaledo
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Gerber AccuMark
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Carriage upholstery
  2. 1.2Pre-war luxury interiors
  3. 1.3Materials by era
  4. 1.4Buttoning and pleating styles
  5. 1.5Sports car interiors
  6. 1.6The influence of coachbuilders
  7. 1.7The evolution of seats
  8. 1.8Identifying original interiors
  9. 1.9Ethics of interior restoration
  10. 1.10Case study: analysis of an original interior
  1. 2.1Leathers: vegetable and chrome tanning
  2. 2.2Leather thickness and finishes
  3. 2.3Wool and broadcloth fabrics
  4. 2.4Carpets and rugs
  5. 2.5Vinyls and leathercloth
  6. 2.6Foams and horsehair
  7. 2.7Springs and frames
  8. 2.8Threads and adhesives
  9. 2.9Material testing
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: selecting leathers for a seat
  1. 3.1Disassembly and taking patterns
  2. 3.2Patterns from original parts
  3. 3.3Creating new patterns
  4. 3.4Computer-aided digital pattern making
  5. 3.5Seam allowances and seams
  6. 3.6Grading and fitting
  7. 3.7Marking pieces
  8. 3.8Cutting leather
  9. 3.9Material yield
  10. 3.10Workshop: pattern for a seat back
  1. 4.1Industrial sewing machines
  2. 4.2French seams and topstitching
  3. 4.3Piping and binding
  4. 4.4Pleating techniques
  5. 4.5Deep-buttoning technique
  6. 4.6Hand sewing
  7. 4.7Embroidery and logos
  8. 4.8Decorative and functional perforation
  9. 4.9Seam quality control
  10. 4.10Practical exercise: pleated panel with piping
  1. 5.1Seat structure
  2. 5.2Restoring springs
  3. 5.3Traditional horsehair stuffing
  4. 5.4Using modern foams
  5. 5.5Upholstering bench seats
  6. 5.6Upholstering sports seats
  7. 5.7Reclining mechanisms
  8. 5.8Ergonomics and comfort
  9. 5.9Safety of anchorages
  10. 5.10Case study: complete restoration of a seat
  1. 6.1Door panels
  2. 6.2Dashboards and side panels
  3. 6.3Headlining
  4. 6.4Parcel shelves and boots
  5. 6.5Fitting with staples and clips
  6. 6.6Bonding and adhesives
  7. 6.7Card and timber substrates
  8. 6.8Sound-deadening and insulation materials
  9. 6.9Fitting in the vehicle
  10. 6.10Workshop: door panel with pocket
  1. 7.1Types of carpet
  2. 7.2Floor pattern making
  3. 7.3Binding carpets
  4. 7.4Thermal insulation under carpet
  5. 7.5Rubber mats
  6. 7.6Boot carpets
  7. 7.7Fitting around tunnels and pedals
  8. 7.8Fastenings and press studs
  9. 7.9Conserving original carpets
  10. 7.10Practical exercise: complete carpet set for a roadster
  1. 8.1Types of hood
  2. 8.2Canvas and mohair
  3. 8.3Hood windows
  4. 8.4Hood mechanisms
  5. 8.5Hood pattern making
  6. 8.6Sewing and watertightness
  7. 8.7Made-to-measure tonneau covers
  8. 8.8Vinyl roofs
  9. 8.9Fitting and tensioning
  10. 8.10Case study: mohair hood
  1. 9.1Covering steering wheels in leather
  2. 9.2Gear knobs and gaiters
  3. 9.3Upholstered and padded dashboards
  4. 9.4Restoring sun visors
  5. 9.5Period seat belts
  6. 9.6Upholstered interior trims
  7. 9.7Restoring interior woodwork
  8. 9.8Buttons and button covering
  9. 9.9Detail finishes
  10. 9.10Workshop: covering a steering wheel in leather
  1. 10.1Cleaning leather
  2. 10.2Hydration and nourishment
  3. 10.3Repairing cracks
  4. 10.4Dyeing leather
  5. 10.5Conserving fabrics
  6. 10.6Pests and mould
  7. 10.7Appropriate storage conditions
  8. 10.8Conservation versus restoration
  9. 10.9Selecting suitable products
  10. 10.10Practical exercise: conserving an original interior
  1. 11.1Flammability of materials
  2. 11.2Colour fastness to light
  3. 11.3Abrasion resistance
  4. 11.4Control of restricted substances
  5. 11.5Workshop management
  6. 11.6Preparing detailed quotations
  7. 11.7Material suppliers
  8. 11.8Training in the craft
  9. 11.9Marketing the craft workshop
  10. 11.10Case study: quotation for a complete interior
  1. 12.1Selecting the vehicle
  2. 12.2Researching the original interior
  3. 12.3Intervention plan
  4. 12.4Pattern making for the pieces
  5. 12.5Making the upholstery
  6. 12.6Fitting in the vehicle
  7. 12.7Full documentation of the process
  8. 12.8Conclusions and future work
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

The programme is 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 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 Autodesk AutoCAD, Lectra Kaledo, Adobe Illustrator and Gerber AccuMark, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: pattern making from original parts, making seats and panels, and flammability testing of materials. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: ISO 3795, FMVSS 302, ISO 105-B02, ISO 12947-2, Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH), UN Regulation No. 21, ISO 17234-1, FIVA Turin Charter.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of ISO 3795, FMVSS 302 and ISO 105-B02 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:Autodesk AutoCAD, Lectra Kaledo, Adobe Illustrator and Gerber AccuMark, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:a complete interior restoration of a vehicle, from research and pattern making to fitting, 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.

Original interior research
Analyse and document an original interior and define the intervention plan.
Patterns and materials
Take patterns from original parts and select period-appropriate leathers and fabrics.
Seats and panels
Restore a complete seat and make a door panel with pleating and piping.
Carpets, hood and trim
Make a carpet set, a hood and detail trim such as a leather-covered steering wheel.
Master's Thesis
A complete interior restoration project, fitted and documented, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Classic car upholstererPattern makerInterior restorerHood specialistTrimmerUpholstery workshop manager
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.

Apply now Scholarships
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 Autodesk AutoCAD, Lectra Kaledo, Adobe Illustrator and Gerber AccuMark, 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 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.

Keep exploring

Related programmes

See all in Restoration & Classics
Master's7,730 $

Master’s in Glass, Brightwork and Analogue Instruments Engineering — VDO/Smiths/Jaeger Gauges, Fine Restoration

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in glass, fittings and analogue instrumentation engineering — VDO, Smiths and Jaeger clockwork and fine restoration. 12 modules covering mechanical…

1900 hOnlineRestoration & Classics
Master's7,730 $

Master’s in Classic Electrics and Wiring Looms Engineering — Lucas/Bosch Diagrams, Loom Reproduction, Relays, Charging and Starting

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in classic vehicle electrical and wiring harness engineering, structured in 12 modules covering classic automotive electrics, Lucas and Bosch wiring…

1900 hOnlineRestoration & Classics
Master's7,730 $

Master’s in NLA Parts Micro-Production Engineering — Sand/Investment Casting, Machining, Heat Treatment

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in micro-production engineering of NLA (no longer available) parts, structured in 12 modules covering the NLA market, process selection, sand…

1900 hOnlineRestoration & Classics
Master’s in Handcrafted Upholstery & Trim EngineeringEnrol
Related programmes

More in Restoration & Classics

Master’s in Classic Electrics and Wiring Looms Engineering — Lucas/Bosch Diagrams, Loom Reproduction, Relays, Charging and StartingView programme →Master’s in Responsible Restoration & Sensitive Materials Engineering — Asbestos/Lead Replacement, Regulations and EthicsView programme →Master’s in Collector Vehicle Logistics and Transport Engineering — Preparation, Insurance, Regulations and RoutesView programme →Master’s in NLA Parts Micro-Production Engineering — Sand/Investment Casting, Machining, Heat TreatmentView programme →Master’s in Advanced Reverse Engineering — 3D Scanning, Scan-to-CAD, Tolerances and Dimensional ControlView programme →Master’s in Wooden and Composite Bodywork Engineering — Woodies, Period Buses/Cars, Adhesives and JointsView programme →

All Restoration & Classics programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships

Scroll to Top
SEIUM – Institute of Advanced Engineering
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.