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Master'sNaval, Offshore & Sports Nautical Applications open

Master’s in Naval Structures and Fatigue Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in ship structures and fatigue engineering. 12 modules covering hull loads, naval materials, longitudinal and local strength under IACS CSR, finite element analysis, fatigue mechanics and DNV-RP-C203, fracture mechanics, composite and aluminium structures, and construction, inspection and service life, 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

Determine the loads acting on the ship structure.

02

Select suitable naval materials.

03

Calculate longitudinal and local strength.

04

Apply the finite element method to ship structures.

05

Assess the fatigue life of welded joints.

06

Analyse flaws using fracture mechanics.

07

Design aluminium and composite structures.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Ship structural engineers.
  • Finite element analysts.
  • Fatigue and fracture specialists.
  • Classification society surveyors.
  • Composite boat engineers.
  • Structural integrity engineers.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter shipbuilding.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • IACS Common Structural Rules (CSR)
  • IACS UR S11 (longitudinal strength)
  • DNV-RP-C203 (fatigue design of steel structures)
  • ISO 12215-5:2019 (small craft scantlings)
  • BS 7910:2019 (flaw assessment)
  • HSC Code 2000 (International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft)
  • SOLAS Convention
  • Femap with Nastran
  • Ansys Mechanical
  • DNV Sesam
  • Abaqus
  • Poseidon
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Hull girder and longitudinal bending
  2. 1.2Still-water moments
  3. 1.3Wave-induced moments
  4. 1.4Local pressure loads
  5. 1.5Impact loads
  6. 1.6Cargo loads
  7. 1.7Thermal loads on tankers
  8. 1.8Rule design loads
  9. 1.9Load combination
  10. 1.10Case study: bending moment of a bulk carrier
  1. 2.1Normal and higher-strength shipbuilding steels
  2. 2.2Marine aluminium alloys
  3. 2.3Composite materials in boats
  4. 2.4Design mechanical properties
  5. 2.5Toughness and temperature
  6. 2.6Corrosion and protection
  7. 2.7Weldability of naval materials
  8. 2.8Materials certification
  9. 2.9Materials selection
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: materials selection for a fast craft
  1. 3.1Section modulus of the midship section
  2. 3.2Bending stresses
  3. 3.3Hull shear stress
  4. 3.4Torsion in wide-hatch ships
  5. 3.5Ultimate strength of the hull girder
  6. 3.6Smith method
  7. 3.7Panel buckling
  8. 3.8IACS requirements
  9. 3.9CSR common rules
  10. 3.10Lab: section modulus calculation
  1. 4.1Plates under pressure
  2. 4.2Primary and secondary stiffeners
  3. 4.3Girders and web frames
  4. 4.4Bulkhead scantlings
  5. 4.5Deck scantlings
  6. 4.6Double-bottom structure
  7. 4.7Bow and stern structures
  8. 4.8Rule formulae
  9. 4.9Scantling optimisation
  10. 4.10Workshop: scantlings of a transverse bulkhead
  1. 5.1Global and local models
  2. 5.2Shell and beam elements
  3. 5.3Boundary conditions
  4. 5.4Load application
  5. 5.5Detail meshing
  6. 5.6Stress analysis
  7. 5.7Acceptance criteria
  8. 5.8Full-ship models
  9. 5.9Verification of results
  10. 5.10Lab: cargo hold model with Femap
  1. 6.1Crack initiation and propagation mechanisms
  2. 6.2Design S-N curves
  3. 6.3Palmgren-Miner rule
  4. 6.4Stress concentration
  5. 6.5Hot-spot stress
  6. 6.6Notch stress
  7. 6.7Mean stress effect
  8. 6.8Corrosion-fatigue effect
  9. 6.9Safety factors
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: cumulative damage calculation for a detail
  1. 7.1Cyclic wave loads
  2. 7.2Spectral fatigue analysis
  3. 7.3Critical structural details
  4. 7.4Fatigue of welded joints
  5. 7.5DNV-RP-C203 recommended practice
  6. 7.6Simplified rule methods
  7. 7.7Fatigue life improvement
  8. 7.8Crack inspection
  9. 7.9Failure history
  10. 7.10Case study: fatigue analysis of a longitudinal connection
  1. 8.1Stress intensity factor
  2. 8.2Paris law
  3. 8.3Fracture toughness
  4. 8.4J-integral and CTOD
  5. 8.5Flaw assessment to BS 7910
  6. 8.6Crack propagation
  7. 8.7Repair strategies
  8. 8.8Crack arrest
  9. 8.9Non-destructive testing
  10. 8.10Lab: crack propagation using the Paris law
  1. 9.1Laminates and fibre orientation
  2. 9.2Cored sandwich panels
  3. 9.3Classical laminate theory
  4. 9.4Failure criteria
  5. 9.5ISO 12215 standard
  6. 9.6Recreational and fast craft
  7. 9.7Joints and bonding
  8. 9.8Impact and delamination
  9. 9.9Infusion manufacturing
  10. 9.10Workshop: ISO 12215 scantlings of a composite hull
  1. 10.15000 and 6000 series alloys
  2. 10.2Strength loss in welds
  3. 10.3Fatigue of aluminium
  4. 10.4Steel–aluminium bimetallic joints
  5. 10.5Design of fast craft
  6. 10.6Galvanic corrosion prevention
  7. 10.7Structural requirements of the HSC Code
  8. 10.8Classification rules
  9. 10.9Fabrication and quality control
  10. 10.10Case study: structure of a passenger catamaran
  1. 11.1Construction sequence
  2. 11.2Tolerances and distortion
  3. 11.3Weld quality control
  4. 11.4Class surveys
  5. 11.5Thickness measurements
  6. 11.6Corrosion management
  7. 11.7Hull structural monitoring
  8. 11.8Life extension
  9. 11.9In-service structural repairs
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: risk-based inspection plan
  1. 12.1Definition of the structure
  2. 12.2Load calculation
  3. 12.3Rule-based scantlings
  4. 12.4Finite element model
  5. 12.5Fatigue assessment
  6. 12.6Fracture assessment
  7. 12.7Improvement proposals
  8. 12.8Conclusions on structural integrity
  9. 12.9Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training 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, making it compatible with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Femap with Nastran, Ansys Mechanical, DNV Sesam, Abaqus and Poseidon, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied through real procedures: scantlings of a midship section to classification rules, fatigue analysis of welded structural details, and a finite element model of a cargo hold. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: IACS CSR, IACS UR S11, DNV-RP-C203, ISO 12215-5:2019, BS 7910:2019, HSC Code 2000, SOLAS Convention.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of IACS CSR, IACS UR S11 and DNV-RP-C203 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:Femap with Nastran, Ansys Mechanical, DNV Sesam, Abaqus and Poseidon, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete structural integrity assessment of a ship structure, from loads and scantlings to FEA, fatigue and fracture, 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.

Loads and longitudinal strength
Calculate hull girder loads and the section modulus of the midship section.
Rule-based scantlings
Size plating, stiffeners and bulkheads to classification rules.
FE cargo hold model
Build and verify a finite element model of a cargo hold.
Fatigue and fracture
Assess fatigue life of welded details and crack growth with BS 7910.
Master's Thesis
Deliver a complete structural integrity assessment, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Ship structural engineerFinite element analystFatigue and fracture specialistClassification society surveyorComposite boat engineerStructural integrity engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • 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 Femap with Nastran, Ansys Mechanical, DNV Sesam, Abaqus and Poseidon, 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.

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