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Master’s in Railway Certification Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in railway certification engineering, structured in 12 modules covering the railway system and its regulation, vehicle authorisation, rolling stock and TSIs, control-command and signalling, infrastructure and energy, safety and risk management, railway RAMS, certification testing, maintenance and operation, component certification and certification project management, 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

Understand the European railway regulatory framework.

02

Manage vehicle authorisation with ERA.

03

Apply the TSIs to rolling stock, CCS and infrastructure.

04

Assess risks using the Common Safety Method.

05

Prepare RAMS safety cases.

06

Plan railway certification tests.

07

Lead certification projects for vehicles and subsystems.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Railway certification engineers
  • Authorisation managers at rolling stock manufacturers
  • Notified body assessors
  • Railway RAMS engineers
  • ECM managers
  • Railway test engineers
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the railway sector
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Directive (EU) 2016/797 (interoperability of the rail system)
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545 (practical arrangements for vehicle authorisation)
  • Regulation (EU) 1302/2014 (LOC&PAS TSI) (locomotives and passenger rolling stock)
  • Directive (EU) 2016/798 (railway safety)
  • EN 50126-1 (railway RAMS process)
  • EN 14363 (testing of running characteristics of railway vehicles)
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013 (common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment)
  • Regulation (EU) 2019/779 (certification of entities in charge of maintenance)
  • ERA One-Stop Shop
  • SIMPACK
  • Polarion ALM
  • IBM DOORS
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Structural and functional subsystems
  2. 1.2Infrastructure managers and railway undertakings
  3. 1.3European Union Agency for Railways
  4. 1.4National safety authorities
  5. 1.5Fourth Railway Package
  6. 1.6Single European Railway Area
  7. 1.7National technical rules
  8. 1.8Notified and designated bodies
  9. 1.9Risk assessment bodies
  10. 1.10Case study: actors in the authorisation of a train
  1. 2.1Directive (EU) 2016/797
  2. 2.2Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545
  3. 2.3Vehicle type authorisation
  4. 2.4Authorisation for placing on the market
  5. 2.5Area of use
  6. 2.6One-Stop Shop (OSS)
  7. 2.7Pre-engagement phase
  8. 2.8Timescales and assessment
  9. 2.9Route compatibility check
  10. 2.10Workshop: application file in the OSS
  1. 3.1LOC&PAS TSI for locomotives and passenger stock
  2. 3.2WAG TSI for wagons
  3. 3.3NOI TSI for noise
  4. 3.4PRM TSI for accessibility
  5. 3.5SRT TSI for tunnels
  6. 3.6Vehicle dynamics to EN 14363
  7. 3.7Carbody strength to EN 12663
  8. 3.8Passive safety to EN 15227
  9. 3.9Braking to EN 14531
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: LOC&PAS TSI compliance matrix
  1. 4.1Control-command and signalling TSI
  2. 4.2ETCS and ERTMS
  3. 4.3SUBSET system specifications
  4. 4.4ETCS laboratory testing
  5. 4.5ETCS technical compatibility
  6. 4.6Class B systems
  7. 4.7GSM-R and FRMCS
  8. 4.8CCS notified body
  9. 4.9Safety to EN 50129
  10. 4.10Case study: ETCS integration on a train
  1. 5.1Infrastructure TSI
  2. 5.2Energy TSI
  3. 5.3Gauges and structures
  4. 5.4Track and switches
  5. 5.5Electrification and pantograph
  6. 5.6Electromagnetic compatibility with the network
  7. 5.7EC verification of subsystems
  8. 5.8Authorisation for placing in service
  9. 5.9Register of Infrastructure (RINF)
  10. 5.10Workshop: verification of a section of track
  1. 6.1Directive (EU) 2016/798
  2. 6.2Common Safety Method CSM-RA
  3. 6.3Assessment of significant change
  4. 6.4Assessment body (AsBo)
  5. 6.5Safety management system
  6. 6.6Single safety certificate
  7. 6.7Entities in charge of maintenance
  8. 6.8Common safety indicators
  9. 6.9Accident investigation
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: assessment of a significant change
  1. 7.1EN 50126-1 and the life cycle
  2. 7.2EN 50126-2 and safety
  3. 7.3Software to EN 50716
  4. 7.4SIL allocation
  5. 7.5Safety case
  6. 7.6Independent safety assessment (ISA)
  7. 7.7Hazard log
  8. 7.8In-service RAM demonstration
  9. 7.9Cross-acceptance of products
  10. 7.10Case study: safety case for a subsystem
  1. 8.1Vehicle static tests
  2. 8.2On-track dynamic tests
  3. 8.3Braking tests
  4. 8.4Pantograph tests
  5. 8.5Railway EMC tests
  6. 8.6Noise tests
  7. 8.7HVAC tests
  8. 8.8European test centres
  9. 8.9Test campaign planning
  10. 8.10Lab: analysis of dynamic test data
  1. 9.1Entity in charge of maintenance
  2. 9.2Regulation (EU) 2019/779
  3. 9.3Maintenance plan
  4. 9.4Configuration management
  5. 9.5National vehicle register
  6. 9.6Train driver licences
  7. 9.7Operating rules
  8. 9.8Incident management
  9. 9.9Authority supervision
  10. 9.10Workshop: ECM system for a fleet
  1. 10.1Interoperability constituents
  2. 10.2Conformity assessment modules
  3. 10.3EC declarations of conformity
  4. 10.4Safety components
  5. 10.5Wheelsets and axles
  6. 10.6Pantographs and equipment
  7. 10.7Signalling components
  8. 10.8Suppliers and the supply chain
  9. 10.9Certificate management
  10. 10.10Case study: certification of an interoperability constituent
  1. 11.1Certification planning
  2. 11.2Assessment strategy
  3. 11.3Coordination of assessment bodies
  4. 11.4Document management and version control
  5. 11.5Risk management
  6. 11.6Certification costs
  7. 11.7Relationship with ERA and NSAs
  8. 11.8Project indicators
  9. 11.9Lessons-learned register
  10. 11.10Practical exercise: certification plan for a regional train
  1. 12.1Selection of vehicle or subsystem
  2. 12.2Analysis of TSIs and national rules
  3. 12.3Authorisation strategy
  4. 12.4Assessment and test plan
  5. 12.5Safety case
  6. 12.6Maintenance management
  7. 12.7Project plan
  8. 12.8Conclusions and future lines of work
  9. 12.9Thesis 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 material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine the programme with your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original legislation and standards and applied exercises. The working software is ERA One-Stop Shop, SIMPACK, Polarion ALM and IBM DOORS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: on-track dynamic vehicle tests, EC verification of subsystems and ETCS integration tests. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: Directive (EU) 2016/797, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545, Regulation (EU) 1302/2014 (LOC&PAS TSI), Directive (EU) 2016/798, EN 50126-1, EN 14363, Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013, Regulation (EU) 2019/779.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of Directive (EU) 2016/797, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545 and the LOC&PAS TSI applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:ERA One-Stop Shop, SIMPACK, Polarion ALM and IBM DOORS, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:An authorisation and certification plan for a railway vehicle or subsystem, 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.

Vehicle or subsystem selection
Choose the railway vehicle or subsystem to be authorised.
TSI and national rules analysis
Analyse the applicable TSIs and national technical rules.
Authorisation strategy and tests
Define the authorisation strategy and the assessment and test plan.
Safety case and maintenance
Prepare the safety case, maintenance management and project plan.
Master's Thesis
Present the complete certification plan in a thesis report, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Railway certification engineerAuthorisation managerNotified body assessorRailway RAMS engineerECM managerRailway test engineer
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 ERA One-Stop Shop, SIMPACK, Polarion ALM and IBM DOORS, 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, plus 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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