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Postgraduate Diploma in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation

Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation. 8 modules covering AAP-03 (production of NATO standardisation documents), STANAG 4439 (insensitive munitions) and NATO Standardization Document Database (NSDD). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.

Duration800 h
ModeOnline
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the NATO standardisation system and its documents.

02

Interpret technical standards for land systems such as STANAG 4569.

03

Analyse munitions safety requirements under STANAG 4439.

04

Apply the legal review of new weapons under Article 36 of Additional Protocol I.

05

Evaluate national and international export control regimes.

06

Interpret defence procurement legislation.

07

Prepare a regulatory analysis of a weapons system.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Defence standardisation engineer wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • Legal adviser in the law of armed conflict wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • Export compliance manager wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • Defence contracts manager wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • AQAP quality auditor wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • Armament programmes analyst wishing to specialise in NATO Standards and Weapons Systems Legislation.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence industry.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • AAP-03 (production of NATO standardisation documents)
  • STANAG 4439 (insensitive munitions)
  • STANAG 4569 (vehicle protection levels)
  • AQAP-2110 (NATO quality requirements)
  • Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Article 36
  • Arms Trade Treaty (2013)
  • Spanish Law 53/2007 (control of foreign trade in defence and dual-use material)
  • Directive 2009/81/EC (defence and security procurement)
Syllabus

8 modules · 800 h

  1. 1.1NATO structure
  2. 1.2NSO standardisation organisation
  3. 1.3Committees and working groups
  4. 1.4Types of documents: STANAG, AP and AEP
  5. 1.5Development and ratification process
  6. 1.6Technical and procedural interoperability
  7. 1.7European defence: EDA and OCCAR
  8. 1.8Relationship with ISO and CEN standards
  9. 1.9National implementation
  10. 1.10Workshop: analysis of a STANAG's lifecycle
  1. 2.1Protection standards: STANAG 4569
  2. 2.2Munitions standards: AOP safety
  3. 2.3Vetronics standards: STANAG 4754
  4. 2.4Interface and connector standards
  5. 2.5AECTP environmental standards
  6. 2.6AQAP quality standards
  7. 2.7NCS codification standards
  8. 2.8Documentation standards
  9. 2.9Systems safety standards
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: regulatory map of a land system
  1. 3.1Principles of munitions safety
  2. 3.2Insensitive munitions: STANAG 4439
  3. 3.3Risk assessment in storage
  4. 3.4UN hazard classification
  5. 3.5ADR transport and military dangerous goods
  6. 3.6Spanish storage regulations
  7. 3.7Demilitarisation and disposal
  8. 3.8Facility safety
  9. 3.9Accident management
  10. 3.10Case study: storage compatibility analysis
  1. 4.1Fundamental principles of IHL
  2. 4.2Geneva Conventions and Protocols
  3. 4.3Prohibited weapons
  4. 4.4Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
  5. 4.5Chemical and biological weapons conventions
  6. 4.6Ottawa and Oslo Treaties
  7. 4.7Legal review of weapons: Article 36
  8. 4.8State responsibility
  9. 4.9Relevant case law
  10. 4.10Workshop: analysis of compliance with IHL
  1. 5.1Arms Trade Treaty
  2. 5.2Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP
  3. 5.3EU Common Military List
  4. 5.4Spanish Law 53/2007 and Royal Decree 679/2014
  5. 5.5Dual-use Regulation 2021/821
  6. 5.6US ITAR and EAR
  7. 5.7End-user certificates
  8. 5.8Internal compliance programmes
  9. 5.9Sanctions and embargoes
  10. 5.10Practical exercise: processing a licence application
  1. 6.1Defence and security contracts law
  2. 6.2Directive 2009/81/EC
  3. 6.3Industrial security and clearances
  4. 6.4Classified information
  5. 6.5Intellectual property in defence contracts
  6. 6.6Industrial offsets
  7. 6.7Manufacturer liability
  8. 6.8Parliamentary oversight
  9. 6.9Transparency
  10. 6.10Case study: analysis of a defence tender specification
  1. 7.1Ethics of the defence industry
  2. 7.2Corporate responsibility and human rights
  3. 7.3Due diligence
  4. 7.4Anti-corruption and ISO 37001
  5. 7.5Transparency and accountability
  6. 7.6Autonomous systems and human control
  7. 7.7The role of civil society
  8. 7.8Professional codes of conduct
  9. 7.9Governance of emerging technologies
  10. 7.10Workshop: a code of conduct for a company
  1. 8.1System selection
  2. 8.2Identification of NATO technical standards
  3. 8.3Safety analysis
  4. 8.4IHL analysis
  5. 8.5Export regime
  6. 8.6Contractual requirements
  7. 8.7Ethical analysis
  8. 8.8Compliance plan
  9. 8.9Report and presentation
  10. 8.10Final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is NATO Standardization Document Database (NSDD), EUR-Lex, Zotero, advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assessments are based on real procedures for analysing conformity with STANAGs, legal reviews of new systems and case studies in defence procurement. Assessment is continuous across modules, plus a final integrating project.

Accreditable laboratories(EN ISO/IEC 17025) with a rotor test rig, EMC/Lightning pre-compliance, HIL/SIL and vibration/acoustics.
Evidence-driven final project:safety case, test plan, compliance dossier and operational limits.
Industry mentoring:lecturers with experience in training, , eVTOL/UAM and flight test.
Flexible format(hybrid/online), international cohorts and support from SEIUM Career Services.
Ethics and safety:safety-by-design approach, cyber-OT, IHL and compliance as core pillars.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

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

System selection

Understand the NATO standardisation system and its documents.

Identification of NATO technical standards

Interpret technical standards for land systems such as STANAG 4569.

Safety analysis

Analyse munitions safety requirements under STANAG 4439.

IHL analysis

Apply the legal review of new weapons under Article 36 of Additional Protocol I.

Export regime

Evaluate national and international export control regimes.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Defence standardisation engineerLegal adviser in the law of armed conflictExport compliance managerDefence contracts managerAQAP quality auditorArmament programmes analyst
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.

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 800 hours, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.

You will work with NATO Standardization Document Database (NSDD), EUR-Lex, Zotero and advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.

A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the final integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.

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