Postgraduate Diploma in Risk and Critical Operations Management
Online 800 h Postgraduate Diploma in Risk and Critical Operations Management. 8 modules covering ISO 31000 (risk management), ISO 22301 (business continuity) and advanced Excel (risk matrices). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
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What you will be able to do
Identify the assets and dependencies of critical energy infrastructure.
Apply qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methodologies.
Analyse the reliability and operational safety of systems.
Integrate cybersecurity into the operation of critical assets.
Define operating protocols for critical situations.
Develop business continuity and resilience plans.
Design a risk governance model for the organisation.
Who it's for
- Operational risk manager looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Business continuity manager looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Reliability engineer looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Security manager for critical infrastructure looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Energy resilience analyst looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Head of facility operations looking to specialise in Risk and Critical Operations Management.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter critical energy infrastructure.
What you'll work with
- ISO 31000 (risk management)
- ISO 22301 (business continuity)
- Directive (EU) 2022/2557 (resilience of critical entities)
- Law 8/2011 (protection of critical infrastructure)
- IEC 62443 (industrial cybersecurity)
- IEC 31010 (risk assessment techniques)
- IEC 61511 (functional safety in process industries)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1The concept of critical infrastructure1.2Law 8/2011 on the protection of critical infrastructure1.3Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities1.4Interdependencies between sectors1.5Essential functions of the electricity system1.6Critical operators and their obligations1.7Operator security plans1.8Physical, natural and cyber threats1.9Lessons from major incidents1.10Workshop: interdependency map of an electricity network
2.1Risk management according to ISO 310002.2Assessment techniques according to IEC 310102.3HAZID and HAZOP analysis2.4Fault tree and event tree analysis2.5Bow-tie analysis2.6Layer of protection analysis (LOPA)2.7Risk matrices and acceptance criteria2.8Quantitative and probabilistic risk2.9Risk recording and monitoring2.10Practice: bow-tie analysis of a substation loss
3.1N-1 and N-2 security criteria3.2Contingency analysis3.3Operational safety margins3.4Reliability of protection and control systems3.5Redundancy and diversity3.6IEC 61511 safety instrumented systems3.7Common cause failure analysis3.8Human factors and operational errors3.9Operational safety indicators3.10Laboratory: N-1 contingency analysis on a test network
4.1The NIS2 Directive in the energy sector4.2Network code on cybersecurity (EU) 2024/13664.3IEC 62443 and IEC 62351 standards4.4Threats to SCADA and EMS systems4.5Lessons from the attacks on Ukraine4.6OT security monitoring4.7Vulnerability and patch management4.8OT incident response4.9Cybersecurity exercises4.10Case study: cyber incident response plan for a control centre
5.1System operating states5.2Emergency management in the control centre5.3System defence plans5.4Service restoration plans5.5Network code on emergency and restoration (EU) 2017/21965.6Communication and coordination between operators5.7Decision-making under pressure5.8Fatigue and shift management5.9Operator training simulators5.10Practice: restoration exercise on a simulator
6.1Business continuity management according to ISO 223016.2Business impact analysis6.3Backup control centres6.4Critical supplier management6.5Resilience to climate events6.6Resource planning for emergencies6.7Exercises and drills6.8Resilience indicators6.9Improvement after incidents6.10Case study: analysis of the Iberian blackout of April 2025
7.1The three lines of defence model7.2Risk appetite and tolerance7.3Risk committees and reporting7.4Safety culture7.5Incident investigation and root cause analysis7.6Audits and compliance7.7Insurance and risk transfer7.8Relations with authorities and regulators7.9Crisis communication7.10Workshop: root cause investigation of an operational incident
8.1Defining the critical infrastructure8.2Identification of threats and vulnerabilities8.3Quantitative risk assessment8.4Mitigation measures and controls8.5Emergency operation plan8.6Business continuity plan8.7Exercise and training programme8.8Indicators and governance8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
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 compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is advanced Excel (risk matrices), ReliaSoft, Isograph FaultTree+, Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Work is based on real procedures from crisis simulation exercises, fault tree analysis and business continuity plan assessment. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Identify the assets and dependencies of critical energy infrastructure.
Apply qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methodologies.
Analyse the reliability and operational safety of systems.
Integrate cybersecurity into the operation of critical assets.
Define operating protocols for critical situations.
Where this takes you
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.
- Spanish-language proficiency sufficient 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.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses advanced Excel (risk matrices), ReliaSoft, Isograph FaultTree+ and Power BI. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
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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