Short courses in systems safety engineering

The following table outlines the courses being held in the 2025/26 academic year. The teaching for each module is delivered through a combination of self-study materials released online, and three days of face-to-face teaching in York. This blended format will enable you to learn alongside your work as you bring your skills fully up to date.

These short courses form the core or optional modules on the following postgraduate awards:

• MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering
• Postgraduate Diploma in Safety Critical Systems Engineering
• Postgraduate Certificate in in Safety Critical Systems Engineering

If you wish to enrol for one of these postgraduate awards, then you will need to ensure that you have taken - or plan to take - the requisite 'core' modules on the appropriate course page, listed above. You will also need to choose one of more of the optional modules, where these are indicated on the 'Course Content' section of the course pages.

Notes

The dates for each course may be subject to change. For confirmation, please contact our Short Course Admissions Team at cs-safety-courses@york.ac.uk. Modules may be cancelled if there are insufficient numbers registered on the course.

For the 2025/26 academic year, modules will be taught in a blended format.

Course teaching will consist of three days of face-to-face sessions on campus at the University of York, taking place from Tuesday to Thursday of the teaching week. Students will also be provided with self-study materials totalling 10 - 15 hours of study time. These materials will comprise of pre-sessional work to be completed before the on-campus sessions in York, and materials to be studied afterwards.

Following the taught element, students have an opportunity to complete an assessment(s). The assessment is compulsory for students who require the module to be credited towards a degree award.

Learning outcomes

We aim to equip students with knowledge, understanding and practical application of the essential components of safety critical systems engineering.

We focus on the understanding of the principles behind these techniques so that professionals can make sound engineering judgements during the design and deployment of safety systems, particularly where software is involved.

Assessment

Following the taught element of each course, there is an optional assessment which is undertaken over a five week period.

Each assessment takes approximately 65 hours in addition to the scheduled teaching time: we estimate that students should spend 30 hours undertaking private study, plus 35 hours writing up the assessment.

For courses in the 2025/26 academic year (starting September 2025), the fee for each short course is £2,150.

Course fees include all relevant course materials, tuition and assessments, and are payable in advance. For short courses where teaching takes place on campus in York, you must organise and pay for your own accommodation and travel. These costs are not included in the course fee. 

If you choose to undertake a full MSc, Diploma or Certificate you will be entitled to a proportion of credit for fees already paid, and this credit can be used towards the cost of the full award. The credit entitlement is calculated as follows:

You should apply for the MSc, Diploma or Certificate after taking no more than 40 credits of modules. All components of your chosen postgraduate award, including modules taken as SCSE short courses, must be taken within a five year time period.

We reserve the right to amend published information.