Get a Master's in Applied Aviation Safety

Aviation accidents cost the airline industry invaluable human lives, millions of dollars, and the loss of consumer confidence. Applied aviation safety gives experts a process to go beyond uncovering the causes of accidents and rather focus on how to predict and prevent them. Graduates with a Master of Science in Administration in aviation safety at Florida Tech do just that—delving into safety policy, risk management, the promotion of employee safety, and other related topics.

In fact, Florida Tech’s master’s in aviation safety degree is one of the leading university-based aviation programs in the country, training students in this important field and preparing future leaders with the expertise they need. Florida Tech is also among several elite universities selected to be part of the FAA Center of Excellence Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability to gain research funding to improve aviation safety.

Hands-on Learning in the Field

Florida Tech’s master’s in aviation safety curriculum ensures students experience their degree with hands-on learning outside the classroom. Located in the high-tech corridor of Florida’s Space Coast, students are minutes away from work experience and research opportunities at an international airport, able to study with airline staff and several kinds of training aircraft to gather insight on the safety challenges facing the industry.

Varied Research Programs

Students have extensive opportunities for research and field study at Florida Tech. The cornerstone of each airport management degree is real-world, hands-on research experience. The university’s expertise in science and aeronautics helps students fully explore the many facets of aviation safety, and Florida Tech’s research centers develop the skills and expertise students need to make meaningful advances in the field.

Studying for a master's degree in applied aviation safety at Florida Tech provides students with more than 45 years of experience as one of the leading university-based aviation safety programs in the nation. Plus, Florida Tech also offers all the benefits that a larger school offers such as a world-class faculty, advanced research, an active campus life, and quality course offerings—but in a close-knit academic community with small class sizes and one-on-one time with professors.

Learn from Dedicated, Experienced Aviation Professionals

Coming to Florida Tech for a master’s in aviation safety gives students experienced mentors who have literally “written the book” on aviation safety. Professors have written and co-authored aviation safety textbooks, journal articles, and hundreds of citations. Experts in the air as well as on the ground, most professors are experienced commercial, private, and military pilots. The learning environment is cooperative and designed for collaborative study, including team research projects and internships. Most professors are also experts in at least one other area such as aviation law or avionics—making this aviation safety program unlike any other students find in the country.

A Full-Featured Research University

As a national research university, Florida Tech’s commitment to making tangible advances in aeronautics ensures students learn in the type of aviation safety program that has cutting-edge tools and facilities for high-tech research. The Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research is located a few minutes’ drive from Florida Tech at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport, housing more than 50 aircraft, including a brand-new fleet of Piper Archer TX aircraft equipped with the Garmin G1000 glass panel navigation system. These aircraft, along with the Center for Excellence in General Aviation, serve as vessels for applied research for students looking to go beyond simulations and labs and into the field for hands-on learning and research in an aviation safety program.

Great Florida Location

Melbourne, Florida is the perfect location to pursue a master’s in applied aviation safety. Its prime location on Florida’s Space Coast puts students near an international airport and other high-tech aviation companies interested in internships and research. By working in and around high-tech aviation facilities, students gain firsthand knowledge of how these complex organizations grow and change with industry trends.

If students like to fly, they’ll enjoy having over 300 days of ideal flying weather each year. Besides the aviation safety program, Florida Tech also holds accreditations from the FAA in aviation management, flight, and air traffic control, giving students access to the full realm of aviation expertise.

For international commercial airlines, small private aviation firms, and military fleets alike, safety is the number one priority. The cost of human lives, destruction of property, employee safety, and consumer confidence demands that the aviation industry has experts who continuously analyze, research, and design solutions that reduce accidents and save lives.

Research helps experts in risk management and safety assurance learn to predict and prevent the scenarios that cause airline accidents. A master’s level aviation safety degree from Florida Tech—one of the country’s leading university-based aviation programs—prepares students to be one of these experts. Through extensive research opportunities that combine classroom learning and hands-on internships, graduates with a master’s in applied aviation safety experience the type of research and analysis they will do when on the job.

Research Opportunities Abound at Florida Tech

Florida Tech has an internationally proven reputation for excellence in engineering and science, including the scope and type of research provided through research—whether led by professors or industry experts.

The Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research, located at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport, is home to Florida Tech’s own fleet of aircraft, including the Piper Archer TX aircraft equipped with the Garmin G1000 glass panel navigation system. Giving students access to apply classroom learning in the real world is one way this aviation safety degree program ensures graduates are ready to tackle challenges upon graduation. Students work on such aviation topics as wind tunnels, air quality monitoring systems, modeling software, and other technology that explores the many aspects of applied aviation safety to make meaningful advances that save time, money, and more importantly, lives.

As part of the Center of Excellence Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability (PEGASAS), Florida Tech receives research funding that faculty and students alike can utilize to improve aviation safety through aviation safety degree programs. Some of the research topics funded by PEGASAS may include:

• Airport technology
• Propulsion and structures
• Airworthiness
• Flight safety
• Fire safety
• Safety management systems (SMS)

Through research and internship activities, the aviation safety degree experience for students at Florida Tech goes beyond simulations and labs to real-world application.

Aviation safety jobs are among the most challenging, interesting, and exciting jobs available for those in the aviation industry. A Master of Science degree in Applied Aviation Safety opens the door to career possibilities in the private sector, commercial airlines, and the military.

Florida Tech’s College of Aeronautics professors boast diverse backgrounds in aviation, giving students a wide view of aviation careers in air transportation, airport planning and management, business, flight, and aviation safety. Because safety experts are needed in every aspect of the aviation industry, graduates seeking aviation safety jobs will find a variety of options available.

Safety experts are needed in every part of the aviation industry. Private, commercial, and military airlines and airports rely on applied aviation safety graduates to keep their aviation systems running smoothly and safely. Many graduates with a master’s in aviation safety become safety inspectors for airlines, airports, and the government, while others enter the world of quality assurance and control or as safety experts and consultants to maintain regulations that impact safer travel.

Career Outlook

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things. The handbook does not discuss aviation safety specifically, but does have information on related aviation jobs in aviation management or air traffic control, or as a pilot, airport manager, avionics technician, aerospace engineer, or airfield operation specialist, to name a few.

Career Options

In addition to aviation safety jobs, aviation can also include positions such as:

• Aviation management
• Avionics technician
• Airport manager
• Airport security manager
• Air traffic controller
• Systems management
• Freight and cargo management

Potential Aviation Safety Employers

• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• JetBlue Airways
• United Airlines
• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• Federal Department of Transportation
• Flight Safety International
• FAA
• Department of Homeland Security
• International airports around the world