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What is Aviation Management?

Get a Master's in Aviation Management

The Aviation Management B.S.

Aviation management is the study and administration of all aspects of the air transportation industry, including the operation of airlines, airports and air traffic control systems.

It involves working with resources, personnel and operations to ensure safe and efficient air travel, including scheduling flights, coordinating with other airlines and airports, and implementing safety and security systems. On the business side, aviation management also encompasses areas such as financial management, marketing and customer service.

The Florida Tech aviation management B.S. is designed to provide a comprehensive background in aviation studies and is also available as a flight major.

Whether you want to be an airline manager, airport manager or air commerce expert, at Florida Tech you’ll develop a strong background in aviation with experience in modern aviation technology and best business practices.

Top 11%
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Niche
AT-CTI
Approved Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative School
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Why Choose Florida Tech for Aviation Management?

Florida Tech stands out as a leading aviation college, combining the resources of a large institution—world-class faculty and a strong curriculum—with the personalized attention of a close-knit community. You'll receive a solid foundation in business, airport management and development and air transportation management.

Florida Tech’s faculty members are established experts in all aspects of aviation. They are pilots and experts in aviation law, safety, avionics and environmental science. We have faculty with expertise and experience in airport consulting, design and management, airline or general aviation management, aviation human factors, meteorology and air traffic control.  Their experience translates to a robust curriculum and hands-on learning opportunities for our students.

Florida Tech continues to expand our reputation as a world-class aviation university. We are designated as a core team university for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Center of Excellence (COE) for General Aviation. The center focuses its research and testing efforts on safety, accessibility and sustainability to enhance the future of general aviation.

You can join our many students who take part in various advanced simulations during their time at Florida Tech, including a semesterlong exercise in running a simulated airport. You can tap into state-of-the-art computer labs for airport design and planning or fly the desktop simulator in the Basic Aviation Training Device (BAT-D) computer lab.

Our 130-acre campus is located in a high-tech corridor on Florida’s Space Coast—NASA-Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral is just north of us—and many high-tech corporations and government and military organizations are located nearby. Our location provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities for our students.

If you like to fly, the sky’s all yours—we have over 300 days of ideal flying weather each year, and our College of Aeronautics is ranked as one of the safest flight schools in the U.S. Our aviation majors especially appreciate that Melbourne is home to an international commercial airport that is just a 10-minute drive from campus.

There’s plenty to do on the ground, as well! Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean, with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, minutes from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs and social activities.

Florida Tech is a world-class aeronautics school—and one of the top institutions for engineering and science. Students benefit from our excellent facilities and aircraft fleet and a wide range of high-tech tools for hands-on learning and research, from wind tunnels and air quality monitoring systems to advanced modeling software.

At the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research, just minutes from campus at Melbourne Orlando International Airport, students have access to our state-of-the-art aircraft fleet, featuring Piper planes equipped with cutting-edge glass cockpits. The center also houses facilities for weather and flight planning, simulators and more, providing a comprehensive environment for aviation training and research.

The College of Aeronautics’ Skurla Hall houses a first-rate computer lab equipped with a wide range of applications and networking capabilities, offering hands-on learning in aviation subjects such as airport design and planning.

Using computer-aided design (CAD) programs, you can complete projects in designing airports and airport terminals, and conduct experiments, such as noise studies. In the Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) Lab, you can fly desktop simulators under the guidance of a flight instructor and practice air traffic control (ATC) operations, enhancing your aviation skills.

An air traffic control (ATC) specialization is offered in conjunction with the B.S. in aviation management.

This specialization provides in-depth knowledge of ATC and the aviation industry and hands-on experience with industry-standard air traffic control programs to ensure graduates have the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed as air traffic controllers. The ATC specialization meets the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program and is FAA-approved.

Graduates of the AT-CTI program may be eligible to bypass the Air Traffic Basics Course covered during the first five weeks of qualification training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. You must successfully complete all required training at the FAA Academy for employment with the FAA.

Learn more about air traffic control at Florida Tech.

Careers in Aviation Management

The field of aviation management offers among the most challenging, interesting and exciting jobs available. The courses you’ll take in aircraft systems development, air traffic control, airspace management, information support systems and aviation planning ensure that you will be qualified for an aviation management career having a solid foundation in best practices.

A bachelor’s degree in aviation management opens the door to career possibilities including:

  • Airline manager
  • Airport manager
  • Airport security manager
  • Air traffic controller
  • Systems management
  • Business management
  • Freight and cargo management
  • Airfield operator

Our graduates have launched their aviation management careers with organizations such as the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and international airports in the U.S. and around the world.

Looking ahead to your future career can be exciting! Keep in mind that certain roles may entail additional prerequisites, such as an advanced degree.

Florida Tech Career Services assists students, alumni and employers in their search for careers and employee candidates. We help students develop career plans and job-search skills. Explore our Career Toolbox to learn more about our services and access additional resources.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook. The handbook has information on related aviation management careers, including airport terminal controller, air traffic controller, airport manager and coordinator, airfield operation specialist, aviation support manager and more.

Advanced Degree Options

After receiving an aviation management - flight bachelor’s degree, many of our students choose to pursue graduate studies at Florida Tech or at other prestigious universities for advanced degrees in specialties including aviation human factors, airport development and aviation law.

Post-graduate programs our students choose include:

Explore the Aviation Management, B.S., Curriculum

The Aviation Management, B.S., Curriculum

Whether you are a flight or nonflight major, in your first year, you’ll take a private pilot knowledge course and an aviation weather course to build and expand your knowledge of the aviation industry.

In your second and third years, you’ll learn about the FAA, air traffic and the national airspace system, as well as the fundamentals of aircraft flight dynamics.

As you proceed through the curriculum, you’ll complete advanced coursework in air transportation management and atmospheric dynamics, and meet recruiters from major airlines at university career fairs.

Classes include:

  • Airport Management
  • Aviation Planning
  • Aviation Law
  • Aviation Safety

Check the catalog for a description of all courses.

Download the Aviation Management, B.S. Curriculum now!

Student at Melbourne airport

Career Gateways Through Internships

students at the aeronautics career fair

Internship opportunities that provide firsthand experience in aviation management careers abound, with Florida Tech students completing internships with virtually every major U.S. airline and hundreds of airports and consulting companies.

These aviation management internships provide students valuable experience with airlines such as:

  • American Airlines
  • JetBlue Airways
  • Southwest Airlines

Aviation management internships at airlines like these offer an excellent way to gain real-world experience within all aspects of an airline and are a great opportunity to build a professional network that can be a gateway to jobs in aviation after you graduate.

A 6-credit aviation management internship program (AMIP) is offered to eligible senior students. Students are placed in entry-level management positions for a semester with air transportation, air commerce, aviation consulting, airports and governmental organizations throughout the United States and in select foreign locations.

Learn more about Aviation Management at Florida Tech on the website.

Beyond the Classroom

Aviation majors gain leadership and professional experience through participation in academic organizations and honor societiesstudent government and student organizations, including:

Check out other networking opportunities in groups such as the Florida Tech Flight Team, the Drone Club  and 200+ other campus student organizations.

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Florida Tech's Aviation Management and Aviation Management - Flight programs are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) through 2027.

Visit the College of Aeronautics Accreditation and Memberships page  to learn more about the following Student Achievement Data:

  • Program learning objectives/outcomes
  • Program assessment measures employed
  • Graduation rate
  • Rates and types of employment of graduates
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