Learn to Fly

Collegiate Aviation Programs and Options

By Gary W. Kiteley

The reasons for getting a college degree are as varied as the degrees offered, but if you're considering an aviation career, a degree will improve your chances for employment. Because pilots and maintenance technicians spend their careers in recurrent training, employers favor applicants who have demonstrated their ability to learn. More than 90 percent of pilots hired by all major airlines, for example, hold a four-year (bachelor's) degree. A college degree is more than a "ticket" to employment, it's an opportunity to broaden your knowledge and skills, enabling you to advance and adapt to a rapidly changing industry.

There are many different aviation degree programs, and deciding which one best suits your needs is like buying a car. You decide what you need (and can afford), you investigate the programs that meet your general needs, and then you examine the specific details of your final selections. What follows should help you with the first step in the selection process by addressing "how much college," and defining the general types of aviation degree programs and how they may relate to your career goals.

Wartime Roots

While a few programs existed before World War II, the majority of today's collegiate aviation programs grew from the Civil Pilot Training (CPT) Program, established in 1939 to help prepare America for war, and from wartime training of military pilots at virtually every campus in the nation.

Following World War II, these programs continued, in part, because Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs included flight orientation for students enrolled in them. The advent of the jet age in the 1960s led to the development of programs that addressed the challenges presented by the new airplanes. Initial programs were generally in flight, maintenance, avionics, and management, with other options to come later.

The first collegiate aviators were sometimes confused by these new programs because of the disparity among them. But in 1976, the University Aviation Association (UAA) published College Aviation Accreditation Guidelines, which established standards for curricula, courses, and credits, and enabled prospective students to compare apples to apples.

The FAA further formalized collegiate aviation in 1982, when it sponsored Airway Science, which introduced peer review, evaluation, and recognition of programs through a UAA committee of educators and industry representatives. Initially a four-year program in management, flight, maintenance, avionics, or computer science, two-year programs in flight, maintenance, and avionics were added in 1992.

As can be seen by Flight Training's "College Directory," more than 200 institutions offer aviation majors, 93 offer bachelor's degrees, and 112 offer associate (two-year) degrees. When selecting an aviation program, you must first decide whether you want a two- or four-year degree. This is not an either/or option - more than 70 percent of students who earn associate degrees eventually earn a bachelor's.

Associate Degree Programs

Associate programs have many advantages such as smaller campuses and classes, and lower tuition. Because they are "community" colleges, you don't have to pay room and board. Offsetting these advantages is the fact that because of their size, most community colleges don't offer a full range of aviation programs. If you are considering an associate degree as the first step to a bachelor's, some of your college credits may not transfer to the four-year school (more on this later).

Two-year degrees fall into three categories. An associate of arts (AA) is generally a transfer-type degree where most of your course work (general studies of such subjects as English, math, etc.) counts toward a bachelor's. Most aviation programs lead to either an associate of science (AS) or an associate of applied science (AAS).

Designed to meet unique technical requirements, flight, electronics/avionics, and maintenance are the three most common associate programs. They generally require around 60 semester hours, with 15-20 hours devoted to general studies. Some schools also offer programs in aviation management, airport administration, air traffic control, and other specialized programs targeting specific segments of aviation.

Flight, sometimes called professional flight or career pilot, focuses on flight operations. This is where you learn to fly and earn your commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating, in addition to a degree. Some colleges have options for a multi-engine rating and/or a flight instructor certificate, depending on your specific career plans.

Electronic/avionics programs offer basic and advanced electronics theory, preparing you for the manufacturing, maintenance, troubleshooting, and testing of communication/navigation equipment. Graduates should qualify for the FCC General Telephone license. Some programs have two options - one for avionics (aircraft-based) and one for electronics (ground-based). Avionics prepares you for positions with equipment manufacturers and facilities that install and maintain the equipment. Electronics is primarily designed for those who want to work for the FAA, which maintains the nation's communications and navigation systems. (There are some private-sector opportunities in this area, too).

Maintenance programs are designed to meet the minimum requirements of Federal Aviation Regulation Part 147 covering maintenance schools and earn graduates an FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Maintenance Technician certificate. They concentrate on the theoretical and practical knowledge of maintenance and repair, as well as relevant technical documentation methods, specifications and standards. Graduates who earn their A&P certificate will be qualified to work for an air carrier or general aviation maintenance facility.

If you plan to transfer to a four-year program, carefully evaluate the requirements for the bachelor's degree you seek and relate them to your associate courses. Selecting a four-year school before starting your associate program and discussing the bachelor's requirements with its admissions office will help you tailor your associate program to ensure the greatest transfer of college credit. Four-year schools sometimes classify courses as "upper division," meaning they must be taken in your junior or senior years. Beware. If you take an upper-division course at a two-year school, the four-year school may not give you credit for it.

Bachelor's Degree Programs

Most of the aviation programs lead to a bachelor of science (BS) degree. They are typically 120-130 semester-hour programs and require, on average, around four years to complete. Most can be categorized as management, flight, avionics, or maintenance.

The major difference between an associate and bachelor's program is the general studies component and the breadth of aviation courses required. A typical bachelor's program requires 45-60 hours of general studies: English, communications, humanities and social science; math/science/technology: algebra or calculus, chemistry and or physics; computer science; and management. Maintenance and avionics programs require higher levels of math (calculus), physics, and computer science, and management programs often require 9-15 hours of business management courses.

Twelve to 15 hours of aviation core subjects, such as introduction to aviation, aviation legislation/law, and aviation safety, are generally required by all programs to ensure that students get a broad introduction to all segments of aviation. Majors or options in aviation usually require 36-40 credit hours.

Aviation management, or aviation administration, prepares you for a variety of administrative and management positions. If you haven't decided which aviation career to pursue, management would be the most appropriate choice. It generally has a strong foundation in business and management courses, including finance and personnel, and includes specialty courses that provide the focus needed for entry-level positions in such areas as airport management, airline management/operations and general aviation management/operations.

Flight programs (or professional flight, professional pilot, flight education, or airport systems management) prepare you for entry-level positions as a flight instructor, air carrier first or second officer, air-taxi pilot, and corporate pilot. They lead to commercial pilot certificates with instrument ratings and often include a multi-engine rating and/or flight instructor certificate.

Many institutions use flight training devices (simulators) extensively and emphasize cockpit resource management (CRM). Some add specialized flight in gliders, aerobatic aircraft, and helicopters as options to the basic flight curriculum. Some schools have formal or informal agreements with air carriers for internships that often lead to airline interviews after graduation.

Electronics/avionics programs are similar to their two-year cousins, only more comprehensive. Bachelor's programs emphasize the science, mathematics, and computer courses necessary to prepare you for state-of-the-art equipment. The same is true for four-year maintenance programs. Since the FAA requires 1,900 contact hours for the technical portion of maintenance programs, there usually isn't a lot of time left for subjects other than the basic aviation core. Some programs include basic management courses to prepare you for management positions.

Maintenance programs prepare you for entry-level positions with airlines, air-taxi operators, repair stations, and general aviation operators. Some grads seek employment with manufacturers as technical representatives or writers. Since much of the equipment and practical experience in schools is on general aviation aircraft, most graduates find themselves more adaptable to general aviation than air carriers, where new hires serve a lengthy training period to learn an airline's aircraft and maintenance procedures.

Some programs combine maintenance and avionics to educate a maintenance technician who can troubleshoot not only the mechanical or electrical components of the aircraft, but also the newer, computerized electronic components. These programs often take five years to complete, but they address a growing demand for electronics/avionics qualified maintenance technicians.

In addition to these four "basic" bachelor's programs, many institutions offer others, such as space studies, aviation computer science, atmospheric science, and teacher preparatory courses. Such specialized programs may be appropriate for students who already have a specific career and industry segment in mind and want the specialized education leading to that career field.

Other Considerations

When considering an aviation program, the curriculum is just one part of your educational experience, and its quality is determined by those who teach it. Evaluating the faculty's experience and credentials is important. The school catalog generally lists the faculty and its qualifications. Some institutions may have faculty with stronger credentials in flight, others in avionics or management. Your career plans and the school's general reputation should be a major consideration.

Equipment is an essential part of your learning experience in technical programs. In flight, the school should not only have enough well-equipped, well-maintained aircraft, it should be equipped to provide additional learning opportunities. The airport is also important. If flight is offered at a busy airport, you must weigh the benefits of congested airspace experience against the added flight costs of taxi and ground time.

Equipment used in maintenance programs is also critical. Advances in technology have dictated the need for collegiate laboratories to include operating turbine engines for troubleshooting and operational experience, and to provide exposure to composite structures and other state-of-the-art assembly and manufacturing methods. Likewise, the avionics lab should have up-to-date navigation and communication test equipment so you will graduate with the knowledge needed to function in this rapidly developing field.

College Credit

If you already hold FAA airman or maintenance certificates, many institutions will grant college credit for them toward degree requirements. All institutions have different policies, credit amounts, and rules about where the credit can apply (elective, major and/or general education credits).

If you started your aviation career in the military, most formal technical military course work has been evaluated for college credit award by the American Council on Education (ACE). Many schools accept these credit recommendations with satisfactory documentation (DD 214 or DD 295 forms, course completion certificates, Community College of the Air Force transcripts, etc.). Check with the institution to determine if it accepts such credit and how it applies to the degree you seek.

Some institutions accept credit for aviation-related work experience (military, civilian, or both). Again, documentation of the experience by your employer is the key to obtaining credit. Also, the greater your career progression, and the closer it relates to the degree you are pursuing, the larger the credit award will be (again, subject to school limits). Finally, some institutions consider work experience as "life experience" credit.

Tuition

As you would expect, the cost of a two- and four-year education varies. One factor affecting cost is whether the school is public or private. Public schools are generally supported in part by state revenue. Private schools receive no such support and rely primarily on tuition. While tuition is generally higher at private schools, many offer smaller classes and more personalized learning.

Tuition at public schools depends on whether you live in or out of the school's state. A 1992 UAA study showed in-state tuition ranged from $1,500-$2,400 and out-of-state from $3,400-$5,000. State/public institutions have individual residency policies, so don't assume you can qualify as an "in-state" student without checking. Private school tuition ranged from $5,900-$10,300.

The UAA study showed that flight lab fees ranged from $11,000-$27,000 and covered private, commercial, instrument, multi-engine, and flight instructor, with the cost generally a function of the aircraft and flight training devices used.

Approximately two-thirds of all aviation students receive some form of financial aid. Sources include federal and state grant scholarship and loan programs, collegiate institution-supported grants, tuition waivers, scholarships and student work programs, department scholarships, and alumni association scholarships for children of alumni from specific institutions or for specific majors.

To obtain information on these and other financial aid possibilities, you should contact the school's financial aid office and complete the "Single File" Financial Aid Application, as well as any related institutional applications. This should result in a financial aid "package offer" combining all of the forms of aid for which you are eligible. (Note that many institutions have incentive scholarships for highly qualified first-time applicants — freshmen and/or transfer students). Finally, contact the department within the university you plan to attend to determine if there are any scholarships, flight instructor positions or paid internships available through the department/school.

Nationally, there is more than $250,000 in collegiate aviation scholarships available, in addition to campus-based financial aid and scholarships. Additional information is published in the UAA's Collegiate Aviation Scholarship Listing which is published annually.

Finding Work

For most students, the proof of the pudding is employment after graduation. It's important that the school has a strong network with the aviation industry in order to facilitate applications with prospective employers during your senior year. The institution should also have an industry advisory board that not only guides curriculum development and refinement, but also provides the latest input on job opportunities from the various industry segments.

Find out how the school you are considering handles graduate placement. Is it through a centralized office, where you are competing with students from across the campus, or does the aviation department handle placement separately?

Quality Assurance

When deciding on a school, the quality of its programs is the final consideration. The FAA was the first to initiate peer review with its Airway Science program. There are currently 60 FAA-recognized institutions offering AS and or BA programs. (See "For a list of...") Additionally, the Council on Aviation Accreditation has accredited 30 programs at eight institutions.

Accreditation recognizes schools and programs that achieve and maintain a level of performance, integrity, and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and the public they serve. This recognition is extended primarily through nongovernmental, voluntary institutional or professional associations that establish accreditation criteria, arrange site visits, evaluate programs seeking accreditation, and publicly designate those programs that meet the criteria.

There are two types of accreditation. Institutional accreditation is granted by regional and national commissions of schools and colleges. Virtually every institution in the United States offering degrees is accredited. Were they not, they could not offer federally sponsored financial aid to their students. Specialized accreditation of professional and occupational schools and programs is granted by commissions established by national professional organizations.

The Council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA) is a specialized organization established to accredit aviation programs. CAA initially accredited four-year programs only, but it is now completing accreditation standards for two-year programs. It should be noted that there are many aviation programs which are neither recognized by the FAA through Airway Science nor accredited by CAA, since both recognition and accreditation are relatively new.

To begin your selection process, you may want to get a copy of the Collegiate Aviation Guide, published by the UAA in 1994, which lists 280 post-secondary institutions offering nonengineering aviation programs. It lists the tuition, credit hours required, cost of specialized programs such as flight, and all of the degrees offered for many of the institutions.

After the review of the Guide, narrow the list of prospective institutions down to about five or 10, and write for more detailed information, including catalogs, copies of curricula, and other related information. After reviewing this information, narrow your list to three to five schools, and then visit the campuses. Your visits should include meetings with aviation department representatives, the admissions, placement, and financial aid offices, and informal talks with the faculty, students, and alumni.

Once you have made your decision and selected your institution, the rest is up to you. The value you derive from your education is directly proportional to what you put into it.

For a list of...

Accredited schools and programs, write:

Council on Aviation Accreditation
3410 Skyway Drive, Auburn, AL 36830

FAA-recognized institutions offering two- and four-year programs, write:

University Aviation Association
3410 Skyway Drive, Auburn, AL 36830

Semesters & Hours

College credit is usually counted as semester hours. Semesters generally last 16 weeks. A 3-hour course means you attend that class 3 hours a week for 16 weeks. If you attend an eight-week summer session, you'll attend the class 6 hours a week.