Aviation Management

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Graduate work leading to a Master of Science in Aviation Management is offered by the School of Aviation. The program is designed to prepare working-professionals and full-time students for advancement in the aviation industry. The online delivery affords working professionals the ability to maintain their professional and personal lives while completing a degree that builds on previous experience and education. The objectives of the program are to produce graduates who are prepared to acquire management positions within the aviation industry and are able to pursue continued education or demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning. 

The M.S. in Aviation Management prepares graduates to begin or advance their careers in the aviation industry with organizations such as: airlines, aerospace manufacturers, aviation consulting firms, government agencies, and more. Graduates of the program are qualified for management positions throughout the aviation industry such as: safety coordinator, security manager, project manager, flight operations manager, maintenance control, quality assurance manager, among many others.

Admission Requirements

The MSAVM program accepts students on rolling admission for each academic term (Fall, Spring, Summer). The course sequence affords this flexibility by offering the capstone course AVM 580 each fall and spring semester. 

Applications completed after the stated deadlines will be reviewed if space becomes available:

  • July 15 - Fall Admission
  • April 15 - Summer Admission
  • December 1 - Spring Admission

Preference is given to students with a bachelor's degree in a related field and/or active employment in an aviation profession. 

Candidates must meet the admission requirements of the SIU Graduate School. A minimum GPA of 3.00 (A=4.00) in all undergraduate and graduate work is needed for serious consideration. 

Program Requirements

The graduation requirements for the MSAVM program are as follows:

  • The student must complete all required coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, with no single grade lower than a “C-”.
  • Satisfactory and timely completion of the research project assigned in AVM 580.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Aviation Management

The MSAVM master program is designed using an online model to afford working professionals the ability to maintain their professional and personal lives while completing the degree in as quickly as 12 months. 

The 30-credit-hour program consists of a program core curriculum (21-credit hours) building managerial skills and extensive aviation knowledge. Foundational courses in statistics and information systems provide a framework for analytical skills; an academic core in aviation law, safety, and international aviation provide a breadth of knowledge; and a capstone data analysis course demonstrates the graduate’s readiness for real-world business project management. 

In addition to the program core, students will complete 9 credit hours of elective coursework selected by the student and the Program Advisor to give students additional specialized training related to their own specific interests and career goals.

Program Core Courses - 21 credit hours

  • AVM 540: Organizational Theory and Leadership (3 CH)
  • AVM 550: Statistical Concepts and Managerial Information Systems in Aviation (3 CH)
  • AVM 551: Aviation Policy, Law, and Regulation (3 CH)
  • AVM 553: Advanced Safety Administration (3 CH)
  • AVM 554: Aviation Planning (3 CH)
  • AVM 555: International Aviation (3 CH)
  • AVM 580: Independent Research Capstone (3 CH)

Elective Courses - 9 credit hours

(Advisor approved 500 level coursework), may include:

  • AVM 510: Aviation Legal Aspects (3 CH)
  • AVM 520: Aviation Safety (3 CH)
  • AVM 530: Labor Relations in Aviation (3 CH)
  • AVM 539: Aviation Fiscal Aspects (3 CH)
  • AVM 552: Advanced Airport Administration (3 CH)
  • AVT 570: Fault Prediction and Analysis (3 CH)
  • AVT 578: Aviation Business Practices (3 CH)
  • AVT 588: Aerospace Safety (3 CH)

Accelerated Master’s Degree

The accelerated master’s program is designed for motivated and high-achieving students who are currently enrolled in the undergraduate program in Aviation Management or Aviation Technologies. The program allows students to earn both a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management or Aviation Technologies and a Master of Science in Aviation Management within 5 years. Up to 9 credit hours of coursework can be shared between the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In most cases students sharing the full 9 credit hours will only need to complete the Core MS in AVM coursework of: AVM 540, 550, 551, 553, 554, 555, and 580.

Undergraduate students may request program entry as early as their third year with the approval of the school. The program director and the student will work out an accelerated Master’s degree memorandum of interest (MOI) that will identify up to nine credit hours that may be counted toward both the undergraduate degree and the Master’s degree. The courses identified on the list in the MOI must be graduate-level courses as listed in the Graduate Catalog for the catalog year in which the student is enrolled in the course.

Please refer to the Graduate Degree Requirements section of the catalog for more details on Accelerated Master’s Degrees.