Expert: David A. NewMyer - 1/22/2011

Question
QUESTION: hello sir! i am doing Bachelor of Science(B.S) in airline and airport management 4th semester from snist-vaughn which is a programme offered under the MOU collaboration between sreenidhi institute of science & technology(INDIA) and vaughn institute of aeronautics and technology(New york, USA) , i'm confused whether to go for higher studies or this degree is enough to make my career in the aviation industry preferably in U.S? if i need to opt for higher studies either M.S or MBA is a good option and need some information about various universities in USA offering the master's programmes (full time) and with full scholarship...??

ANSWER: Hi, Rajyasree:

It is nice to hear from you--thank you for your questions!

One of the things that you will have to check on are the visa requirements for you to enter the USA and be able to work.  For example, it is possible for you to attend a US university and obtain a degree and then get a visa extension for "Practical Training" in your chosen field.  It is assumed that, at the end of the Practical Training (usually 6 to 12 months), you will return to your nation of origin (India) and work there.  

I am thinking that the placement contacts at the Vaughn Institute of Aeronautics will be able to answer these questions for you as well as give you suggestions about where to obtain Practical Training in airline or airport management in the USA.  

My opinion about the future of aviation is that this industry will begin growing again in the 2011-2012 timeframe--therefore, you will need to be as competitive as possible to take advantage of this growth.  Therefore, with this future growth in mind, it would be good for you to have a masters degree in aviation to pursue your futurue options.  It will also be good for you to have "Practical Training" to put on your resume for future career growth.  So, I would suggest that you might want to first pursue Practical Training in airline or airport management and then begin pursuing a masters degree in aviation.  The Practical work experience will make the masters degree work even that much more meaningful to you than if you did the masters degree right after the baccalaureate degree (without any intervening work experience).  

With regard to a sample listing of non-engineering masters degrees in aviation to look at in the USA, there are the following (simply do an on-line search using Google or Bing using the name of university and the term "Masters in Aviation" or "MBA in Aviation" or whichever degree title below is of interest and you will find out more about each one):

Master of Science in Aviation Safety (or Applied Aviation Safety):

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona
Flordia Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida
University of Central Missouri

MBA in Aviation:

Dowling College, Oakdale, New York
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Daniel Webster College, Nashua, New Hampshire

Master of Public Administration in Aviation Administration:

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois
University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska

Master of Science in Aviation:

Parks College, St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Master of Commercial Aviation:

Delta State University, Cleveland, Mississippi

Master of Science in Aviation Human Factors or in Technology--(Aviation Management and Human Factors):

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida
Arizona State University, Tempe/East Campus

Master of Science in Aviation and Aerospace Management:

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

Master of Science in Aviation Administration--Airline/Airport Management:

Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Master of Science in Aviation--Airport Development and Management:

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida

MBA in Aerospace and Defense:

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

I hope that you find this listing useful to you in your search for a school that matches your interest.  You will have to ask each school and program individually about any scholarships or financial aid that might be available---some have graduate assistantships avialable, either for teaching assistantships (where you help teach undergraduate courses in aviation) or for research assistantships (where you assist the aviation faculty on a research project).

Best wishes to you,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Website:  http://www.aviation.siuc.edu




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you sir for the information... but still a confusion arises for me whether to go for M.S or MBA?? which will be the best..??
sir please let me know the areas or departments i have to concentrate to hold a good knowledge about industry(especially about airport and airlines).. as i'm still in second year i have two internships and a final project... please suggest me topics on which i can work on during internship as mini project and even for my final project

Answer
Hi,

Nice to hear from you again!  

With regard to your concern about the M. S. or the MBA--I would look past the general academic title of the degree and focus on the following two things:

1.  First, the content that the curriculum provides--is the curriclum focused on airports and/or airlines or is it more generic and focused more on business?  What is it that interests you most in aviation and is that area covered by the degree program or programs that you are looking at for possible enrollment?; and,

2.  Second, check for the pre-requisites for the programs that you are interested in.  For example, an MBA program will normally require an applicant to have one to two semesters worth of undergraduate business courses (basic management, accounting, finance, marketing, etc) PRIOR to starting an MBA program.  So, if you do not have the MBA pre-requisites, you will have to complete them before starting the MBA courses themselves.  This will take extra time and money.

With regard to what you can work on as topics during your internship, that would depend on whether you will work at an airport or an airline.  At an airport, there is normally some sort of airport operations-related safety manual that needs to be updated (ask the airport staff) such as the Stormwater runoff and retention plan; the Wildlife Control Plan; the on-airport drivers safety manual; or some aspect of the Safety Management System Implementation Plan.  At an airline, it will depend on what part of the airline you will work for (marketing/sales; flight operations; corporate planning/fleet planning; safety; etc).  Depending on the area within the airline, they will likely have projects that will relate to your internship---perhaps some special airline market analysis; or an internal safety review; or a review of aircraft or aircraft components alternatives for possible purchase; or some sort of personnel planning study; or, a review of different airport terminal space allocations (does the airline have enough gates to operate at all of its airports, etc).

With regard to final projects, there are a number of topic areas that are "hot" right now, including:

AIRPORTS

1.  Environmental Management Plans at airports (and their key components);

2.  Airport Sustainability planning for airports and the related "Green Airport" movement....which airports in the global market have really attempted to operate as "green" airports and have actually cut their use of non-renewable energy, etc?

3.  Future plans for new airports around the world.....where are airports on open or new airport sites being built?  

4.  Related to #3 above, what is the demand for airline-served airports globally and is the global airport capacity capable of serving the demand in the next 20 years?

AIRLINES

1.  Review and compare the major forecasts for aviation demand for the next 20 years (Airbus, Boeing, US Federal Aviation Administration, ICAO, etc) and discuss the implications of those demand forecasts on such things as aviation persnonnel needs, etc.

2.  Aircraft comparisons (which would you purchase and why---performance characteristics, size & demensions and aircraft economics, both operating and purchase costs):

A.  A-350 vs. B-787

B.  A-380 vs. Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental

C.  A-330/A-340 vs. B-777

D.  A-320 vs. B-737

3.  The evolution of low cost airline models--Southwest, Ryanair, etc.

4.  Airline labor relations in the future.

5.  Cabotage and the airlines--will Europe open its domestic markets or will the US open its domestic markets?

Hopefully, some of these ideas will help you evolve into your own unique projects.

I wish you all the best wishes,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siuc.edu