PMAACOMN - MSc Airline and Airport Corporate Management

The MSc Airline and Airport Corporate Management programme is designed to appeal to aviation graduates and those from related disciplines such as Travel and Tourism and graduates from business and marketing disciplines who now wish to focus or specialise in the aviation sector.

This course is designed to develop corporate understanding of airports and airlines as they evolve in the 21st century. This also includes key areas such as sustainability, e-commerce and safety.

Teaching Strategy – Overview:
Our MSc programme provides a tremendous teaching and curriculum framework that includes an innovative ‘course bubble’ scheme grouping UG and PG aviation students together in small groups for peer support, academic mentoring, learning cafes, vast online library resources and an active, student run and university supported Aviation Society.

Students will be taught via undertaking a combination of face-to-face sessions, virtual learning environments, on-line workshops, flipped classroom activities, field courses, alumni visits and guest lectures.
Experiential Learning:
The course will draw heavily on experiential learning as a teaching and learning method as we seek to replicate practices and skills utilised in industry. We expose students to the pressures and practices behind corporate strategic decisions by simulating the corporate environment. These experiential learning tools could be a management simulation based around the planning, establishment and operation of an airline, simulated boardroom activities, presentations, real-time scenario planning and simulated finance and strategy activities.
Confidence:
We encourage a partnership in teaching with regard to the design, content and control of certain key workshops within the curriculum ensuring that innovation, creativity and leadership are built into the curriculum via co-creation. Students are also expected to present and deliver workshops in small groups within the seminar groups and this then builds upon their confidence and leadership skills. Through a varied programme we work with our students to build their confidence academically, professionally and personally.
Creativity:
The learning environment actively encourages co – creativity in terms of module design and content with opportunities for debate, discussion and reflection and evaluation of past performances and experiences.

Assessment methods specifically allow students to draw from their diverse experiences and backgrounds. Students are able to create and develop profiles for assessment based on countries/companies of their choice to form a range of student created case studies. Students are able to tailor the assessments across a variety of modules to the career choice, increasing their employability outcomes. This together with the many opportunities such as field courses within the programme, allows for student to learn from each other to recognise their diverse experiences as valuable.
Connectedness/Communication:
We pride ourselves on working with students to have created a sense of belonging and connectedness. Students are encouraged to work together to become part of the existing student led Aviation Society to form a learning and professional community.

Academic mentors and other key support staff are invited as part of induction as are members of the Aviation Society and the Student Union to foster a sense of community and support.

Students will leave the programme with number of key attributes including working successfully with others, key communication and presenting skills that are integral to the course, confidence and an ability to think innovatively and creatively about the industry and the solutions needed.

Opportunities for further study are spoken about in the Dissertation/Consultancy/Work placement module where relevant PhD courses are highlighted.

Please note
- If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the School reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the School cancels a module it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative.
- The duration only applies to students who are taking the dissertation/consultancy rout. Those who are taking the Workplacement module will have a longer duration as the Workplacement is a 9 - 12 month module.

To deliver an academically rigorous programme of study, which provides students with the opportunity to study the major evolving and important disciplines within the aviation industry and to relate these to the professional practice.

The programme promotes the use of a range of teaching, learning and assessment methods, which develop the students’ intellectual abilities, self-confidence and ability to study independently.

The course has been devised with reference to the subject benchmark statement for The QAA statement for Master's Degrees in Business and Management (November 2019).

With regard to the MSc in Airline and Airport Corporate Management, the subject specific knowledge and skills, cognitive abilities and non-subject specific skills outlined in the benchmark statement are referenced and incorporated in the relevant sections of this document (see section 11).

The course aims to:
• Create a systematic evaluation of the strategic management issues within the aviation industry aimed at developing a critical awareness of current challenges and opportunities to innovate within this (including the areas of integrating new technologies, evolving e-commerce opportunities and safety and sustainability requirements).
• Apply knowledge and understanding of the aviation sector to solve complex corporate aviation issues within a dynamic and fast paced environment.
• Provide a comprehensive understanding of research techniques and advanced theories of strategic management together with an understanding of work practices applied to real world strategic aviation management challenges.
• Develop a range of cognitive and transferable skills in the professional, management and leadership arenas whilst simultaneously undertaking both personal and professional development to support life-long learning, career-building, social diversity and innovation

The course will enable students to develop the skills and attributes that will help them to compete with success in the complex and challenging Aviation Industry and employment market. It brings together university and School distinctiveness, refers to The QAA statement for Master's Degrees in Business and Management

The University Learning Outcome that cuts across the entirety of the London Metropolitan University provision is:

Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline (ULO).

Thus, upon graduating with an MSc Airline and Airport Corporate Management students will have the University Learning Outcome outlined above together with the following typically:

1. Have the confidence needed to take leadership decisions in challenging, complex and unpredictable situations (LO1).

2. Demonstrate extensive communication skills that will help them adopt a global and multicultural perspective in their professional context (LO2).

3. Be critically cognisant of the effects of the social and environmental of their decisions and will remain active citizens of the places they live and work (LO3).

4. Demonstrate application and ability to reflect on creative thinking to practical problems, and possess the analytical and organizational skills to translate creative ideas to operational solutions (LO4) This includes higher level transferrable skills suitable for industry employment and career advancement and exercising initiative and personal responsibility.

5. Have extensive knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of the broad range of areas of global aviation development (LO5).

6. Critically assess the areas of underpinning aviation strategies, regulations and corporate responsibility including, evolving safety threats and practises together with concepts of sustainability (LO6)

7. Appraise various corporate, operational and financial strategies employed in both airlines and airports that are vital to the long-term viability of the industry (LO7).

8. Investigate and evaluate appropriate research paradigms, philosophies and methods to propose a detailed research or consultancy proposal followed by an extensive post-graduate dissertation or consultancy-based project. (This can also be demonstrated via the undertaking of a work placement element). Analytical skills, evaluation and synthesis in dealing with a business environment challenge (LO8).

This course complies with the latest (November 2019) QAA subject standard benchmarks. Namely, Subject Benchmark Statement Master's Degrees in Business and Management. It can be viewed at;

https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/subject-benchmark-statements/subject-benchmark-statement-business-and-management.pdf?sfvrsn=db39c881_5

A range of assessment methods are used through the core modules and within the remainder of the course, reflecting the range of outcomes and diversity of learning approaches adopted by students. The assessment methods are designed to be for learning and of learning and foster the development of the range of learning outcomes given in Section 11. It is anticipated that the assessment strategy will support the development of effective and responsible business practitioners.

Communicating information coherently and effectively in writing will be supported for example, through report writing, and writing essays. Communicating orally will be supported through assessments that involve presentations.

Priority is given to methods of assessment consistent with giving timely feedback in order that the information can feedforward to future modules and assignments. This may mean that feedback is given for example, on drafts, in seminar discussions, or on formative presentations. Feedback may be given in a variety of formats and involve individuals or groups. It is anticipated that students will act on feedback given both within and between modules in order to maximise possible achievement.

Assessment workload will be managed so as there is not a bunching of assessments in certain weeks and the volume of assessments has also been carefully constructed so as not to have a negative impact on learning outcomes.

External Examiners have been carefully chosen to reflect a breadth of academic and industry expertise. They will serve to moderate marks to ensure consistency and academic robustness in marking coursework assessments.

It is anticipated that re-assessment work should be submitted as indicated in the module handbook.

Principles
The course adopts the four assessment strategy principles of the School that are developed in the spirit of ESJ. These are:
i) The School is committed to ensuring that each student should not have more no more than 2 assessment points per 20 credit module.

ii) We provide balanced forms of assessment, both in terms of its overall volume (measured in terms of assessment points and output required (see Table below)) and the types used.

iii) At PGT level group activities are part of the learning and teaching strategies but assessment should be at the level of the individual. Thus, assessment should focus on individual reflections and learning from participating in a group activity.

iv) Flexibility/choice in assessment methods will be introduced wherever possible (subject to PSRB requirements and QAA subject benchmarks) in order to facilitate different learning studies and support personalization

This course offers students the ability to complete a work placement component as part of the 60 Credit alternative core modules within the award. The Workplacement module (MN7W01) is one of the alternative core modules. The placement will last nine months, starting within two months of the successful completion of semester two in summer. It will be credit-bearing (60 credits) and will be offered as an alternative to the ‘Dissertation’ and ‘Business Consultancy Project’ with the same credits. There will be a series of work readiness and career preparation workshops/ seminars to ensure students are engaging critically with their experiences. For students unable to undertake the work placement after starting the programme, they will be required to complete a Dissertation or Business Consultancy Project, bearing equivalent credit, and complete their course within one year, however, this will be strongly discouraged due to the complex Tier 4 visa arrangement requirements, if applicable.

International students studying on a Student Visa will be required to submit weekly timesheets for the hours undertaken for the work placement. The timesheets will need to be signed by the student’s line manager to meet Visa regulations.

Those who are taking the 60 credit Workplacement option will be contacted early in their course to receive support in securing a graduate placement in good time. It is a student's responsibility to apply for opportunities and to engage with the University and/or partner organisations to assist them. The suitability of any opportunities will be assessed by the Module and Work-Based Learning Teams and all placement roles must meet the Health and Safety requirements for Higher Education Accredited Work Placements.

Please also note that the choice of MN7W01 alternative core module will have the effect of extending the course length by one more year. The student needs to have secured a one-year work placement within 6 months of start of teaching i.e., if their course starts in September/October the deadline for securing the placement will be 31 March of the following year; if their course starts in February/March the deadline for securing the placement will be 31 August of the same year. If a student has difficulty securing a placement within the deadlines above they will switch to alternatives bearing equivalent credit as stated on the first paragraph.

Part – time students will typically take twice the time of Full-time students to complete their studies, but can take up to 3 years

Part-time students who do not select an optional module will automatically be programmed onto the designated default option running in any given academic year.
*Please note the duration only applies to students who are taking the dissertation/consultancy rout. Those who are taking the Workplacement module will have a longer duration as the Workplacement is a 9 - 12 month module.

The course conforms with the Regulations of the University Postgraduate Scheme and there are no additional regulations.

The course conforms with the Regulations of the University Postgraduate Scheme and there are no additional regulations.

At the beginning of the course all MSc pathway students will be involved in an extended induction programme which is designed to promote active learning and development from the outset. This will include the principles of individual and team learning and development, action planning and preparation for academic study at master’s level.

A number of the degree’s core modules are designed to give students the opportunity to develop their reflective learning and personal development. Several of the in-course assignments will for example, require students to work in groups to find solutions to a few problems on social, economic and environmental issues contained in cases which will be provided to them. The module on Research Methods and the dissertation also lends itself to helping students develop their reflective learning and self-development and has reflective assessments built into the assessment framework. There is also a business project module which is designed to promote reflective learning on the degree and again has reflective practice built into the assessment framework.

Reflective learning and personal development are developed throughout the core modules on the MSc, through making connections between core, specialist and research modules and, in making connections between the learnt environment and their own experiential learning. This is one of the most important features of the course as it will involve students working independently and collaboratively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

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The course will provide a springboard for a variety of career routes both in the UK and internationally. On graduation, you will be equipped for management and leadership within the aviation sector. The sector is diverse and ranges from operational management, strategic overview and planning, regulations and compliance and financial management.
Postgraduate students who successfully complete the course might be expected to pursue a diverse career range such as, careers in PhD research, Aviation consultancies such as Mott Macdonald and major airlines and airports such as British Airways and London Heathrow respectively. Other career pathways might be with bodies such as National Air Traffic Control and the Civil Aviation Authority.

By the end of the course, students will have developed their self-awareness and practical/transferable skills that will enhance their employability. Engagement with the alumni network and events that enable them to meet with employers and business practitioners will support their ability to progress their careers.

In addition to this, the teaching team are well connected in the sector and will endeavour to assist students in searching for suitable employment in the sector nationally and internationally. There will also be the opportunity for some of these graduates wanting to do a PhD to do so in several specialist universities, both here and overseas.

We have strong links to the Royal Aeronautical Society (REAS), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, (CILT) and, National Air Traffic Control (NATS). Such bodies offer an extensive coursework library section and, careers information linked to our curriculum/reading lists to ensure that they offer the full range of expected texts to support our courses.

Students will be eligible to apply for membership of both the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and The Royal Aeronautical Society. The level of membership awarded is commensurate with your qualifications and industry expertise.

Careers and advice sessions are offered by LMU academic staff with extremely good industry links, supported by careers workshops and planning sessions from established industry working partners. Graduate careers could range from commercial route management, airline management, head of ground operations or, business continuity manager.

Students will also be actively encouraged to arrange to meet with the university’s Careers Service. This is enhanced via an active Alumni network and a dynamic student led Aviation Society which annually does exceedingly well in drawing significant, high profile guest speakers for conferences, talks, debates, careers master classes, workshops and networking events.