UDAAAMAN - BSc Airline, Airport and Aviation Management

Airline, airport and aviation management course was developed to introduce the skills and competences that students need to build their careers in the aviation industry through learning about airline, airport operations and the aviation strategic management. The aviation sector has a very complex range of skills that are linked, from the use of the latest technologies to the management of onboard catering and of the successful operation of airlines and airports.

The highly progressive aviation industry provides excellent examples of management and business practice in the sector with highly innovative, competitive and constantly evolving with new technologies. The recent developments of international airports in the globe with advanced aviation management techniques and protocols paved the way to attract highly qualified professionals to the sector. The dynamic management of busy airports such as the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport and the Dubai International Airport, among others, is a key example of how the industry can be transformational for whole economies. Robots in terminals, automated vehicles on the airfield and baggage-related robots are also gaining traction.

The course focuses on providing students with the necessary skills to be able to manage highly
technological environments. Airlines are showing a great commitment to improving the efficiency of their operations, communication and customer satisfaction. They are working on realising the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, chatbots optimisation tools etc. Virtual reality and immersive experiences are being developed to change passenger experiences when making reservations and flying. The course aims to equip students with knowledge on how technologies can be used to build distinctive competitive advantages.

The course also focuses on how innovation in the aerospace sector helps in reducing emissions
from the aviation sector. The use of composite materials, fuel efficient engines, lighter seats, new
technologies in painting etc has greatly reduced the industry’s carbon footprint.
The understanding of the aviation system interactions between airports, airlines, Air Navigation
Service Providers (ANSP), ground handling companies, maintenance providers etc is promoted on
this course. The aviation system is a socio- technical ‘system of systems’ encompassing critical
human factors considerations such as usability, training, design, maintenance, safety, procedures,
communications, workload and automation. The challenges brought about by the different system
interactions are well explored on this course.

The course was developed with industry knowledge and retains a strong link to the practical management skills that the aviation industry requires, and which inform the learning, teaching and assessment strategies. Guest speakers from airlines industry and alumni (former students) are invited to share their practical experience which will support the core teaching and employability focus of this programme. Assessments use relevant case study materials available from industry and scenarios that build confidence about the key issues that the sector faces. To support the teaching and assessments with up-to-date information in aviation data analysis various sector databases are taken into account.

This course develops a skills-set and knowledge grounded in Business and Management, exploring amongst others, themes of knowledge management, sustainability and leadership in the context of aviation management. It recognises the importance of today’s global community, which demands graduates with sound business skills and knowledge, appreciation of cultural differences, and comprehension of the variety in governance regulation, legislation and practice. These are the rudimentary necessities for graduates to operate effectively and confidently within multinational organisations such as airlines and airports.

To equip students with this requirement the course develops an understanding of the global business environment in which airlines and airports operate through the study of economics, human resource, marketing and finance. Integral to this course is the development of decision-making skills from the operational to the international strategic levels. Transferable skills that are necessary for a career in aviation are developed through engagement with real life and virtual business issues, enabling the study of key aspects of management and leadership.

The course has got a good spread of modules which cover among other things low probability, high impact events such as the current pandemic.

The modules cover contemporary industry risk assessment methods, crisis
management and corporate short term and long- term planning. Additionally, due to the nature of the course, the learning environment mirrors that of an international organisation where students are encouraged to learn with and from each other about their different backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.

The overall approach to learning and teaching focuses on making students independent learners and developing their confidence to succeed and progress as appropriate. The priority is to engage with the programme via the development of appropriate and inclusive ‘teaching’ styles while acknowledging that some students need additional support for this journey.

The delivery patterns are flexible and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to allow, where required, blended learning and direct delivery. This is to allow for changes in current pandemic situation and onwards.

All staff are periodically trained through continuous professional development programmes, their teaching is reviewed, and have regular reminders of the requirements for good practice in teaching and learning. Module architecture and assessment strategies are reviewed regularly for their robustness to ensure they fulfil the overarching strategy of the university for a supportive educational environment. The drive for independent learning is achieved via the process of introducing ideas in the contact periods (face-to-face and online), stimulating debates and the use of assessment instruments to encourage discovery.

The principal aim of the course is to provide an academically rigorous programme of study that gives student knowledge and understanding of core subjects relevant to business management with emphasis on the international context of business and the management of airlines and airports.

The purpose of the course follows that set out in the QAA benchmarks for Business and Management (QAA, November 2019):
Increasing understanding of organisations, their management, the economy and the business environment [with reference to airline and airport organisations]
Preparation for, and development of, a career in business and management
Enhancement of a wide range of skills and attributes which equip graduates to become effective global citizens

The underlying philosophy of this multidisciplinary course is to provide an education experience that gives a sound academic base focusing on the international business environment and aviation management and that is designed to demonstrate coherence and progression within the different business management disciplines.

The curriculum provides students with an understanding of the international business environment and the techniques, concepts and principles that make businesses successful and efficient in the context of the aviation system. Students will have the opportunity to study the management of international business, acquire real life and virtual business experience and explore the factors that influence business from an international perspective. Students will also be able to develop an appreciation of the wider context of their studies in terms of social and ethical issues and a respect for cultural diversity.

On completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline (ULO)

Thus, upon graduating with an honours degree in Airline, Airport and Aviation Management, students will typically:

LO1: Have the confidence needed to take leadership decisions in challenging situations

LO2: Possess the necessary communication skills that will help them adopt a global and multicultural perspective in their professional context

LO3: Be cognisant of the effects of the social and environmental effects of their decisions and will remain active citizens of the places they live and work,

LO4: Demonstrate application of creative thinking skills to practical problems, and possess the analytical and organizational skills to translate creative ideas to operational solutions in aviation industry,

LO5: Have a wide knowledge and understanding of the broad range of areas of business and management and the detailed relationships with other businesses between these and their application to practice relevant to the Airline, Airport and Aviation Management.

LO6: Consistently demonstrate a command of subject-specific skills as well as proficiency in generic skills and attributes.

LO7: Have a view of business and management that is relevant to aviation and influenced by a wide range of learning sources, based on a proactive and independent approach to learning,

LO8: Be distinguished from the basic standard (threshold) of achievement by their enhanced capacity to develop and apply their own perspectives to their studies, to deal with uncertainty and complexity, to explore alternative solutions, to demonstrate critical evaluation and to integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations.

QAA Business and Management Benchmark (Nov 2019)

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

The assessment strategy is based on the model of progressive and inclusive curriculum, QAA Subject Benchmark Standards and Learning, Teaching and Assessment Framework, with study skills being introduced, then practiced and finally assessed in one or consecutive modules.

Assessment methods intend to be appropriate to the aims and level of the module and its desired learning outcomes. At level 4, assessments intend to focus on assessing student’s knowledge and comprehension, then assess application and analysis skills at level 5, to finally assess the ability to synthesise and evaluate information, at level 6. Additionally, assessments in level 4 tend to employ forms that students are likely to be familiar with from earlier stages of education (e.g. essays, presentations and tests), while new forms of assessment, more advanced in digital literacy and linked to professional business environment (e.g. blogs, business pitch, report, audit, portfolio, consultancy, etc.) are introduced in levels 5 and 6. The variety of assessments allow for personalisation, with students being given a choice of the object of study.

Formative feedback and feed-forward is embedded in the course at all levels, where students can discuss draft work and early research findings. Modules use varied feedback mechanisms, including oral feedback in taught sessions, written feedback on draft work (eg comments on blog posts), feedback sessions (in-class and online via Blackboard Collaborate), written and audio feedback on the final work and sometimes visual feedback (eg mind maps of feedback on draft work, eg dissertation). The timeline of feedback provision is in line with University policies and standards, and marking schemes for levels 4, 5 and 6 respectively are employed in all modules.
All assessments (apart from artefacts and written exams) are submitted online via Weblearn/Turnitin to ensure timely submission and monitoring of engagement. Online submission enables anonymous marking and guarantees equal access for all module tutors and external markers to assignments.

The Careers and Employability Team assists students in obtaining placements tailored to students’ needs and/or circumstances. Its service is targeted to support students before, during and after their placement. Placement preparation workshops or one-to-one interviews run during the year prior to the placement to provide advice and support on aspects such as CVs, job applications, interview technique and job search strategies. Individual support is provided during the placement, complementing the role of academic placement supervisors, and reflection and debriefing workshops are organised in the year following placement. Staff have contacts with potential employers in many business sectors so students will benefit from this network.

Currently it is possible to undertake work placements or internships that are worth 15 credits during or outside term-time. Two modules are offered: ‘Learning Through Work’, which focuses on the learning experience in an employee position for a minimum of 5 weeks (or the equivalent of this part-time); and ‘Creating a Winning Business’ which applies to a taught learning experience where students develop a business plan.

It is also possible to obtain work experience and credit by taking the module 'Professional Experience Year Placement' as a year-long 30 credit option module. This module, also known as internship, normally takes place between levels 5 and 6. This arrangement will be subjected to approval. Students are required to seek further advice on funding implications as the year-long placement module will extend the course duration to four years. The Careers and Employability Team is responsible for assisting students to obtain short placements.

CertHE Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 120 credits at Level 4
DipHE Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 240 credits at Level 5
BSc (unclassified) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 300 credits at Level 6 (excluding Project/Dissertation)
BSc (Honours) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 360 credits at Level 6 (including Project/Dissertation)

The module requirements are according to the university undergraduate assessment regulations, (see 2.2 Regulations for Undergraduate Assessment)

CertHE Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 120 credits at Level 4
DipHE Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 240 credits at Level 5
BSc (unclassified) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 300 credits at Level 6 (excluding Project/Dissertation)
BSc (Honours) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management: 360 credits at Level 6 (including Project/Dissertation)

Developing reflective practice in students is built into the curriculum, and two specific activities to support this are the introduction of Enhancement Weeks and Personal Development Planning (PDP), which are now an established part of the undergraduate programmes.

Enhancement Weeks are scheduled as part of teaching programmes where teaching on individual modules are suspended to enable students to engage in broader course-based activities. These include opportunities for reflective engagement with feedback, career preparation and employability development activities, conferences by and for students, and programme planning advice.

PDP is embedded in activities and assessments to encourage and emphasise reflection on learning goals and outcomes, to plan ways to address students’ learning development needs and to capture their learning achievements. PDP on the course involve a variety of processes and formats as appropriate to the discipline (e.g., learning journals, e-portfolios, annotated sketchbooks, case books, skills audits, reflective commentaries, graduation statements).

For example, with regard to reflective learning, most core modules contain explicit statements concerning the practice and assessment of students’ reflective skills both individually and in groups. A wide range of the course modules also assess the student reflective practice through learning journals or logs contributing to personal development planning and career management. In this way, students will be encouraged to develop specific skills increasing their employability prospects by the end of the course.

Generic and transferable skills are integrated into the context of the aviation industry in a wide range of modules that are delivered centrally. Assessment is customised to focus on research and enterprise in sector-context, which enables the promotion of best practice, such as:
Incorporation of a formative assessment task for most modules at each level
Publication and communication of assessment criteria from the outset of module delivery
Provision of details on feedback, including timing and overall management at module and course levels

N/A

You'll be encouraged to obtain Royal Aeronautical Society membership and engage with the Society's regular lectures and events throughout your studies.

We also have links with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), which is a professionally focused partner for the aviation sector. Membership of CILT will be strongly encouraged.

To prepare students for a career in aviation and enhance life-long learning skills, students will get the opportunity to engage with employers through a variety of mechanisms in core modules at levels 4, 5 and 6, including curricular and co-curricular activities taking place throughout the course. During the course of level 4 students will complete a skills and employability audit, which will feed into the more detailed focus on professional aspirations within the sector.

There is a field course (optional) that involves international travel and visits to airlines and airports overseas. For example, recently, students did travel to the United States of America and United Arab Emirates. The travel arrangement takes students’ circumstances into account and consult the relevant offices to arrange the travel for international students as it invovles visa approval. Alumni visiting the course as guest lecturers also support the programme. A student-led Aviation Society has direct contacts with industry for guest speakers and outside visits.

This course has helped many graduates to successfully secure positions in organisations like British Airways, Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic, EasyJet, Flybe, Ryanair, Etihad, Emirates, FlyDubai, Vancouver Airport, National Air Traffic Control Services (NATS), Civil Aviation Authority, Motts McDonald, Gatwick Airport Ltd, London City Airport Ltd, Qatar Airways.
Some became entrepreneurs while each year nearly 20 per cent of our graduates successfully apply for postgraduate courses in the UK. Worldwide, demand for aviation management students within the global aviation industry is growing.

On graduation you’ll have a variety of career routes available to you, both in the UK and internationally. You’ll be equipped for management and leadership within the aviation sector, which ranges from operational management and strategic planning to compliance and financial management.

The areas of aviation management you could work in include:

• Airline operations management
• Airline marketing management
• Airline sales management
• Air cargo management
• Air traffic control
• Cabin crew management
• Engineering management
• Flight deck management
• Passenger handling management
• Revenue management

The specialist areas of aviation you could work in include:

• Airline branding
• Airline corporate legal services
• Airline finance and procurement
• Airline IT support
• Airline strategy
• Airline procurement

Our graduates have secured roles including EasyJet Route Planning Manager, Head of
Environmental Policy at NATS, TUI Head of Operations, Head of Ground Operations at London City Airport, Head of Infrastructure Project at London Gatwick and Head of Customer Service at London Southend Airport.

There’s also an opportunity to continue your studies at postgraduate level on our Aviation Management in the Digital Age MSc.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels (or a minimum of 96 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC National, OCR Diploma or Advanced Diploma)
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

If you don't have traditional qualifications or can't meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing our Airline, Airport and Aviation Management (including foundation year) BSc (Hons) degree.