UDAAAMFY - BSc (Hons) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management (including foundation year)

The foundation for the BSc (Hons) Airline, Airport and Aviation Management (Including Foundation Year) programme is developed under the school of Social Sciences and Professions for students who wish to enter Higher Education and may have non-traditional qualifications, lower UCAS points or are mature students. It exemplifies the university strategy of inclusive learning, widening participation, the aims of ESFJ and serving our community, as the majority of our students are local. The students will explore social science and current affair themes, whilst also developing the academic and digital literacies that will benefit them in the following three years of study. To support success, the programme runs an extensive “assessment care package” that guides students at all stages through assessments.

The Foundation Degree equips students with the core knowledge and skills required for successful progression onto further studies. It develops essential academic and transferable skills, including writing, data interpretation, and critical thinking. It also builds students’ confidence through applied learning and industry-focused activities, ensuring they are well-prepared for the increased academic and analytical demands of degree-level study.

The course content has been systematically aligned with major aviation frameworks, including those of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and International Air Transport Association (IATA). Key regulatory documents—such as ICAO Annexes 17 and 19, the Safety Management Manual (Doc 9859), relevant UK Civil Aviation Publication (CAPs), and EASA Part-ORO(Organisation Requirements for Air Operators)—inform the safety, security, airworthiness, and operational elements of the curriculum. IATA standards, including IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM), along with the Four Pillars of Sustainability, are integrated to ensure current industry practices are reflected throughout the course. This alignment ensures graduates develop the regulatory awareness and professional competence required in the global aviation sector. The course is also approved by the Royal Aeronautical Society, which helps ensure that the curriculum remains aligned with industry needs. This approval provides students with access to additional professional opportunities, including networking events and specialist library resources.

Recent developments in global airport infrastructure—supported by advanced aviation management techniques and protocols—have attracted highly qualified professionals to the field. Dynamic hubs such as Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Dubai International Airport exemplify how the aviation industry can transform entire economies. Emerging technologies, including robots in terminals, automated airfield vehicles, and baggage-handling systems, are increasingly gaining traction.

This course focuses on preparing students to manage such high-tech environments. Airlines are making significant strides in improving operational efficiency, communication, and customer satisfaction. Innovations involving artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, chatbots, and optimisation tools are becoming integral to their operations. Immersive technologies such as virtual reality are also being used to revolutionise customer experiences in booking and flying. The course explores how such technologies can build distinctive competitive advantages. Additionally, the course addresses innovation in the aerospace sector aimed at reducing aviation’s environmental impact. The use of composite materials, fuel-efficient engines, lightweight seating, and new painting technologies has significantly reduced the industry's carbon footprint.

Students will gain an understanding of aviation system interactions—between airports, airlines, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), ground handling services, and maintenance organisations. This course views aviation as a socio-technical 'system of systems' and emphasises critical human factors such as usability, training, maintenance, safety, procedures, communication, workload, and automation. The challenges presented by the interactions of these systems are thoroughly examined.

The course was designed with strong industry input and maintains a close link to the practical management skills required by employers. Guest speakers from airlines and alumni are invited to share real-world insights, supporting the course's employability focus. Assessments draw on real-world case studies and aviation sector data to ensure students engage with current industry challenges. The curriculum is rooted in business and management principles, covering key themes such as knowledge management, sustainability, and leadership in the context of aviation. It prepares students for today’s globalised world by fostering cultural awareness and an understanding of varied governance, legislation, and business practices—essential for working in multinational aviation organisations.

To support this, students study global economics, safety, human factors, marketing, and finance, focusing on the decision-making processes at both operational and strategic levels. Transferable skills are developed through engagement with real-life and virtual business scenarios, allowing exploration of core leadership and management topics. The course also includes content on managing low-probability, high-impact events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Modules address contemporary risk assessment methods, crisis management, and corporate planning at both the short- and long-term level.

Reflecting the international nature of the industry, the learning environment encourages students to share and learn from their diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives. Teaching focuses on fostering independence, critical thinking, and confidence. A range of inclusive teaching styles are used, and additional support is provided where needed. Delivery patterns are flexible and regularly reviewed to accommodate blended and online learning, especially in response to ongoing developments in the global health landscape.

The course is supported by academic mentors who serve as a key resource for students. They deliver a range of academic support clinics covering academic writing, referencing, data analysis, and other essential study skills. These mentors work closely with students to help them develop confidence in their academic abilities and to address any learning challenges that may arise. They also collaborate with teaching staff to ensure that the academic support offered is aligned with course requirements and responsive to student needs. This integrated approach enhances the overall learning experience and contributes to improved student success and progression.

The aviation course offers strong opportunities for students upon graduation, with a wide range of career pathways available across the industry. Field trips, guest lectures, and course-organised networking events provide valuable exposure to real-world practice and allow students to build professional connections throughout their studies. These activities enhance students’ understanding of current industry needs and help them position themselves for employment. Labour-market platforms such as Indeed, Prospect and similar sites consistently show a high demand for graduates with aviation-related knowledge and skills, further demonstrating the breadth of opportunities accessible to our students

Staff regularly undertake professional development and are subject to periodic reviews of teaching quality and assessment strategies. These strategies are aligned with the university’s aim of maintaining a supportive and engaging educational environment. Independent learning is encouraged through classroom debate, idea exploration, and discovery-based

The principal aim of the course is to provide a rigorous academic programme that equips students with knowledge and understanding of core business and management subjects, with a particular focus on the international aviation sector.

The course aligns with the QAA Benchmarks for Business and Management (QAA, November 2019), which include:

• Increasing understanding of organisations, their management, and the broader business environment—specifically within airline and airport contexts;
• Preparing students for a career in business and management;
• Enhancing a wide range of skills that equip graduates to become effective global citizens.

This multidisciplinary course provides a sound academic foundation in the international business environment and aviation management. The curriculum is designed to be coherent and progressive across the different management disciplines.

Students will gain insight into the principles and techniques that drive success in international business, and they will engage in both real-life and simulated business experiences. The course encourages critical reflection on ethical, social, and cultural issues, fostering a respect for diversity and preparing students to thrive in global aviation organisations.

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.

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 (e.g. 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 (e.g. mind maps of feedback on draft work, e.g. 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.

At Level 5, students can choose from three alternative core 15-credit work-based learning modules:

• MN5W55 Learning Through Work - For those looking to gain experience from undertaking and reflecting on work-based projects related to your career interest.
• MN5W50 Creating a Winning Business - Ideal for those seeking to understand how entrepreneurial knowledge can benefit those seeking employment or for those interested in how to be self-employed. Includes a short work-based project
• WL5W50 Empowering London: Working within the Community - For students interested in how societal issues affect London, including gaining work experience supporting a charity or community organisations.

Students can also apply for the option to extend their degree by completing a full Year in Industry module (MN6W04) after successfully finishing Level 5. This provides in-depth, real-world experience, professional-level skills development, and opportunities to build networks, helping graduates stand out in a competitive job market.

Courses shall conform to both framework and University Academic Regulations.

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)

eveloping 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 is 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.

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

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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. 

The course provides a strong foundation for careers across the aviation sector and for further specialist study, enabling students to develop the professional skills and industry awareness required for roles in airline operations, safety management, airport planning, aviation consultancy and beyond. Employability is embedded at every level through authentic, practice-based assessments that draw on real-world fieldwork, including both local and international study trips that immerse students in operational contexts and contemporary industry challenges. Each year, students have the optional opportunity to participate in overseas field trips to airlines and airports. These trips typically involve visits to leading aviation establishments in countries such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, or Canada. Travel arrangements are made with consideration of students’ individual circumstances and in consultation with the relevant university offices—particularly for international students, as visa approvals may be required. The programme also benefits alumni who return as guest lecturers, offering valuable industry insights. In addition, a student-led Aviation Society maintains direct links with the industry, helping to organise guest speaker events and external visits.  

Enterprise education is integrated through activities that build commercial awareness, innovation, and self-directed project skills—supported by opportunities such as airline business simulations and guidance on freelance or entrepreneurial pathways within the sector. Throughout the course, students engage with the Gateway to Success and develop a Living CV, recording their growing competencies, receiving structured careers guidance, and building a professional profile aligned to graduate opportunities. Together, these embedded and extra-curricular activities ensure students graduate with strong academic knowledge, applied industry experience, and a clear, evidence-based pathway into employment or further study.  

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. 

You'll be encouraged to obtain membership of the Royal Aeronautical Society membership and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).

Aviation is a global industry so you’ll have a wide range of opportunities available to you on graduation. Well-equipped to become a leader or manager within the aviation industry, you could go on to work in areas such as operations, strategy, planning or regulations within the sector.

Many of our graduates have gone on to work for major airlines and airports such as British Airways, easyJet, London City Airport, London Gatwick and London Heathrow. There are also career opportunities in National Air Traffic Control and the Civil Aviation Authority.

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

• at least one A level (or a minimum of 32 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Subsidiary/National/BTEC Extended Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)

If you're a mature student with significant work experience, you can apply for this course based on the knowledge and skills you've developed through your professional career to date.