Air Transport Management (Executive) - MSc

Designed to equip you with the skills to pursue a successful career in various sectors of the air transport industry including airlines, airport companies and authorities, civil aviation departments, air transport consultancies and aerospace companies.

This part-time flexible Executive course, available either at Cranfield or Singapore (via the Singapore Aviation Academy), covers a broad range of management strategic issues to enable you to advance your career in the air transport industry. Focus on subjects that match your individual interests and career aspirations, whilst you remain in employment.

Who is it for?

Created to meet the demand for more flexible executive teaching in air transport management, this course is suitable for those who require a broad knowledge of air transport management strategic issues whilst remaining in full-time employment. It combines compulsory air transport core learning with an increased focus on leadership and personal development including managerial, interpersonal, financial and analytical skills. Accelerate your career development by focusing on subjects that match your individual interests and career aspirations.

We also deliver this course via the Singapore Aviation Academy. Important: to study in Singapore visit the Singapore Aviation Academy website and apply using their application process.

Why this course?

The MSc Air Transport Management has been established since 1964. The course has an outstanding global reputation with over 1,500 graduates to date. We recognise the challenges faced by our executive students and have reduced the required number of visits to Cranfield through the introduction of several distance learning modules which are indicated in the modules overview. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments.

We are very well located for students from all over the world and offers a range of library and support facilities to support your studies. This MSc programme benefits from students from a wide range of cultural backgrounds which significantly enhances the learning experience for both staff and students.

Informed by Industry

The course is directed by an industrial advisory committee comprising senior representatives from leading airlines and associated sectors. This group meets annually and ensures that the course content remains up-to-date and equips you with the skills and knowledge required by leading employers. Members of the committee also attend the group project presentations.

We regularly invite senior industry experts to present to our students. Previous speakers have included:

• Alex Cruz, Chairman and CEO of British Airways
• Julie White, VP Global Sales Planning and Distribution Strategy of Virgin Atlantic
• Willie Walsh, CEO of International Airlines Groups
• Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport
• Brian Pearce, Chief Economist of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• Professor Rigas Doganis

Course details

The taught programme for the Air Transport Management masters starts in July and is comprised of ten modules (six compulsory and four optional). All the modules are completed over three one-week periods (two modules per week) so you are only expected to make three trips to Cranfield to complete the six compulsory modules in July, November and March. Some optional modules are available for distance learning.

Group project

Students are divided into groups and tasked with setting up an airline in any country of the group's choice. Students can also choose any type of airline business model. The groups present and defend their business plans to a board of senior industry executives as well as to teaching staff. Each group must also submit a detailed report which will be assessed.

The group project is undertaken in the second year, and is held in July for two weeks. The aim is to provide a simulated industrial environment where knowledge and skills gained from the taught component can be applied to solving an air transport management problem.

Individual project

The individual research project is undertaken during year three of your studies. It provides an opportunity to study a problem in detail, and sponsoring organisations may collaborate in the choice of a suitable subject. This allows you to demonstrate the application of your learning to real-life problems.

Assessment

Taught Module 45%, Group project 15%, Individual research project 40%

Your career

Successful completion of this course will gain you an internationally recognised qualification which benefits from the Cranfield reputation and can take you onto new levels of your career anywhere in the world. We provide access to our exclusive LinkedIn Cranfield University - Air Transport Group, which offers unrivalled networking and job opportunities.

This qualification facilitates accelerated career development for many of our graduates. One former graduate began his studies as an Operations Manager and was promoted three times during his study – he is now the Deputy CEO and credits the course for enabling his progression by allowing him to take a broader view of his organisation than his original role.  

Other roles our former graduates have gone on to occupy include:

• Financial Controller at Rolls-Royce plc
• Head of Market Intelligence at Cargolux

Visit the Air Transport Management (Executive) - MSc page on the Cranfield University website for more details!