How to Get a PhD in Aviation

Flight operations and technological innovation are taking aviation higher, creating demand for a new class of highly trained professionals. A doctoral degree in aviation science or a related field offers a direct path to leadership positions in the aviation industry. The PhD in aviation sponsors applied research in fields ranging from pilot training to natural resources aviation. Today's top aviation professionals serve the industry as flight educators, business leaders, expert aviation consultants, and applied researchers.

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The PhD in aviation requires careful planning and an unwavering commitment to your professional goals. This guide leads you through the process of applying to doctoral programs, from the initial soul-searching to program research and application logistics. Follow these steps to build a foundation for your doctoral degree in aviation.

A Guide to the PhD in Aviation

Gaining a birds'-eye view of the aviation discipline can help you find your place in this exciting and evolving field. Since the PhD is a recent development in aviation, you're likely to take an active role in defining your own academic trajectory.

A History of Aviation as an Academic Discipline

Aviation entered the university during World War I, with the establishment of six government-sponsored military aeronautics programs nationwide. By mid-century, the field had expanded to include non-military aviation schools. These civil aviation programs gradually developed into the curriculum we know today, which encompasses such fields as aviation meteorology, air transport, photogrammetry, aviation psychology, air traffic control, and agricultural aviation.

There are over one hundred accredited colleges and universities offering aviation programs, according to the University Aviation Alliance. These programs train students in fixed-base and flight operations, safety management and regulatory compliance, and other aspects of the aviation business such as airline fuel hedging, ticket pricing, and route scheduling. The discipline's focus on the aviation business puts it in a different sphere than aeronautical engineering, which focuses on technical innovation. At the doctoral level, students conduct research into issues facing the aviation industry, designing better pilot training and safety curricula and devising new strategies for business and flight operations.

To learn more about the field, visit WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to Majors, where you'll find a specific section devoted to Aviation Science.

Doctoral Degree Options in Aviation Science

The PhD in aviation is a recent phenomenon, with the first doctoral program opening its doors in January 2010. To broaden your educational options, consider approaching the discipline from a related field. Aviation leaders come to the field with doctoral degrees in education or business management; or with a technical doctorate in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or materials science.

Your aviation research interests will determine whether an alternate doctorate is the right choice.

  • Education. The Doctor of Education (EdD), a professional doctorate, offers a context for tackling the issues of pilot education and safety training. The PhD in higher education prepares you for an academic career in aviation.
  • Business. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), also an applied research doctorate, prepares you to take on aviation business management, strategy, and operations issues. A PhD in economics or business offers a more theoretical approach to the discipline. For example, one aviation doctoral graduate earned an online PhD in Organization and Management Leadership with a dissertation in Advanced Qualification Training and Line Check Safety Audits. Another used a DBA degree to pursue research in software modeling for airports and airspace.
  • Science. The PhD in applied sciences such as aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or materials science leads you into aviation technology research. Completing a master's degree in aviation science alongside the PhD can help you develop a research project that answers a need in the aviation industry. For example, one graduate student combined an MS in aeronautical science with a PhD in technology management, researching fuel consumption modeling of transport aircraft.

A PhD in aviation is just one of many platforms for pursuing doctoral-level aviation research. Increase your doctoral degree options by expanding your search into other disciplines. To learn more about the distinctions among these doctorates, visit Online PhD Degrees and Doctoral Programs.

Aviation Specializations

Whether you pursue a PhD in aviation or a joint master's-PhD in aviation and a related field, you'll have the opportunity to define your own specialized area of research. Aviation specialties generally focus on aviation business administration, aviation education and regulatory policy, or applications of aviation.

Business specializations include:

  • Business Aviation Management
  • Aviation Economics
  • Aviation Operations

Training and regulatory specializations include:

  • Aviation Education
  • Safety Management
  • Aviation Security
  • Safety and Regulatory Policies
  • Air Traffic Management and the National Air Traffic System

Applied aviation areas include:

  • Agricultural Aviation
  • Law Enforcement Aviation
  • Natural Resources Aviation

It's important to formulate a sense of your research interests before you apply to a doctoral program. Since doctoral-level education in aviation is still in its infancy, you'll want to choose a PhD program with resident experts and research resources in your field.

Career Track

A PhD in aviation can lead to either an academic or professional career. You can choose to emphasize research, teaching, consulting, or business administration roles.

  • Academic careers include job titles such as university professor, higher education administrator, researcher, and flight school instructor. Typically, academics split their time between researching issues in applied aviation and teaching the next generation of aviation professionals.
  • Professional careers include leadership roles in aviation business, operations, airline or airport management, or federal agencies like the FAA. Examples include air traffic control supervisor, senior safety inspector, agricultural aviation specialist, airline executive, and airport manager.

WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource can help you determine which career direction suits you best. Use the career planning and assessment tools to focus your goals.

Plan for a PhD in Aviation

Once you've developed a sense of your goals, you're ready to explore the academic resources for achieving them. Plan for an online or campus PhD in aviation by researching your program options, preparing your applications, and exploring the academic community. You'll find each of these steps outlined below, with a list of online resources for completing each task.

Step One: Find the Right Graduate Aviation Program

With just a handful of PhD programs to choose from, it's easy to skim over the program research phase. However, the best aviation doctorate for you may not be a PhD within an aviation department. Depending on your research interests and goals, you may be better served with a joint master's degree in aviation and PhD in a related field, such as education or business administration. In your quest for a program aligned with your research interests, it's important to consider all the resources available to you.

1. List Accredited PhD Programs

Start your program research by listing all the accredited PhD options--both in aviation and in related fields that could support a dissertation project in aviation research. Accreditation is an important baseline criterion at this initial stage, ensuring the quality of your education and the value of the degree--as well as your eligibility for federal financial aid. Make sure the programs you consider are accredited by an independent regional or national agency. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of approved accreditation agencies.

Resources

Online directories and accrediting agency member lists offer good starting points for your research.

The University Aviation Association publishes an online list of about 100 accredited college and universities offering programs in aviation. Some of these schools offer graduate aviation programs.

The Aviation Accreditation Board presents a list of accredited programs of some use to doctoral applicants, although the emphasis is on undergraduate degrees.

WorldWideLearn.com represents accredited graduate programs in aviation and aeronautical science. Search Degrees by Subject to find an online or campus graduate program in aviation, or browse a list of university partners.

2. Choose Campus or Online Format

Since applied doctoral degrees typically attract working professionals, graduate aviation programs are increasingly adopting the online format. The online PhD in aviation offers flexibility, allowing you remote access to top aviation faculty from anywhere in the nation. Most online programs require temporary residencies, during which students meet and exchange ideas with peers and faculty mentors.

PhD programs in more traditional fields such as education may favor the full-time campus format. The campus degree offers some distinct benefits for doctoral students aspiring to an academic career. In addition to working closely with a faculty mentor, you'll have the opportunity to hone your academic skills through teaching and research assistantships. The campus degree also offers the best access to research facilities such as computer labs and library collections.

3. Explore Academic Programs

Ultimately, your search for the right PhD program hinges on your ability to find an academic program aligned with your research goals. Look for a program with faculty experts, research facilities, and funding in your field.

The following factors should give you a sense of the program's academic resources and specialties:

  • Program specializations
  • Curriculum and course requirements
  • Faculty research areas
  • Research facilities
  • School-sponsored programs such as research institutes, conferences, and publications
  • Affiliations with industry leaders, government agencies, and professional associations
  • Federal and private research funding
Resources

WorldWideLearn.com gets you started by matching you with schools that meet your basic requirements. Fill out an online form indicating your academic program criteria, and the system puts you in touch with representatives of matching institutions. By communicating directly with academic advisors, you can save time and cover more ground in your program research.

School Web sites feature most of the information listed above, with links to faculty CVs, publications, and dissertation topics, as well as PhD degree requirements and special research programs.

Academic journals help you identify the faculty and universities producing research in your specialty area. The two main academic aviation journals are the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research and the Collegiate Aviation Review (a University Aviation Association publication).

4. Evaluate Program Quality

Finally, take into account the quality and reputation of the campus or online PhD programs on your list. Factors that may come into play in your assessment include:

  • Faculty credentials, including PhD discipline and industry experience
  • Graduation rate
  • Job placement and career support resources
  • Admissions Data, including average applicant test scores and GPA
  • Graduate student demographics
  • University rankings

Ultimately, you should have a shortlist of five or so programs that meet your academic requirements.

Resources

Admissions data sheets are the best source of information for gauging program quality. Applicant test scores and average GPA give you a sense of the school's selectivity. You'll also find information on placement of recent doctoral graduates and student demographics. If you don't see this document on the school's website, ask an admissions counselor for a department statistics report.

School Web sites usually offer information on faculty credentials.

Rankings are of limited usefulness in gauging aviation program quality, but they do provide a general sense of a school's reputation as a research institution. You can also use rankings to assess general PhD programs in education, business, or the applied sciences. Major rankings include:

Campus visits let you meet with potential faculty advisors, tour the program's research facilities, and talk to current graduate students.

Step Two: Apply to PhD Programs in Aviation

The next step takes you through the logistics of applying for graduate aviation programs. For additional guidance along the way, consult WorldWideLearn.com's Education Resources Guide. The Guide offers information on test preparation, online prerequisite courses, and financial aid.

1. Complete Prerequisites

The PhD program in aviation typically requires:

  • A bachelor's and/or a master's degree in aviation or an aviation-related field (aeronautical science, aviation technology, aviation management, aviation electronics, etc.). If your degree is in another field, then you may be required to take prerequisite courses or demonstrate equivalent expertise gained via a professional aviation position.
  • Standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination and the TOEFL (for international students)

In addition, some programs may require an FAA license, work experience, or research publications.

2. Prepare Application Materials

Once you meet the eligibility requirements for the PhD program, prepare your application materials. In addition to the basic information form, you'll need to submit these supporting materials:

  • Letters of recommendation from faculty or professional supervisors
  • Academic transcripts
  • Test scores
  • Personal statement of research interests
  • Writing sample
  • Resume

Since some of these documents rely on others (letters of recommendation, for example), it's important to get the wheels spinning well in advance of the application deadline.

3. Secure Financial Aid

Finally, file applications for financial aid. Most doctoral students finance their education from multiple sources, ranging from university to private and government financial aid. Doctoral funding sources include:

  • University: scholarships, tuition waivers, teaching and research assistant ships, work-study programs.
  • Federal: Pell grant, Stafford loans, research grants from federal agencies such as the FAA.
  • Private: scholarships, corporate sponsorships, and student loans.

 

Step Three: Join the Academic Community

With your applications en route to the admissions committee, you're just a step away from becoming a full-fledged aviation academic. Take advantage of these months before the program starts to immerse yourself in the aviation community. Steps you can take now include:

1. Read Research Journals

Check out the Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research and the Collegiate Aviation Review, as well as aviation industry trade publications, to discover research trends and identify thought leaders in your field.

2. Attend Conferences

Universities, academic associations, and research institutes host conferences. These research presentations offer a valuable means of gaining insight into current issues in aviation and forging relationships with future peers and mentors.

3. Join Professional Associations

The following academic and industry associations offer access to the aviation community:

The PhD program in aviation offers an array of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. If you arrive at graduate school with a clear sense of your goals, access to the right resources, and one foot already in the academic community, you'll be sure to take full advantage of the experience. The journey toward a leadership role in aviation starts with these important preparatory steps.

 

Sources

  • Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs, National Research Council.
  • Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).
  • Aviation Programs, Daniel Webster College.
  • Best Graduate Schools, U.S. News & World Report (2009).
  • Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, U.S. Department of Education.
  • Department of Aviation Student Handbook, St. Cloud University.
  • National Business Aviation Association.
  • National Coalition for Aviation Education.
  • National Institute for Aviation Research.
  • PhD in Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
  • The Ohio State University Department of Aviation.
  • The Top American Research Universities, 2008 Annual Report. The Center for Measuring University Performance.
  • University Aviation Association.

Pursue your Aviation major today…