Educational Requirements for a Career in Airline Management: An Industry Perspective

Abstract

Presidents at thirty of the top United States airlines were asked to indicate what educational preparation they felt students seeking a career in airline management should possess. They were asked to rate 18 courses offered in the Aviation Management baccalaureate degree curriculum at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. They were also asked to rank 14 suggested courses from the Council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA) Curriculum Guideline. Following analysis, courses were placed in three categories: Inclusionary, Exclusionary and Uncertain/Diverse. Findings indicate that airline presidents place the greatest value on courses stressing fiscal requirements, legal aspects, airline operations and operating in a global environment. Conversely, courses including Applications of Technical Information, The National Airspace System, Airport Planning, Airport Management, Professional Development and General Aviation Operations were ranked low in importance.