If flight and airplanes is your passion, you have a broad spectrum to choose from. Limiting yourself to air travel is by no means limiting yourself to a single career. Choose anything from becoming a pilot for commercial or military aircraft, to constructing new air shuttles with focus on design and engineering.
Aviation degrees are often offered as specialized institutes, but in some cases also at polytechnics, or vocationally oriented schools. You can choose from bachelor degrees, diploma educations or master degrees. For more experienced students, the aviation industry also offers plenty of areas for doctorate research.
A few of the areas to study within aviation:
Pilot - Aeronautical Science/Aviation
Many universities offer you the opportunity to receive a practical pilot training and license while studying toward a full bachelor degree within aviation or aeronautical science for example. A college or university education is not a prerequisite to fly professionally for commercial airlines or the military, but is often viewed as beneficial as it shows the ability to learn, think critically and stick with a challenging curriculum.
Aviation Business Administration
Some universities offer specialized programs for those wishing to work with the business or management aspect of the aviation industry. Such programs will generally teach you the general business and management principles, along with offering you the opportunity to specialize within such areas as Aviation Management, Airport Management, Airline Management, International Air Transport Management, or Flight Operations.
Aviation Technician
For those with a more practical interest in aviation and airplanes, a more vocationally oriented diploma or degree course toward becoming an aviation technician may be of interest. This allows you to work with repairing, and building aircraft - your employer often being airports, commercial airlines or one of the major airplane manufacturers around the world. Working as an aviation technician often requires some form of higher education, and in the name of safety also a country specific certification.
Aeronautical Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering is a slightly more study intensive option for those with a keen interest in the construction and design of aircraft. Such a program will allow you to understand and engage in the complete construction and design process of modern aircraft including material, computer systems and the economic analysis of large design projects.
Air Traffic Management
A degree in Air Traffic Management will let you work within the ever more complicated developing area of air traffic control. Such professionals are vital to the function and safety of flight, landing and take-off at all airports - large or small. As a student of Air Traffic Management you will find yourself on the cutting edge of aviation technology and the developments of new systems. This is a field with high earning potential.
