Air Transport Operations with ATPL BSc (Hons)

Course overview

With a first student intake in 1999, the pioneering BSc (Honours) in Air Transport Operations was the first course in the UK to combine a university honours degree with an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL). The course content was agreed after lengthy consultation with outside organisations including British Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators and various flight training organisations.

The course aims to provide future airline pilots with a broader and deeper education that will enable them to contribute more to the industry and to achieve fast-track career progression to senior positions.

Course content

The content of the City course has been designed by academics from the University and professionals from the airline industry, and is divided into three years.

Year 1
Year one consists of a normal academic year at City University London and is made up of two teaching periods. Teaching period one covers the business and management techniques used by the airlines to administer a successful company. Engineering, computing and technical aspects of aircraft uses and operation are covered in teaching period two. You will study 10 core modules:
• Accounting and business finance
• Aircraft design
• Airline case study
• Computing for the airline industry
• Flight mechanics/aerodynamics
• History of the airline industry
• Management and leadership
• Marketing and presentations
• Quantitative methods
• Safety management

Year 2
Year two is spent away from the University at a CAA-recognised flying training school. This lasts for just over one year and leads to successful candidates being awarded a “frozen” Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence. You will study 14 core modules:
• Airframes and systems
• Air law
• Flight planning and flight monitoring
• General navigation
• Human performance and limitations
• IFR communications
• Instruments/electronics
• Mass and balance
• Meteorology
• Operational procedures
• Performance calculations
• Principles of flight
• Radio navigation
• VFR communications
In addition you will undertake flight training up to passing the Commercial Pilot’s Licence with instrument rating.

Year 3
The final stage, year three, is taken part time at the University and includes advanced modules, plus group and individual project work associated with the airline industry.
You will study five modules:
• Business aviation
• Individual project
• Group design and technical project
• Group business project
• Avionics and IT
Plus two elective modules taken from:
• Active safety management
• Airline operations
• Airport and ground handling
• Air transport economics
• Aviation psychology
• Crisis management
• Marketing

Teaching and assessment

Teaching
The course combines lectures, coursework, projects and examinations. Year two is taught externally from the University by a number of leading flight training organisations with which the University has partnership agreements. This includes around 200 hours of simulator and aircraft flying. A significant portion of year three consists of group project work which enables students to develop team working skills which are essential to an airliner flightdeck.

Assessment
The course is assessed by a combination of coursework and end-of-term examinations. The final degree awarded is based on the successful completion of year one, the ATPL flying and ground school in year two and on year three projects, coursework and final exams. Over 50 per cent of year three is assessed by project work. The contribution of each year of the course is as follows:
Year one: 15 per cent
Year two: 25 per cent
Year three: 60 per cent

Selection policy

Typical offers
A level/AVCE: 260 UCAS tariff points, typically BCC of which one must be science-oriented.
Maths and/or physics are strongly recommended, but not essential.

BTEC: DMM

IB:28
In addition: applicants are required to have obtained a Class 1 Medical Certificate from the UK Civil Aviation Authority before starting the course. It is also highly recommended that applicants should have undertaken a pilot aptitude test, either from a Flight Training Organisation or via the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators (GAPAN).

English language requirements
IELTS: 6.0
TOEFL: 79 internet-based total
GCSE: English language grade C

Access to this course may be possible through an engineering foundation course.

Professional placement and study abroad

Year two is spent away from the University at a CAA-recognised flying training school. This lasts for just over one year and leads to successful candidates being awarded a “frozen” Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence.  In addition you will undertake flight training up to passing the Commercial Pilot’s Licence with instrument rating.

Fees & bursaries

This course has been set up as self-financing, full-fee course through UCAS. Second year fees are arranged between the student and their selected flight training organisation. These can vary between £40,000 and £85,000.  

Year 1 fees

UK students: £9000

International students: £10,500

Year 2 fees

UK and International students: £40,000 - £85,000 depending on arrangement with flight training organisation

Year 3 fees

UK students: £6000

International students: £10,500

Unfortunately, there are no scholarships available for this course. But visit our student centre webpages for useful information on funding your degree. 

Working with the Armed Forces

This course is compatible with The MoD's Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Service (ELCAS) - an initiative to promote lifelong learning amongst members of the Armed Forces.
If you are/have been a member of the Armed Forces, you could be entitled to financial support to take this course.

Additional information