Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Air Transport Management

Course Description

Discover how the air transport business works and enhance your understanding of this ever-evolving sector. The M.Sc. in Air Transport Management will provide an insight into the interrelationships between the regulatory, commercial and management aspects of the air transport industry.

You will also explore the management and operations of airports, as well as the key challenges facing the airport sector, while gaining insight into the business models and strategies that determine the future of the air transport industry. You can also tailor the programme to reflect your particular interests or career aspirations through elective modules, and through focus on a particular area of air transport management in your dissertation.

The overall course objectives are:

Knowledge:

• Critically evaluate the complex interrelationships of regulatory, commercial, and management aspects of the air transport industry.
• Analyse, and gain critical comprehension and practical understanding of the structure and operation of the air transport industry.
• Analyse the relationships between financial management and the underlying economic drivers of the air transport sector.
• Critically analyse theoretical and applied knowledge in the leadership and ethical issue in context of air transport sector.

Skills:

• Formulate and test concepts and hypotheses relevant to air transport industry using a range of materials with limited guidance, on defined problems.
• Critically appraise regulatory, economic, professional and political information from various sources throughout the airport industry. Evaluate management, financial and economic problems related to air transport sector and formulate solutions with specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Develop / design and implement an independent postgraduate research project that integrates relevant literature and appropriate methodologies with the purpose of addressing specific air transport issues.
• Critically interpret and apply methodologies for business models and marketing; and evaluate, analyse and appraise organisational practice in context on air transport sector.

Competences:

•  Analyse, interpret and assess existing research related to organisations, leadership, strategy, finance and operations to inform problem solving.
• Evaluate and apply subject specific knowledge of the organisational environment including leadership, planning & marketing, project management, and finance.
• Develop / design and implement an independent postgraduate research project that integrates relevant literature and appropriate methodologies with the purpose of addressing specific issues.
• Evaluate and develop a set of methodologies to advance opportunities applicable for revenue optimization in air transport organisation.
• Critically analyse and synthesise current challenges in air transport sector and propose innovative solutions, based on political, technical, economic and social criteria.

Entry Requirements

Candidates who apply for this course must possess one of the following:

• a Level 6 degree and 3 years’ work experience,

OR

• a Level 5 diploma or higher diploma, and 5 years’ work experience in a managerial role.

Preference is given to applicants having a Level 6 degree in a discipline related to air transport management, and a minimum of 3 years’ work experience in management within the air transport industry.

Students whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language capability at IELTS level 6.0 or equivalent.

Target Audience

This course is targeted at local market groups and their foreign counterparts:

• Cockpit crew (pilots), primarily the Air Malta cohort and the Ryanair base crew.
• Malta International Airport staff.
• MATS staff (air traffic controllers)
• MRO staff (maintenance, repair and overhaul, including Lufthansa Technik, SR Technics and Medavia)

Career Paths

The programme aims to prepare you for middle to senior-level posts in the air transport industry, such as:

• Senior Operations Manager
• Sales Manager
• Project Manager
• Head of Department and Managing Director of any air transport organisation, both in the private and public sector.

Modules

You are required to complete all 6 compulsory modules (36 ECTS), and only 4 elective modules out of the proposed 5 (24 ECTS), as well as the Dissertation (30 ECTS) to fulfil the requirements of this Master’s Degree.

How you’ll be assessed

This is a part-time programme and will typically take 30 months to complete. The programme comprises a total of 10 modules. The method of assessment is assignment-based.

The course comprises:

• 6 lectures per module;
• 3-hour lectures (evening);
• 12 hours of guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos;
• Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.

The course also includes additional, specialised support to help you write your Dissertation, including classes on Qualitative/Quantitative data analysis tools, as well as Dissertation Workshops.

Assessment

Overall assessment of this programme consists of two main components: 1. Modular Assessment carries 60% of the final grade. 2. The Dissertation carries 40% of the final grade.

The formative and summative assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules.

1. Modular Assessment

The modular score achieved at the end of the study programme modules is calculated by summing up and working an average of the overall grades obtained in all of the study modules. The final grade achieved by the modular component of the programme is calculated by working out 60% of the modular score obtained for the study modules.

Overall assessment weighting for each module consists of two assessment tasks, each carrying a weighting as below:

a) One Formative assignment carries 20% of total module mark achieved. b) One Summative assignment carries 80% of total module mark achieved.

2. Dissertation Assessment

Assessment of dissertations is primarily based on:

• Depth of critical understanding of the theoretical framework;
• Application of appropriate research tools;
• Critical approach to analysis, interpretation and evaluation of research findings;
• Depth and level of argumentation build-up;
• Original contribution to the generation of new knowledge/hypothesis/models;
• Scholarly presentation meeting academic standards.

Assessment of Dissertation is described in further detail in Section: Dissertation at the end of the Study Programme.