Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science

The mission of the Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science (AVS) is to provide students seeking careers in aviation and aerospace with a high-quality education through excellence in teaching. The AVS Department is dedicated to developing graduates with the intellectual and practical skills needed to compete and succeed in their chosen professions. Colorado is a center for innovation in aviation and aerospace, focused, in particular, on the development of new types of aircraft and in the development of commercial space applications. Ongoing close contacts with the many aviation and aerospace businesses and entities in Colorado provide employment, cooperative education, and internship opportunities for students and graduates.

Degree Programs and Concentrations

The AVS Department fulfills its mission by offering the following Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees:

Aviation and Aerospace Management is for students interested in the management of aviation businesses, such as fixed base operators (FBOs), airports, airlines, or aerospace-related industries. Students selecting this degree must also complete a minor in the School of Business.

Aviation and Aerospace Science degree requires students to choose from one of three concentrations:

Professional Flight Officer, for students seeking a career as a professional pilot.
Aviation and Aerospace Operations, for students seeking career opportunities in aviation or aerospace operations, systems integration, or logistical planning. This degree also supports careers that integrate commercial venues of aerospace with aviation.
Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI), for students seeking careers as FAA air traffic controllers. Students selecting this concentration must also complete a non-AES minor with the exception that if they hold an A & P certificate, they may select the Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic minor.

Minors and Certificates

These minors are designed to afford majors in other disciplines the opportunity to develop an understanding of the aviation and aerospace industries. AVS majors may not elect the Aviation Management or Aviation Technology minors, with the exception that Aviation and Aerospace Science majors may minor in Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic. All courses taken to satisfy minor requirements must be completed with a grade of “C-” or better.

Certificate programs in Airport Management and Space Commercialization are also offered. Students must complete each course in the certificate programs with a grade of “C-” or better.

In both of the above cases, while a “C-” is acceptable as a final course grade, students are reminded that an overall GPA of 2.0 or greater is required for graduation.

Students holding an FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) or an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher certificate may be awarded transfer credit toward the Bachelor of Science degree: 12 semester hours for the A&P certificate and 6 semester hours for the Aircraft Dispatcher certificate. Any student seeking such credit must provide a copy of the appropriate FAA certificate with the application for credit to the Aviation and Aerospace Science Department. (Note: Courses leading to Airframe and Powerplant certification are not offered by MSU Denver.)

World Indoor Airport Laboratories (WIA)

The Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science facilities include a unique blend of simulation laboratories used for Advanced Aviation & Aerospace flight training, FAA AT-CTI training, and Human Factors & Usability analyses. These integrated flight and air traffic control simulator labs feature a variety of FAA-approved flight training devices and computer-based software. In addition, a crew resource management laboratory, flight planning station, and student computer tutorial laboratory are also included in the WIA.

Please note that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that all AVS students enrolled in flight simulator courses present evidence of U.S. citizenship in the form of a U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, original birth certificate, government photo ID, or another form of documentation. Students who are not U.S. citizens must register with the TSA. See the AVS Department for more information.

Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI)

MSU Denver’s Aviation and Aerospace Science Department is an FAA-designated AT-CTI Program, part of the FAA Collegiate Training Initiative, which provides a foundation to a career as an FAA air traffic controller. While AT-CTI graduates are not guaranteed employment with the FAA. FAA hiring requirements include:

Holding U.S. citizenship;
Attaining a score of 70% or above on the FAA Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test battery;
Being less than 31 years of age upon receiving a tentative offer of employment from the FAA;
Meeting FAA medical, security, and suitability requirements;
Successfully completing an interview to determine whether the candidate possesses the personal characteristics needed for air traffic control work; and
Being able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment

Please email Professor Kevin Kuhlmann at kuhlmank@msudenver.edu with any questions or requests regarding these requirements.

Completing MSU Denver’s AT-CTI Program, or passing the AT-SAT test battery does not guarantee an employment offer from the FAA. For the courses required by the AT-CTI program see AT-CTI program requirements.

Flight Training

Flight training is arranged by the student independent of the AVS Department. Aviation and Aerospace Science students may obtain their FAA flight certificates and ratings from any FAA training program under FAR Part 61, 141, or 142, and submit the certificates to the AVS Department before graduation. The cost of flight training is in addition to regular tuition and other university fees. This cost varies depending upon how frequently a student is able to fly and the time required to become proficient.

Flight Courses and Financial Aid

Students who wish to obtain additional financial aid for flight training should consult with the Financial Aid office and AVS for permission to enroll in any flight course (AES 1500, AES 2500, AES 3520, AES 4500, AES 4510, AES 4520, AES 4530, and AES 4550). Flight courses are graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory and cannot be used as electives for any concentration.

Credit for FAA Certificates and Ratings or Prior Aviation Experience

Students enrolling in AVS programs who already have flight certificates, ratings, or other aviation experience have several options:

Those in possession of FAA certificates or ratings prior to enrollment may substitute, with the approval of the AVS Department, more advanced AVS courses for the basic required courses pertaining to the certificates or ratings held. Please contact the AVS Department for further details.
Incoming students with a record of aviation-related employment may apply to receive academic credit for their job experience by submitting a “prior learning portfolio” to the Center for Individualized Learning. The charge for each awarded credit hour is one-half the normal in-state tuition. (See the Alternative Credit Options in the University catalog for additional information.)

Students may also choose to complete a personalized degree program through the Center for Individualized Learning. This option provides an opportunity to design a major or minor program to satisfy specific educational goals not met by existing AVS programs. (See Special Academic Programs in the University catalog.)

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

All students must complete the 34 semester hours of General Studies specified by the AVS Department. The Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science curriculum guide, available in the AVS Department office, SS 102, lists required General Studies courses, each degree program with a recommended course sequence, and AVS policies and procedures. Students should schedule an advising session with an AVS faculty member early in their first semester in the AVS Department and each semester thereafter.

A grade of at least “C-” is required in all upper division courses listed as part of the major, whether or not they are AES courses, including electives. This requirement does not apply to General Studies classes. Students are reminded that while a “C-” may be acceptable as a final course grade, an overall GPA of 2.0 or greater is required for graduation.

General Studies Required Courses

Refer to the degree program guidelines for specific General Studies requirements.

Approved AES Electives

An ”Approved AES Elective” may be any AES course not required in a concentration with the exception of these flight courses: AES 1500, AES 2500, AES 3520, AES 4500, AES 4510, AES 4520, AES 4530, and AES 4550.