Program Overview

Aerospace, Flight Dispatch Concentration, B.S.

The Aerospace, Flight Dispatch Concentration, B.S. program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is designed to prepare students for a career in aerospace, with a focus on flight dispatch. The program aims to meet industry demands and leads to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aircraft Dispatch certification.

Program Description

Aviation safety depends on communication between pilots and dispatchersthose individuals who, along with air carrier pilots, share joint responsibility for safe operational control of company flights. The Flight Dispatch concentration aims to meet industry demands and leads to FAA Aircraft Dispatch certification. With a superior reputation, the program has graduates that dispatch for every regional and major airline.

Career Options

Employers around the world recognize MTSU's Flight Dispatch program as an elite program that produces the highest caliber graduates. Examples of career options include:

• Air carrier flight dispatcher (regional or major)
• Air carrier crew scheduler (regional or major)
• Air freight/cargo flight dispatcher
• Air taxi or charter flight dispatcher
• Corporate flight department dispatcher

Employers of MTSU Flight Dispatch Alumni

Employers of MTSU Flight Dispatch alumni include:

• American Airlines Fort Worth, TX
• American Eagle Airlines Fort Worth, TX
• Delta Airlines Atlanta, GA
• Federal Aviation Administration Washington, DC
• FedEx Express Memphis, TN
• Republic Airways Indianapolis, IN
• SkyWest Airlines St. George, UT
• Southwest Airlines Dallas, TX
• United Airlines Chicago, IL
• United Parcel Service (UPS) Atlanta, GA

Program Requirements

The Flight Dispatch concentration offers instruction designed to meet the aviation industry's needs by preparing professional, corporate, and airline flight dispatchers. Selected True Blue Core and minor courses are interwoven with required aerospace courses to provide students with a foundation for careers in this area. Upon completion of the program, the FAA Flight Dispatch exam will be administered. Successful completion of this FAA exam is required for graduation.

Academic Requirements

• All major courses, program accreditation, and/or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) related coursework (physics, mathematics, and selected engineering technology courses) must be completed with a grade of C or better in order to graduate.
• Flight Dispatch students must adhere to the following requirements for these 14 CFR, Part 65 dispatch core courses: AERO 3080, AERO 3510, AERO 3630, AERO 4580, and AERO 4590.
  • Online courses will not satisfy these requirements.
  • Obtain at least a grade of 70 percent.
  • Miss no more than 10 percent of the contact hours for each course.
  • Make up all missed class time before the end of the semester.
  • Retake a course if more than 10 percent is missed and/or obtain less than a 70 percent.
• Be at least 21 years of age before the Fall graduation date in order to enroll in AERO 4580.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Aerospace, Flight Dispatch Concentration, B.S. program includes:

True Blue Core (41 hours)

• Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit)
• Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL)

Major Requirements (43 hours)

• Aerospace Core (13 hours)
  • AERO 1010 - Introduction to Aerospace
  • AERO 1020 - Theory of Flight
  • AERO 3020 - Aerospace Materials
  • AERO 3030 - Propulsion Fundamentals
  • AERO 4040 - Professional Aviation Pathways
• Flight Dispatch Concentration (30 hours)
  • AERO 1230 - Aviation Laws and Regulations
  • AERO 2010 - Aviation Weather
  • AERO 2230 - Professional Pilot I
  • AERO 3080 - Aviation Weather II
  • AERO 3170 - Aviation Safety
  • AERO 3230 - Crew Resource Management
  • AERO 3510 - Instrument Operations in the National Airspace System
  • AERO 3630 - Introduction to Air Traffic Control
  • AERO 4580 - Flight Dispatch and ATP Written Preparation
  • AERO 4590 - Flight Dispatch

Supporting Courses (32 hours)

• CHEM 1010 - Introductory General Chemistry I
• CHEM 1011 - Intro to General Chemistry I Lab
• CSCI 1150 - Computer Orientation
• INFS 2200 - Introduction to Microcomputing
• INFS 3100 - Principles of Management Information Systems
• GEOG 2000 - Introduction to Regional Geography
• PSY 1410 - General Psychology
• GEOG 3410 - Cultures and Landscapes of the United States and Canada
• GEOL 4050 - Meteorology
• COMM 2200 - Audience-Centered Communication
• MATH 1710 - College Algebra
• MATH 1810 - Applied Calculus I
• MGMT 3610 - Principles of Management
• MGMT 3810 - Human Resource Management
• MGMT 3890 - Managerial Decision Making
• MGMT 4490 - Industrial Relations Legislation
• MGMT 4510 - Unions and Collective Bargaining
• PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics I
• PHYS 2011 - Physics Problems Laboratory I

Minor (15-18 hours)

• Selected from Computer Science, Geology, Information Systems, Physical Geography, or other science- or business-related field approved by the program coordinator.

Electives (0-6 hours)

Faculty

The faculty for the Aerospace, Flight Dispatch Concentration, B.S. program includes:

• Dr. Robert Fowler, Associate Professor
• Dr. Andrea Georgiou, Professor
• Dr. Chaminda Prelis, Associate Professor

Information

The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace, Flight Dispatch (BS Aerospace, Flight Dispatch) in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) and is an approved Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 14 CFR Part 65 Aircraft Dispatcher school. Admission to the BS Aerospace, Flight Dispatch does not guarantee that students will earn FAA Aircraft Dispatcher certification, which is required for successful completion of the 120-hour program.