Program Overview

Doctor of Aviation, Av.D. (Online)

The Doctor of Aviation Degree (AvD) is offered by Florida Tech's College of Aeronautics, which is consistently recognized as one of the best and most comprehensive university-based aviation programs in the country. This program is designed for full-time professionals in the aviation/aerospace industry who are seeking a terminal degree to advance their career.

Program Overview

• The AvD program is 100% online and takes a minimum of three years to complete.
• Candidates must already have a master's degree to apply for this program.
• The program is highly interactive, with engaging discussion boards and live chat sessions with professors and peers.

Faculty and Expertise

• Students learn from professors who are not only highly experienced as commercial, private, and military pilots but are also experts in at least one other area, such as aviation law, safety, avionics, or environmental science.
• Faculty members have written and co-authored textbooks on aviation management and aviation safety, as well as journal articles and hundreds of citations on various aviation topics.

Accreditation

• Florida Tech has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a regional accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education.

Coursework and Research

• The program involves two components: coursework and research.
• Coursework includes the fundamentals of research in aviation, statistics, quantitative reasoning, and modeling, as well as strategic analysis in aviation using game theory and qualitative research.
• After completing the required coursework, students must pass written and oral comprehensive examinations.
• The research/dissertation phase includes creating a proposal, implementing a study, analyzing the data, writing the dissertation, and defending it.

Difference Between AvD and PhD in Aviation Sciences

• The AvD program is a professional doctorate, while the PhD in Aviation Sciences is an academic degree.
• The AvD research is practitioner-oriented, while the PhD research is theory-oriented.

Research Areas

• Airport design, development, and management
• Airport technology
• Airworthiness
• Aviation security
• Aviation safety management systems (SMS)
• Education and training
• Environment/sustainability
• Fire safety
• Green airport design
• Human factors in aeronautics
• Meteorology
• Operations research
• Organizational development
• Propulsion and structures

Career Opportunities

• Merging airlines and expanding airports need aviation-savvy executives and consultants to lead them through industry challenges.
• AvD graduates work as consultants and industry experts, researching and analyzing issues that affect the performance and safety of aviation.
• Graduates are uniquely equipped to fill executive-level positions in the private sector, commercial airlines, or the military.