Gain the broad-based knowledge to begin your exciting career in airport management.
Pursue a rewarding career in management combined with the exciting world of aviation,
with a degree in Airport Management. You’ll benefit from a comprehensive curriculum
that focuses on administrative areas related to airport operations, planning and consulting.
You'll take classes from the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration in
collaboration with the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. You'll learn
many aspects of airport planning, operations both general and business aviation, integrated
with safety management systems and GIS.
This degree is designed to fully prepare you for a leadership role in airport management.
You'll gain an essential foundation in management, accounting, finance and public
administration. These business skills are required to thrive in a fast-paced and demanding
profession. You'll learn the essentials about the best business and management practices,
as well as aviation and airport technologies and operation.
Accredited Airport Management Degree
UND's degree is the only Airport Management program accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Accreditation by AACSB
International puts the Nistler CoBPA in the top 5% of business schools in the world.
Airport Management at UND
Benefit from a program the builds your leadership, communications, team-building,
and problem-solving skills.
Tailor your education to your interest and career goals with courses targeted specialized
segments of airport management.
Combine business, management and administration learnings, with general aviation courses
for a well-rounded education.
Let our team of academic advisors help you plan your major. You'll also have access
to personalized Degree Map software to keep you on track to graduate in four years.
Raise your grades by getting free academic support at UND. We offer individual tutoring
sessions, along with specialized writing and math support programs.
Airport Management Degree Jobs
132K
Average mean wage for air transportation management occupations
As air travel becomes more challenging, there will be a continued demand for those
with strong leadership, team-building, and problems solving skills. Given the complexity
of managing an airport, UND's program will prepare you for a variety of opportunities
in aviation management.
UND graduates can expect exciting career opportunities in several areas related to
airport management, including:
Airport business development manager
General manager of an airport
Fuel farm supervisor
Ground service supervisor
Manager of facilities
An Airport Management degree gives you the strategic skills you need, including:
Strategic Planning
Airport Planning and Management
Human Resources and Organizational Behavior
Business and Aerospace Law
Safety Management Systems
Introduction to Aviation (private pilot)
Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
UND Airport Management alumni have gone on to a variety of careers with:
Federal Aviation Administration
Metropolitan Airport Commission – Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Airport
Denver International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Ricondo and Associates
Mead and Hunt
Southwest Airlines
Aviation Management Degree Courses
AVIT 311. Safety Management System (SMS). 3 Credits.
This course provides instruction and practical application of Safety Management Systems (SMS) and how SMS relates to Accident Prevention Program Management. Students receive the necessary instruction required to design, develop, implement, manage, and foster an effective organizational level SMS and accident prevention program. Course topics include theory and application of SMS program elements. Prerequisites: AVIT 208 and a minimum GPA of 2.6. S.
AVIT 442. Airport Operations and Administration. 3 Credits.
This course is the second of a two course curriculum in airport administration. It is an advanced course emphasizing the further development of the skills and understanding of the operation and management of commercial service airports of all sizes. The content focuses upon the practical application of airport manager skills and includes educational tours of operating airports. The program stresses the airport manager's role in relations with tenants, public officials, and patrons through the honing of individual writing and public speaking skills. Prerequisites: AVIT 402 and Junior or Senior status; open to Aviation majors and minors only; minimum GPA of 2.6. S.
AVIT 402. Airport Planning and Administration. 3 Credits.
This is the first of a two course curriculum in airport administration. This initial course provides an introduction to the complex elements of airport planning and its importance in achieving a successful airport operation. Course content includes a study of the duties and responsibilities of the airport manager with a special emphasis on the Federal Air Regulations governing the operation and administration of commercial service airports within the United States. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior status, open to Aviation majors and minors only, and a minimum GPA of 2.6. F,S.
AVIT 405. Airline Operations and Management. 3 Credits.
This course examines the four major areas of air carrier operations, including ground, technical, flight and system operations, as well as airline economics, utilizing a management simulation tool. There is an intensive examination of regional, point-to-point and network carrier operations. Student management teams make weekly decisions in seven categories: Overall Strategy; Marketing; Operations Management; Human Resource Development; Finance; Asset Management; and Behavioral Elements. A portion of each class time is devoted to simulation activities, and the reading assignments focus on management decisions pertinent to the topic assigned, relying in part on current industry events, with an emphasis on ethical decision making. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior status, open to Aviation majors and minors only, and a minimum GPA of 2.6. F,S,SS.
MGMT 475. Strategic Management. 3 Credits.
This is the capstone course in business. The focus is on understanding companies, competitors, and industries, and the factors that influence long term competitive advantage. In addition to and in conjunction with these topics, students apply knowledge gained in prerequisite courses to develop integrated cross-functional business strategies. The course includes a comprehensive business exam covering material from all prerequisite courses. Prerequisites: ACCT 200, ACCT 201, ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 210, ISBA 217, MGMT 300, MGMT 301, FIN 310, MRKT 305, 95 credits, and declared CoBPA majors only. F,S.
AVIT 403. Aerospace Law. 3 Credits.
This course is designed to introduce the student to the United States legal system and the development of air law. The course will cover a broad range of topics related to aviation operations including constitutional law, administrative law, Federal Aviation Administration enforcement actions, aircraft ownership issues, products liability law, criminal law, contract law, and international law. Course activities include case reading, argument, and legal research. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior status, open to Aviation majors and minors only, and a minimum GPA of 2.6. F,S,SS.
Airport Management Student
The pandemic put Sarah Owens on a new career path. She switched from Commercial Aviation
to pursue Airport Management with a minor is Sustainability.