Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Aviation Operations with Commercial Pilot Training

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C-B,B,B

General Studies and Critical Thinking at both A-Level and AS Level not accepted in the tariff.

Access to HE Diploma

D:15,M:15,P:15

Equivalent of 96 UCAS points in a suitable Engineering/Science subject

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

26

A minimum 5 Standard Level in English Language & Maths

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H4,H4,H4,H4

Equivalent of 96 UCAS points.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMM-DDM

Equivalent of 96 UCAS points

T Level

Pass (C and above)

UCAS Tariff

96-120

UCAS points from at least 3 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Aviation studies

**Reasons to choose Kingston**

- Integrated into this course is a 15-month training course leading to a Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).

- You will be taught at an approved Air Training Organisation (ATO) delivered by specialist ground school instructors.

- As well as pilot ground training, this course offers knowledge of the operational, technical and commercial aspects of the airline industry, to help you stand out at future job interviews.

- Our commitment to high quality teaching has been recognised with a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold rating. The University has received an overall rating of Gold, as well as securing a Gold award in the framework's two new student experience and student outcomes categories.

**About this course**
This course leverages Kingston University’s strengths in aerospace engineering to help you take off as a pilot and future aviation leader. For the duration of the
second year, students will wear uniform, be based and be immersed in a professional flying school environment.

You’ll study the syllabus of the UK Civil Aviation Authority Theoretical Knowledge exams needed to obtain a Frozen ATPL (A) licence.

The programme is unique in that teaching and learning on the degree takes place at Kingston University (Years 1 and final year) and either L3 or Skyborne (Year 2), which are approved Air Training Organizations (ATO) with training delivered by specialist ground school instructors.

Please note: the cost of flight training after completion of ground training in Year 2 varies from £84,000 to £94,250 (subject to change) in addition to University fees.

**Future Skills**
Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

**Career opportunities**
With your degree and Frozen ATPL, you’ll be able to apply for initial employment as a First Officer with regional and short-haul airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair, among others.

Modules

Example modules:
– Aerospace Technology
– Air Transport Economics
– Professional Development for Commercial Airline Pilots

To view the full list of modules, please visit the University course webpage.

Assessment methods

Teaching includes lectures supported by tutorials and practical activities. Year 2 involves flight training with classroom-based theoretical learning reinforced by practical training in light aircraft and flight simulators.

Assessment includes written coursework (both individual and as a group), multiple-choice tests, written phase tests and formal examinations. In Year 3, you are given the opportunity to research a topic of your choice which is assessed by a written thesis.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Kingston University

Department:

Department of Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

59%
Aviation studies

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
67%
Staff are good at explaining things
75%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
67%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

76%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
78%
Course specific equipment and facilities
46%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

97%
UK students
3%
International students
79%
Male students
21%
Female students
55%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£21,600
low
Average annual salary
91%
med
Employed or in further education
53%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

9%
Engineering professionals
9%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
9%
Vehicle trades

Just over a thousand UK graduates got a degree in aerospace engineering in 2015. There are a few dedicated employers, unevenly spread around the country, and so there's often competition for graduates looking for their first job - which leads to a relatively high (although improving) early unemployment rate, and a good grade is particularly important for graduates. Sponsorship and work experience can be key if you're after the most sought-after roles in the industry. Starting salaries are usually good and graduates commonly go into the aerospace (yes, this does include manufacture of equipment for satellites and space operations) and defence industries. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£23k

£23k

£29k

£29k

£34k

£34k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here