Master of Science and Technology (Aviation) $24000?
Hi,
I would like to know from anyone who has studied a Master of Science and Technology (Aviation) from any university in Australia, whether it is worth the $24000 investment (UNSW).
Other than being keenly interested in the aviation sector, is this course going to allow ones role from pilot into a management role become a reality? Especially in such a limited industry in Australia!
I know the universities will sell this for their own financial reasons, but I want to hear from anyone who has done it or has a mate doing it and what the thoughts are on this extra postgraduate degree.
I have had some staff who had done this course and it provides a good general industry overview.
If you were at a management level in another industry and moving into aviation management it would be ideal and good value at $24K.
If you were already fairly experienced in the aviation industry you would find that it is pretty light on.
The course material I saw was also fairly poor and appeared cobbled together from all sorts of places.
As an employer it offered very little value to my business, as it lacked the management, financial, legal, HR, IT, and sales disciplines... for a pilot going into management I would suggest a quality MBA would be money better spent.
There are a range of Aviation Management programs on offer, that all come in around the $20k mark. They offer vastly different content and quality of delivery. The two I have first-hand experience with are the University of Newcastle program, which is basically half an MBA with some aviation management stuff thrown in (HF, safety management), perfect for an experienced aviation professional merely looking to "box tick" a higher qualification for the resume (it's also the shortest and cheapest program I know of); and the Swinburne program, which is really a ground-up introduction to aviation and quite light on management content, ideal for an experienced manager moving into an aviation role.
Personally I think the UNSW course you linked to seems pretty comprehensive and $24k is good value for a Masters from UNSW, which is right up there in academic reputation.
Based on my experience across two universities, ask to see the courseware. One uni simply took the classroom lectures, dumped the powerpoints and reference lists online with a discussion forum, and called it "distance education" - you had to compete for the lecturer's time with on-campus students and only via email or a forum like this one. The other delivered very professional workbooks designed from the outset for distance ed, not converted from a lecture hall, and made your tutor/lecturer available on email or phone, and had regular follow up via Skype. Plus the forum. It was a much better package, and only marginally more expensive.
Finally, ask whether the management elements of your course will be open to enrolment by MBA/MMgt students. If they are, there are two certainties in life: 1) They will involve group work, and 2) Your fellow students' grasp of written English will not be at ICAO6 standard.
Take out of that what you wish.
I personally advise you to do it. I once had to decline a very lucrative position in the US because, without a degree, I simply couldn't secure a professional visa. The day is coming where a higher degree will be virtually mandatory, so get in now and you can pace the study and cost leisurely.
I'm halfway through the UNSW MScTech. Some of the course units have been disappointing in that they haven't been updated since they were written - which for most seems to be around 2004. Some of the other units are very good and updated with the latest developments from industry.
I'm doing it to get an academic qualification which matches/endorses my industry flight safety experience. I would not be doing it if it wasn't for the fact that my employer is paying for it!!
If you are hell bent on being a manager, I think you would be better of doing a MBus or MBA. The management focus of the UNSW course is pretty light.
As one academic succinctly put it to me, these 'vocational' degrees are not worth the paper they are printed on immediately outside of the industry you work in. They are really only revenue generators for the universities who talk them up by pandering to your need to compete and better your peers to get either a management job or a seat in the RHS of a shiny jet.
I agree with woodwork; when you are buying anything you usually want to see it first.
Suggest that you ask to go and look at the subject materials of the subjects you are interested in, and also check out the experience and qualifications of those who are delivering the subjects; you will then better able to judge whether the focus and style suit you.
I agree on many of the points about looking into it with more detail. I have looked into it for some time (6-8 months) and even deferred it.
I have noticed on Linkedinn, many collegues and those who are leaders in the aviation industry, be that within training, management and other areas have a higher degree above the HSC etc.
It is a toss up at the moment. I already have a Bachelor of Aviation degree from UNSW, but have found that it really hasn't increased my skills in this industry to a point of increased employment opportunities. Especially now you really have to go overseas if you want to gain employment opportunities.....Qantas (hasn't employed for 4yrs) vs Emirates etc. Cathay Pacific is now on Z scale. Jetstar and Virgin have also slowed down to a crawl with up to 12 months hold. Qantaslink doesn't pay enough to buy a house and Rex is just discusting..along with Pel-Air. It seems like the middle-east is about the only place left that you can earn a quid, but how does one get back to Aus in 10-15 years!
I feel I am at a cross-road in my career and really quite in a cloudy spot as to whether I need to do something like this. It might be good just to 'burn' some time and do it anyway, but I need to see the outcome of doing it.
Our industry in Australia has some very skilled pilots, more than just having the ability to fly, but the rewards of achieving all these extra academic tickets really doesn't seem to pay dividends anymore.
I asked UNSW how many they had enrolled in this course and apparently about 200 students from all over the world. Does this sound right?
I asked UNSW how many they had enrolled in this course and apparently about 200 students from all over the world. Does this sound right?
Probably a load of bullshit, coming from the same lecturer who told my son at the UNSW open day that 15 people had graduated from the Bachelor of Aviation in 2011 and got jobs as QF A380 SO's with only 200 hours flying time
Funny that..... I also attended an Open Day recently to see what was new for my nephew.. didn't hear that one about SOs and A380s.
I just checked the UNSW website which says in a couple of places "...minimum of 500-1000 hours" and "Will an airline offer me a job immediately on graduation? For Flying Students - unlikely."
Looks like you have a burr in your undies, or have gone deaf through too much "Pulling-Up". Careful, there are rumours it might also send you blind.
