Calgary’s MRU launches four-year degree program in aviation management

Mount Royal’s main campus is the former site of the No. 3 Service Flyhing Training School, where thousands of pilots trained for duty during the Second World War.

Mount Royal University has launched a new four-year degree program in aviation management. The new program blends technical and management skill sets, giving students the tools they need to launch successful careers in the aviation industry.

The degree program expands upon an existing two-year diploma program that focused on flight training.

“The degree builds on the aviation alumni and industry network that already exists with the diploma and MRU’s great reputation in aviation for more than 50 years," said academic director and chief flight instructor Deanna Wiebe, in a media release. "There are numerous partnerships, both formal and informal, that can lead to jobs.”

Part of MRU’s Bissett School of Business, the aviation program is now accepting applications for about 40 students starting in September 2024.

There will be two separate concentration pathways, Flight Crew Operations and Aviation Operations, with students able to narrow in on subjects that interest them the most.

Flight training may be part of the program depending on the area of concentration the student chooses, but a private pilot’s license is not required to gain admittance into the program.

Flight Crew Operations offers a concentration on obtaining a commercial pilot license and multi-engine instrumental rating. It prepares you for a career as a pilot as well as management roles within the aviation industry.

The aviation operations path focuses on management skills in areas such as economic and environmental sustainability, financial operations, logistics and best practices for managing people and processes in the aviation industry.

MRU partners with airlines as well, which provides students with direct access to mentorship and interview opportunities. The Co-Operative Education option offers students the opportunity to complete up to three 450-hour paid work terms.

Mount Royal’s main campus is the former site of the No. 3 Service Flying Training School, where thousands of pilots trained for duty during the Second World War.

“Mount Royal is proud to be playing a vital role in advancing the aviation sector and its importance to the future economy of Alberta," said MRU provost and vice-president academic Chad London. "This new degree is an important step in that growth."

“For students who are wanting a more comprehensive program in aviation, the four-year degree is a good option with broader employment opportunities and increased insight into the management aspect of aviation,” said Sunwing Airlines pilot Maya Hand, who graduated from the two-year diploma program in 2023.

For more information about the Bachelor of Aviation Management (BAM) program, go here.