Applied Aviation Safety, MSA

At Florida Tech’s College of Aeronautics, you’ll learn in a cooperative environment where teamwork is part of every experience—from research projects and case studies to internships.

Our professors are not only experts across many areas of aviation but also dedicated mentors who build close connections with students and are invested in their success. Their guidance gives you real-world insights that set our aviation safety program apart.

Pursuing your master's at Florida Tech means learning from mentors who have literally written the book on aviation safety. Our faculty members have authored leading aviation safety textbooks, contributed to respected journals and earned hundreds of academic citations.

They bring expertise not only from the classroom but also from the cockpit—many are experienced commercial, private and military pilots. With backgrounds spanning air transportation, airport planning and management, aviation business, flight and safety, professors provide students with a broad perspective on the industry.

Our 130-acre campus is located in a high-tech corridor on the Space Coast—NASA-Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral is just north of us—and many high-tech corporations and government and military organizations are located nearby. Our location provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities for our students. You can’t find a better location for immersion in applied aviation safety.

If you like to fly, you'll appreciate that we have over 300 days of ideal flying weather each year, and that our College of Aeronautics is ranked one of the safest flight schools in the U.S. Melbourne is home to an international commercial airport that is just a 10-minute drive from campus.

When it’s time to relax, Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean, with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches. We are minutes from the Indian River Lagoon, a highly biodiverse estuary, and it’s a short trip to the Florida Keys and the Orlando theme parks.

At Florida Tech, aviation safety students gain real-world experience across our state-of-the-art facilities and fleet.

At the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research, just 2.5 miles from campus, students access hangars, briefing rooms, lounges and our all-Piper fleet—including Warrior, Archer, Seminole and Pilot 100i aircraft with advanced glass-cockpit avionics.

Nearby, the Enterprise Building supports research, flight simulators and the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Lab, giving students opportunities to study safety, risk management and operational procedures.

On campus, Skurla Hall houses specialized labs where students practice in the Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) Lab and in a realistic simulated air traffic control tower, applying safety protocols and problem-solving in real-world scenarios.

Together, these resources prepare students to lead in aviation safety with hands-on knowledge and expertise.

To join the Master of Science in Aviation – Applied Aviation Safety program, you should have a bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, from an institution of acceptable academic standing.

Your background doesn’t need to be in aviation, though the College of Aeronautics may then require a few preparatory courses to ensure you’re set up for success. We’ll review your academic and professional experience and guide you through any steps needed before final acceptance to the program.

For more information, please see our graduate admission requirements, or start your application now!