Professionals working in aerospace and commercial air transport industries need to possess detailed knowledge of existing and emerging safety issues facing the industry during design, production, operation, and maintenance of products and systems.
The course aims to provide a globally unique offering that relates to the regulatory background of all aspects of safety in the design, production, operations, and maintenance in aviation. It also promotes safety management in a performance-based environment where risk-based oversight is practised by regulatory authorities within the UK and worldwide.
This part-time programme meets the requirements of the Level 7 Risk and Safety Management Professional Standard. Eligible organisations will be able to use their Apprenticeship Levy to cover the cost of the programme. For more information on the apprenticeship route please click here.
Overview
| Next Cohort | January 2024 |
| Duration | MSc: three years part-time; Postgraduate Diploma: two years; Postgraduate Certificate: one year |
| Delivery | Taught modules: 40%; Group projects: 20%; Individual research project: 40% |
| Qualification | MSc, PgDip, PgCert |
| Study type | Part-time |
| Campus | Cranfield campus |
Course details
The whole part-time MSc is expected to be completed in three years. The PGDip takes two years, with all taught and group project modules to be successfully completed. The PGCert is expected to be completed in one year, with taught modules 1 and 2 and group project 1 to be successfully completed.
- Module 1 – Advanced Safety and Risk Management (compulsory – year 1)
- Module 2 – Aviation Legislation & Regulatory Approach (compulsory – year 1)
- Module 3 – Aircraft Accident Investigation and Response (compulsory – year 2)
- Module 4 – Responding to Risk in Sociotechnical System (compulsory – year 2)
Taught modules: 40%; Group projects: 20%; Individual research project: 40%
Why this course?
This programme is delivered through the specialist Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre, operating for 40 years to support global safety and investigation. This course is unique as it combines the knowledge and expertise of the centre’s academic staff with the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s senior staff.
Informed by industry
Cranfield University has worked closely with CAA International to develop this unique course. The UK CAA is world-leading in the adoption of “performance-based regulation”, which aims to focus regulatory efforts on areas representing greatest risk.
Your career
Most students on this course will probably be already in full-time employment at the time of attending the course. However, this MSc prepares them for a higher level of responsibility in a variety of areas. The course has a unique blend of subjects covering the varied topics within risk and safety management, which will have a huge benefit for people within all aviation sectors. It is therefore entirely possible that the course will enable people to take on additional responsibility and/or transition to other areas within the aviation industry.
”The regulation of aviation safety has evolved significantly from just compliance checking. The implementation of safety management systems in industry and the practice of risk-based surveillance in the regulator, pioneered in the UK, have fundamentally changed the regulatory landscape. Never has it been more important for regulators and industry across the world to have a common understanding of how these tools can drive improved safety performance.
We have chosen to work with Cranfield University in designing this course because of their exclusive focus on aviation and postgraduate education; access to a working airfield, with virtual control tower and aircraft, make this a unique place to learn.
Ben AlcottInternational Director, UK CAA
