Colleges That Offer Aviation Degrees In California
California has a rich aviation history. It is home to some of the industry’s greatest innovators, including Howard Hughes and Burt Rutan. If you are interested in pursuing a career in aviation, here are some colleges that offer degrees related to this field:
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU)
- Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO)
- San Diego State University (SDSU)
University of California, Los Angeles
UC Berkeley is a public research university that offers hundreds of degree programs through its 14 colleges. Ranked #1 in the world for the number of Rhodes Scholars, UC Berkeley also boasts an impressive #2 ranking for Nobel Prize winners and #3 overall among U.S. universities in international collaboration.
The university accepts more than 90% of applicants who apply to their undergraduate program and has an average GPA requirement of 3.8/4.0 or above (depending on college). The top-ranked engineering school at UCB has produced over 75 alumni who went on to win patents; all told, there are more than 2 million active patents associated with research done at this campus alone!
Students interested in aviation may want to investigate degrees offered by UCLA’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (HSSEAS) – specifically Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering (AME), Aerospace Systems & Technology Management (ASTM), or Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (MAE). These programs combine coursework from across various engineering disciplines with classes focused specifically on aerospace principles like aerodynamics, aircraft performance analysis, propulsion design theory and more!
San Jose State University
San Jose State University has an aviation department that offers a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science. The university offers an aviation flight training program for those students who are interested in becoming pilots. The program includes four semesters of ground school and two semesters of actual flight training, which is beneficial if you want to become a commercial or corporate pilot after graduation.
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College offers a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science. The program prepares students to become pilots or air traffic controllers, as well as aircraft mechanics and engineers. Students can also choose between four different tracks within this degree: Air Traffic Control, Professional Pilot, Aviation Maintenance Management or Aviation Safety Management.
Students will complete one year of general education requirements at SMC before proceeding with their aviation major coursework. This includes classes such as introductory aviation concepts and principles; flight operations; aircraft performance and systems; advanced commercial pilot theory; meteorology for aviators; airport management systems; professional flight instruction techniques; principles of navigation; communications fundamentals for aviators/flight instructors/air traffic specialists (ATCS), etcetera
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers the following degrees that are relevant to the aviation industry:
- Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science (BAS)
- Bachelor of Arts in Aerospace Engineering (BAE)
- Bachelor of Science in Aviation (BSAv)
- Bachelor of Arts in Aviation Management (BAAvM)
and more
Orange Coast College
Orange Coast College, a community college located in Costa Mesa, CA, offers an associate of science degree in aviation technology. The program is FAA approved and students can earn their certificate after just two years of study. The curriculum also includes training on avionics and aircraft maintenance which will help you learn about how planes work as well as how to fix problems that crop up during flights or before takeoff.
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University
Location: San Luis Obispo, California
Established: 1901
Enrollment: 29,812
Endowment: $1.1 billion
Student-to-faculty ratio: 21:1
These are some great options if you’re looking to pursue an aviation degree
While this list of schools is not exhaustive, it does include some great options if you’re looking to pursue an aviation degree in California. This list is not ranked, ordered by preference, quality or prestige. It also isn’t in order of cost or size.
If you’re looking to get into aviation and start a career in the field, these colleges offer some great options. They have some of the best programs in California, which means they’ll give you the best education possible when it comes to pursuing your dreams of becoming an airline pilot or working on planes!