General Information

Overview

The Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting will equip you for a professional career as a commercial pilot.

You'll undertake your professional pilot training program, including practical flying training, at CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, located at Moorabbin Airport, and obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and Multi-engine Command Instrument Rating (MCIR).

You'll also complete a Multi Crew Cooperation and Jet Orientation Course or Flight Instructor Rating, and Frozen Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), as well as studies in aviation human factors, aviation management and aviation technology.

Double degree options

You can also study Aviation and Piloting in a double degree with Business.

Study structure

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting requires students to complete units of study to the value of 300 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

Units of study Unit code
Core units
The Global Aviation System
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA10001
Aviation Legal and Regulatory Framework
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA10010
Private Pilot Licence Practicum
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVF80001
Airline Business Strategy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA10012
Aviation Project: Blue Sky Ideas
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA10014
Airline Operations Management
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA20022
Commercial Pilot Licence Practicum 1
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVF80002
Aviation Project: Managing Implementation
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA20024
Aviation Capstone 1: Project Planning
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA30008
Multi Crew Cooperation and Jet Orientation Course Practicum
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVF80005
Aviation Capstone 2: Project Implementation
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA30009
Major units
Private Pilot Licence Theory
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT10005
Commercial Pilot Licence Theory 1
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT10006
Commercial Pilot Licence Theory 2
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT20003
Commercial Pilot Licence Practicum 2
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVF80013
Air Transport Pilot Licence Theory 1
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT30003
Advanced Aviation Analytics and Research Skills
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA30005
Air Transport Pilot Licence Theory 2
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT30004
Future Aviation Technologies and Operational Concepts
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVA30006
Air Transport Pilot Licence Theory 3
Major unit, 12.5 credit points
AVT30002

Choose from a combination of the following course components to complete 50 credit points of other study. Students may also select elective units (12.5 credit points each).

Advanced minors are a structured set of 4 units or 50 credit points in a field of study which builds upon your first major. Advanced minors can only be taken in conjunction with specific majors - more information will be available soon.

Aviation Technology Advanced

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  • demonstrate coherent understanding and application of the body of knowledge specified by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (or equivalent ICAO State regulatory body) for flight crew, including specialised knowledge required for the Air Transport Pilots Licence – the standards of a recognised safety regulatory authority shall be generally applied
  • demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of aviation human factors, aviation management and aviation technology to critically analyse and solve problems and implement solutions in global professional airline and aviation practice 
  • work autonomously and in teams within organisations with a focus on safety, quality, legality and profitability applying ethical standards with professional accountability 
  • plan and deliver a team-based professionally-relevant research project with some independence 
  • demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in a professional aviation context 
  • employ an entrepreneurial approach in contributing to innovation, development and management of change within professional airline and aviation operational practice 
  • demonstrate both broad and specialised technical knowledge and skills within the field of professional pilot practice 
  • critically apply theoretical and practical skills as a professional pilot and to be able to analyse, evaluate and review to provide solutions to non-ambiguous, ambiguous and novel complex flight scenarios 
  • apply knowledge and skills beyond the minimum specified in the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Part 61 Manual of Standards (or equivalent ICAO State regulatory body) to achieve the licencing qualification of commercial pilot (aeroplane) – the standards of a recognized safety regulatory authority shall be generally applied

Career opportunities

This course prepares students for aviation careers in the air transportation industry as professional pilots.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting is structured to meet the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) (or equivalent ICAO State regulatory body) requirements for Private Pilot Licence, Commercial Pilot Licence, Multi Engine Instrument Endorsement and Air Transport Pilot Licence theory examination for aeroplanes, with the option to meet either the requirements of a Flight Instructor rating or Multi Crew Cooperation Course.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting, students must complete 300 credit points comprising of: 

  • 11 aviation core units of study (137.5 credit points) 
  • 1 aviation core unit of study selected from two options (12.5 credit points) 
  • 8 units of study from the aviation major (100 credit points) 
  • 4 units of study comprising of an advanced minor, minor, or electives (50 credit points)


Additional Practicum Units (12.5 credit points each) are available to students when additional flying hours are needed to fulfil licencing requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. 

Students who enrol for an additional Practicum Unit will be required to pay additional tuition fees. A unit of study can only be counted once, where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternate. 

Practicum (AVF) and associated licence theory (AVT) units that are either delivered by a University recognised flying provider or credited under a Credit Transfer Agreement will be done so under the requirements of the University’s Academic Partnerships Policy.

Special requirements

In addition to the standard academic progress rules, this course has the following additional academic progress rules which are established in accordance with Academic Courses Regulation 62(2):

  1. A student who has not met the flying hours requirement and is approved to enrol in an additional practicum unit will be awarded a CON (Continuing) grade for the initial practicum unit.
  2. Following the completion of the additional practicum unit, the relevant grade will be awarded towards the additional practicum unit with the CON grade remaining for the initial unit.

Volume of learning

The Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting consists of a total of 24 units (300 credit points). Units normally carry 12.5 credit points. In each academic year, eight units normally constitute a full-time load of 100 credit points and four units normally constitute a part-time load of 50 credit points.

The typical full-time student's average weekly workload during semester is expected to be 50 hours. Total student contact hours, including lectures, classes, tutorials, flexible learning and laboratory and field sessions will vary in different semesters depending on units selected. The volume of learning of the Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting is typically three years.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting is 150 credit points (normally 12 units).

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

Interested in the Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting?

From state-of-the-art facilities to opportunities to engage with industry – this course is designed with your future in mind. Let's get started.

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