Take flight with Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Professional Pilot program. Our Bachelor of Science in Professional Pilot program prepares you for a successful career in the aviation industry. With a comprehensive curriculum, hands-on training and experienced faculty, you'll gain the skills and knowledge needed to become a skilled pilot.
Professional Pilot - B.S.
Contact Us
- cae@kent.edu | 330-672-2892
- Speak with an Advisor
- Chat with an Admissions Counselor
Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Pilot
Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Pilot prepares students to be professional pilots and enable them to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certificates and ratings required for giving flight and ground instruction and commercial and instrument operations in federally regulated commercial aviation operations.
Program Information for Professional Pilot - B.S.
-
Program Description
Full Description
The Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Pilot is designed for students who aspire to become professional pilots. This program stresses subjects associated with flight systems, propulsion, structures and electronics. Students entering this program should have a strong desire for excellence in aviation, as well as the flying skills required of a professional pilot.
The mission of the Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Pilot is to prepare students to be professional pilots and enable them to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certificates and ratings required for giving flight and ground instruction and commercial and instrument operations in federally regulated commercial aviation operations.
Students may apply early to the and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the policy in the University Catalog for more information.
-
Admissions
for Professional Pilot - B.S.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
Admission to the Professional Pilot major is selective.
All students must complete a pre-admission evaluation to be considered for admission. Students applying to the Professional Pilot major and receiving admission to Â鶹ÊÓƵ will be placed into the , allowing students to begin any scholarship or financial aid applications while waiting for the final decision regarding the Professional Pilot major. Please see the College of Aeronautics and Engineering for additional information.
Transfer students must have a minimum 2.250 overall GPA in all college-level coursework to be considered for admission to the Professional Pilot major (effective for the fall 2025 admission term, a minimum 2.500 overall GPA will be required).
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information on international admission visit the admissions website for international students.
Flight Training Courses: Transfer students and students admitted to the Professional Pilot major with credits completed through College Credit Plus or other means may be allowed to enroll in flight training courses only with special permission.
-
Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and techniques required to safely operate in single-pilot or multi-crew aircraft operations under FAR Parts 121, 135, 91K and other commercial aviation operations.
- Analyze available information and problem solve as part of an aircrew, with respect to aircraft operation, airline operations, physiology, safety and emergency or challenging situations.
- Demonstrate the skills of an aviation professional, make ethical decisions and correlate aviation business principles to operations.
- Demonstrate instructional level knowledge and skills in application to single-engine and multi-engine, VFR or IFR flight.
The educational goals of the program are the following:
- Exhibit the qualities of excellence, integrity, leadership, management and professionalism within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Demonstrate a professional commitment to safety and contribute to the safety culture within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Demonstrate the ability to improve aerospace for generations to come through experiential learning, creativity and innovation within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Manifest the college’s core values in the areas of collaboration, compassion, inclusiveness, innovation, integrity, respect and perseverance within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
-
Coursework
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) AERN 15000 INTRODUCTION TO AERONAUTICS 3 AERN 15740 ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY (min C grade) 5 or AERN 15750
& AERN 15752ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY I
and ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY IIAERN 15751 PRIVATE PILOT FLIGHT I (min C grade) 2 AERN 15753 PRIVATE PILOT FLIGHT II (min C grade) 3 AERN 25100 INTRODUCTION TO AVIATION MANAGEMENT 3 AERN 25250 ELEMENTS OF AVIATION WEATHER 3 AERN 25252 THUNDERSTORMS AND SEVERE WEATHER 3 AERN 25350 FUNDAMENTALS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL 2 AERN 25351 FUNDAMENTALS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL LABORATORY 1 AERN 30000 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN AERONAUTICS 1 AERN 35020 AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEMS 3 AERN 35040 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS I 3 AERN 35150 AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES 3 or AERN 45730 APPLIED TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS or AERN 45740 FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AERN 35660 INSTRUMENT FLIGHT THEORY (min C grade) 3 AERN 35661 INSTRUMENT PILOT FLIGHT (min C grade) 3 AERN 35665 COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT: NAVIGATION (min C grade) 3 AERN 35760 COMMERCIAL PILOT THEORY (min C grade) 2 AERN 35761 COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT (min C grade) 3 AERN 45030 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS II 3 AERN 45130 PHYSIOLOGY AND HUMAN FACTORS OF FLIGHT 3 AERN 45135 AVIATION SAFETY THEORY 3 AERN 45150 APPLIED FLIGHT DYNAMICS I 3 AERN 45250 AVIATION LAW 3 AERN 45550 MULTI-ENGINE PILOT - THEORY (min C grade) 1 AERN 45551 MULTI-ENGINE PILOT - FLIGHT (min C grade) 1 AERN 45648 THEORY OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION (ELR) (min C grade) 3 AERN 45649 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - AIRPLANES (min C grade) 3 AERN 45660 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - INSTRUMENTS THEORY (min C grade) 1 AERN 45661 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - INSTRUMENTS FLIGHT (min C grade) 1 AERN 45710 TURBINE ENGINE THEORY AND OPERATION 2 AERN 45720 CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2 AERN 45791 AVIATION SECURITY AND POLICY SEMINAR (WIC) 1 3 Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) COMM 15000 INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL) 3 MATH 11010 ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) 3 MATH 11022 TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR) 3 PHY 13001 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) 4 PHY 13012 COLLEGE PHYSICS II (KBS) 2 PHY 13021 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1 PHY 13022 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY II (KBS) (KLAB) 1 UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 6 9 6 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 - 1
A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Progression Requirements
Students must pass all required flight training and associated flight theory courses with a minimum C grade. Failure to complete all requirements may result in students being deemed not being permitted to continue in the Professional Pilot major; those students will be advised to change their program to the with the .
Flight Training Courses: Beyond AERN 15751, all students are required to have and maintain a minimum 2.500 overall GPA to continue in flight courses. Students must complete all flight courses by the end of the semester following that in which they enrolled. In other words, if a student enrolls in a flight course in the fall, they must complete the course no later than the end of the following spring semester. This requirement is subject to waiver by the academic program director. In the absence of an authorized waiver, students who fail to complete any flight course by the end of the subsequent semester after course enrollment will receive a failing grade (F) and a complete forfeiture of the balance of the flight fees. Students who wish a refund of flight fees are required to withdraw from their flight course by the withdrawal deadlines established by the Office of the University Registrar. Flight fees will be refunded in accordance with the University policy regarding student fee refunds, policy number 3342-7-06. Students must complete the commercial certificate and instrument rating at Â鶹ÊÓƵ to be eligible for the FAA's R-ATP certificate.
Students in Flight Training Courses must comply with the University Code of Student Conduct, Federal Aviation Regulations and policies outlined in the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Flight Operations Manual. Failure to comply may result in punitive actions, issuance of a failing course grade and/or dismissal from the Professional Pilot major.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA 2.500 2.500 - Flight courses may be repeated once with permission.
-
Roadmap
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Plan of Study Grid Semester One Credits AERN 15000 INTRODUCTION TO AERONAUTICS 3 AERN 15740 or AERN 15750ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY or ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY I3-5 AERN 15751 PRIVATE PILOT FLIGHT I 2 ! MATH 11010 ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR) 3 UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Two Requirement: Students must have a 2.500 overall GPA prior to taking flight training courses. AERN 15752 ELEMENTS OF FLIGHT THEORY II (required for students who took AERN 15750) 2 AERN 15753 PRIVATE PILOT FLIGHT II 3 ! AERN 25250 ELEMENTS OF AVIATION WEATHER 3 AERN 25350 FUNDAMENTALS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL 2 AERN 25351 FUNDAMENTALS OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL LABORATORY 1 ! MATH 11022 TRIGONOMETRY (KMCR) 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 17 Semester Three AERN 25100 INTRODUCTION TO AVIATION MANAGEMENT 3 AERN 35660 INSTRUMENT FLIGHT THEORY 3 AERN 35661 INSTRUMENT PILOT FLIGHT 3 ! PHY 13001 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS I (KBS) 4 ! PHY 13021 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1 Credit Hours 14 Semester Four AERN 25252 THUNDERSTORMS AND SEVERE WEATHER 3 ! AERN 35020 AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEMS 3 AERN 35665 COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT: NAVIGATION 3 COMM 15000 INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION (KADL) 3 ! PHY 13012 COLLEGE PHYSICS II (KBS) 2 ! PHY 13022 GENERAL COLLEGE PHYSICS LABORATORY II (KBS) (KLAB) 1 Credit Hours 15 Semester Five AERN 30000 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN AERONAUTICS 1 ! AERN 35040 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS I 3 AERN 35760 COMMERCIAL PILOT THEORY 2 AERN 35761 COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT 3 ! AERN 45150 APPLIED FLIGHT DYNAMICS I 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Six ! AERN 45030 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS II 3 ! AERN 45130 PHYSIOLOGY AND HUMAN FACTORS OF FLIGHT 3 ! AERN 45648 THEORY OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION (ELR) 3 ! AERN 45649 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - AIRPLANES 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Seven ! AERN 45250 AVIATION LAW 3 AERN 45550 MULTI-ENGINE PILOT - THEORY 1 AERN 45551 MULTI-ENGINE PILOT - FLIGHT 1 AERN 45660 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - INSTRUMENTS THEORY 1 AERN 45661 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - INSTRUMENTS FLIGHT 1 ! AERN 45720 CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Eight AERN 35150 or AERN 45730
or AERN 45740AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES or APPLIED TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
or FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS3 AERN 45135 AVIATION SAFETY THEORY 3 ! AERN 45710 TURBINE ENGINE THEORY AND OPERATION 2 ! AERN 45791 AVIATION SECURITY AND POLICY SEMINAR (WIC) 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 14 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 -
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
-
Accreditation
for Professional Pilot - B.S.
The B.S. degree in Professional Pilot is accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International, Federal Aviation Administration.
-
Student Achievement Data
Program Educational Goals
With the guidance of both the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Â鶹ÊÓƵ and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering assesses our program’s educational goals every two years. Our Program Educational Goals are as follows:
- Graduates will exhibit the qualities of excellence, integrity, leadership, management, and professionalism within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Graduates will demonstrate a professional commitment to safety and contribute to the safety culture within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Graduates will demonstrate the ability to improve aerospace for generations to come through experiential learning, creativity, and innovation within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
- Graduates will manifest the college’s core values in the areas of collaboration, compassion, inclusiveness, innovation, integrity, respect, and perseverance within their area of professional specialization in aviation.
Several methods to gather both direct and indirect assessment data over the course of each academic year are utilized. Data is gathered to improve student's learning and strengthen our relationships with industry. Some methods used include:
- Surveys (Graduating Senior, Alumni, and Employer Surveys)
- Capstone Projects
- Aeronautics Advisory Committee Feedback
- Degree Program Review
- Faculty Assessment and Discussion of Student Learning Outcomes
The assessment of our goals starts with the University’s vision to Promote academic excellence and enhance student learning through a culture of evidence-based decision-making. The valuable data we collect from our assessment activities is analyzed and discussed amongst our Faculty to ensure we are making value added improvements to our programs.
Program Enrollment and Graduation Data
Professional Pilot; Enrolled 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 216 264 119 257 310 381 Professional Pilot; Graduated 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 25 18 14 32 17 TBA Student Retention Rates Term Freshman Cohort Retention SO-JR JR-SR After 4 Yrs After 5 Yrs After 6 Yrs 2018 58 87% 71% 74% 64% 59% 2019 89 87% 78% 73% 52% 26% 2020 101 87% 81% 77% 5% 5% 2021 110 73% 67% 2022 88 85% 2023 104
ProspectiveE B.S. in Professional Pilot Admission Information
Graduates of this program have found employment with the following types of companies:
- Regional Airlines
- Charter Airlines