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Airport Planning and Management at Cranfield University - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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Course summary

The airport industry is constantly evolving and increasingly complex. Successful airport planning and management requires a comprehensive understanding of the critical interactions between infrastructure development, business strategies and changing regulatory environments; so that airports can be transformed into key assets in making net zero aviation a reality. The Airport Planning and Management MSc is a unique course created to equip you with skills in airport business development, strategic planning, design, operations and environmental management. This will empower you to pursue a career across various sectors in the entire air travel value chain, including transport and business consultancies, airport design firms, airport operators, travel providers, air navigation service providers and more. Who is it for? The Airport Planning and Management MSc is suitable for students with a degree in diverse areas of engineering, economics, business studies, geography and social sciences, and with demonstrable interest in the airport industry. You will join a diverse cohort individuals with a passion for aviation and a drive to build sustainable air transport solutions to connect the world. This course covers a core area of expertise in airport planning and management, while enabling you to specialise in appropriated subject areas. This flexibility means that you may tailor your learning experience to your own interests and career aspirations. Why this course? In the Airport Planning and Management MSc you will develop transferable management, communication, teamwork and research skills, and you will attain specific competencies in the airport industry, such as:

  • A systematic understanding of relevant international and national regulations and the ability to explain their effects on airport business, planning, design, operations and safety management decisions.
  • A critical awareness of the key issues that affect users of airport facilities and the ability to explain the impact of their commercial pressures, strategic decisions and priorities on airport business, planning, design, operations and safety management decisions.
  • A systemic perspective on the regulatory constraints and commercial and environmental imperatives to identify, analyse and design solutions in order to address contemporary issues within the context of airport planning and management.
Cranfield University is one of the select few universities in the world to run an English language Master's course in airport planning and management, and the only UK university campus with a fully operational airport. Achieving this highly relevant and globally respected degree will enable you to stand out in a competitive employment market. Cranfield's Centre for Air Transport Management combines a wealth of practical expertise with extensive research, consultancy and teaching experience in one centre of excellence. We have been providing postgraduate education for almost sixty years. You can be sure that your qualification will be valued and respected by employers throughout the world. Cranfield University is very well located for visiting students from all over the world. It offers a range of library and student wellbeing facilities and resources to support your studies. This MSc programme benefits from students from a wide range of cultural backgrounds which significantly enhances the learning experience for both staff and students. Informed by Industry The Airport Planning and Management MSc is guided by an Industry Advisory Board to ensure the course maintains its unique characteristics and meets the continuously evolving challenges of the airport industry and associated sectors. This board comprises senior representatives from leading airport consultancies, airport operators and academic institutions.

Assessment method

Taught modules 50%, Group project 10%, Individual research project 40%

Entry requirements

1st or 2nd Class UK Honours degree (or equivalent) in any discipline. A recognised professional qualification plus a number of years relevant working experience may be accepted as equivalent. If you are an international student you will need to provide evidence that you have achieved a satisfactory test result in an English qualification. The minimum standard expected from a number of accepted courses are as follows: IELTS Academic – 7; TOEFL – 100; Pearson PTE Academic – 68; Cambridge English Scale – 190; Cambridge English: Advanced – C; Cambridge English: Proficiency – C.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Airport Planning and Management at Cranfield University - UCAS