Saturday, November 17, 2007

University of Waterloo Aviation Programs

In my book, I have a listing of College and University Aviation Programs across Canada. These programs can change a fair bit from year to year and unfortunately one slipped under the radar. The University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario has two new aviation degree programs: A Geography and Aviation Degree and a Science and Aviation Degree. This program commenced in September 2007 and is run in conjunction with Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre.

More information can be found at: University of Waterloo Aviation

Here's an article from Waterloo's alumni magazine. One thing to keep in mind is the cost of this program. The alumni magazine suggests that Flight Training costs will be roughly $50,000 and this is on top of the regular estimated $25,000 University costs. Plus, Waterloo Airport is relatively far from the University of Waterloo Campus so you'll likely need to have access to a car - there is no public transportation that goes to the airport. So while it would be very beneficial to receive university credits for your flight training, the cost of this program is quite high.



New aviation degree offered with science and geography programs

Aviation enthusiasts will be able to learn to fly while earning a university degree through two new programs offered by the University of Waterloo.

A new bachelor of environmental studies degree in geography and aviation as well as a new bachelor of science in science and aviation will take flight starting September 2007. Recently approved by UW's senate, both programs were developed in partnership with the Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC).


"The field of aviation has evolved significantly over the past 50 years," said Morton Globus, a professor emeritus in the faculty of science and key developer of the new programs. "Aviation and aerospace industries demand a new breed of specialists who have a comprehensive academic background to help them understand complex aircraft systems and well-developed analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills."


Professor Emeritus Morton GlobusToday, flight training is a requirement for many aviation and aerospace careers. A university degree, meanwhile, is seen by the airline industry as a valuable asset for a pilot and is rapidly becoming a requirement for the profession.

To meet that need, UW's new programs provide a solid foundation for careers in a diverse range of aviation and aerospace industries.

Both degrees are designed to provide candidates with a comprehensive grounding in aviation-relevant subjects such as geomatics (science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and using geographic information), climatology, cartography and remote sensing.

Globus, a pilot himself and UW's liaison with WWFC, said the programs are unique in Canada. "Waterloo has a very strong science, environmental science, geomatics and technology base that will provide many of the essential underpinnings of aviation and aerospace," he said.

In UW's faculties of environmental studies and science, aviation-related areas include solid-state physics, wireless communication, astrophysics, energy cells, fuels, remote sensing, climatology/meteorology, environmental sciences, computer cartography, geomorphology, global positioning systems and geographic information systems, among others.

The aviation component of both programs will cover professional pilot program requirements, delivered by WWFC. The WWFC, a non-profit organization established in 1932, has been offering flight training for more than 70 years and is widely respected in the Canadian aviation industry.

The new programs will cost about $50,000 for flight training, on top of about $25,000 in tuition fees over four years.

Written by John Morris
UW Media Relations



5 comments:

Unknown said...

I would like to know something more about this course, which I was not able to get from any sources so far ;

1. Are International students graduated in Bachelor of Aviation Course are eligible to take up a job as Commercial Pilot in Canadian Aviation sector ? Are there any cases where International students have been taken as Commercial Pilots in Canada after completion of this course ?

Would be very grateful if a reply is given to me.

Regards

James Ball said...

Hi Saharsh,

The answer is complicated. Just from graduating any university program in Canada, you don't by right have the ability to work in Canada. However, I believe this program would then qualify you to apply for a "Post-Graduation Work Permit". Depending on the length of the program you choose, it can then give you the opportunity to work in Canada for up to 3 years.

Based on your time period at school and working, you may then be eligible to apply for permanent residency. Then, based on the time you are in Canada working, you could then be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship.

It is definitely worthwhile to get in touch with an immigration lawyer to discuss you options. In addition, while Permanent Residents of Canada are eligible to be pilots (I personally know a few of them), they are sometimes limited to jobs or airlines that only fly within Canada and not to the United States. Because the US has recently been changing around their immigration/visa laws, Permanent Residents who hold passports from some of the 'banned' countries have had a challenge getting jobs at airlines that fly to the US.

So, short answer is: It's possible and very doable, but there are a number of steps that you must go through to make it work.

Best of luck!

Unknown said...

Does OSAP help cover the costs?

Anonymous said...

Does OSAP help cover the costs?

Geetharchana said...

OSAP does not cover the flight training since WWFC is a private place.