Professional Aeronautics
Associate of Science Degree Aviation · San Diego Miramar College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Summary
The Professional Aeronautics degree combines the requirements for the Professional Piloting Certificate of Achievement with additional academic coursework in preparation for upper division study in aeronautics or a related field.
FAA-issued Private Pilot certificate satisfies the AVIA 101 and 101L requirements. FAA-issued Remote Pilot certificate satisfies the AVIA 161 and 161L requirements. FAA-issued Instrument Pilot certificate satisfies the AVIA 195, 195L, and 196L requirements. FAA-issued Commercial Pilot certificate satisfies the AVIA 201 requirement.
Students satisfying requirements via FAA certificates may need to complete alternate coursework approved by the department in order to satisfy the requirement for 18 units in the major.
Award Note: The Associate Degree requires a minimum of 60 degree applicable semester units.
Learning Outcome(s): Students who complete the Professional Aeronautics Program will be able to:
- Demonstrate preparedness to complete, or continued preparation for, the respective Federal Aviation Administration written examination.
- Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience for employment in an aviation-related career field.
Credit For FAA-Issued Pilot Certificates and Ratings
Pending Aviation Department review and approval, students who hold a valid FAA Private, Instrument, Commercial, or Remote Pilot certificate may apply to the Aviation Department for a maximum of 19 units. The units granted with a grade of CR will be posted to the student’s transcript upon completion of the remaining Associate of Science Degree requirements.
Credit for Work Experience
Students who have valid work experience in the aviation industry may challenge a maximum of 15 units. Refer to the Challenge Procedure section of the catalog.
Pending Aviation Operations Program Department review and approval, students who already possess the associated FAA pilot certificate or rating may challenge up to two of the following courses:
- Private Pilot Ground School (AVIA 101)
- Instrument Ground School (AVIA 195)
- Commercial Pilot Ground School (AVIA 201)
- Flight Instructor Ground School (AVIA 211)
Flight Training
Pending Aviation Operations Program Department review and approval, a student awarded a Miramar College Certificate of Performance for an academic phase of ground instruction (AVIA 101, 195, 201, 211) who subsequently earns the associated FAA certificate or rating can request that 3 units of credit be awarded for that flight training. As a result, it is possible for a student to earn up to 12 units at Miramar College for flight training.
Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| COURSES REQUIRED FOR THE MAJOR: | 18 | |
| AVIA 101 | Private Pilot Ground School | 3 |
| AVIA 101L | Private Pilot Flight Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 105 | Introduction to Aviation and Aerospace | 3 |
| AVIA 133 | Human Factors in Aviation | 3 |
| AVIA 195 | Instrument Ground School | 3 |
| AVIA 195L | Basic Instrument Flight Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 196L | Advanced Instrument Flight Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 201 | Commercial Pilot Ground School | 3 |
| Select one of the following aviation breadth courses: | 3 | |
| AVIA 115 | Aviation Weather | 3 |
| AVIA 125 | Aviation and Airport Management | 3 |
| AVIA 151 | Helicopter Ground School | 3 |
| Select one of the following physical science courses (not selected above): | 3-5 | |
| AVIA 115 | Aviation Weather | 3 |
| GEOG 101 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOL 104 | Earth Science | 3 |
| PHYS 125 | General Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 180A | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 195 | Mechanics | 5 |
| Select an additional three units from the following: | 3-5 | |
| AVIA 115 | Aviation Weather | 3 |
| AVIA 125 | Aviation and Airport Management | 3 |
| AVIA 128 | Group Dynamics for High Risk Teams | 3 |
| AVIA 151 | Helicopter Ground School | 3 |
| AVIA 161 | Remote Pilot Ground School | 3 |
| AVIA 161L | Remote Pilot Flight Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 211 | Flight Instructor Ground School | 3 |
| AVIA 211L | Basic Visual Flight Instructor Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 215L | Basic Instrument Flight Instructor Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 216L | Advanced Instrument Flight Instructor Lab | 1 |
| AVIA 228 | Group Dynamics II | 3 |
| AVIA 270 | Aviation Operations Internship / Work Experience | 1-4 |
| ACCT 116A | Financial Accounting | 4 |
| BUSE 201 | Business Organization and Management | 3 |
| ECON C2001 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| PHYS 125 | General Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 180A | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 195 | Mechanics | 5 |