Minor in Aviation Safety is Major Asset for Graduates

Crash Debris"The time is now right for the aviation safety minor," says William Waldock, professor of aeronautical science. The creator of the minor degree program at the Prescott campus says the aviation industry's increasing focus on safety is making those who earn the minor more marketable. "Airline and manufacturing people tell me it makes our graduates attractive because they pay more attention to safety," he says. "Graduates who work in industry have also told me they're using what they learned."

Students who earn the minor must complete 15 credits, of which "Introduction to Aerospace Safety" and "Human Factors in Aviation Safety" are required courses. The final nine credits come from among six other aviation courses in aircraft accident investigation, mechanical and structural factors in aviation safety, safety program management, aircraft crash and emergency management, aircraft crash survival analysis and design, and system safety in aviation.

Students can tailor their coursework to focus on accident investigation or safety management.

The program was instituted in 1989 "to change the way we approach safety," Waldock says. "The traditional way was to take mid to late-career people and steer them toward safety. We wanted to interest students in safety early on, so that later when they were in decision-making positions they would make a difference."

More than 600 students are currently enrolled in the aviation safety minor program at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses. The minor is also offered to students at Extended Campus sites.