The Metropolitan State College of Denver, located in downtown Denver, is one of the few schools in the state of Colorado that offers students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's of science degree in aviation. Offered through the school's Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science, advertised as the "fifth largest collegiate aviation program in the country," the four-year aviation degree prepares students for a variety of career options, from executive-level jobs at airlines to technology-based positions working on aircraft. Students have the option to study aviation management or aviation technology, and students will also train at the World Indoor Airport (WIA), the school's on-site flight simulation facility.
The Colorado Flight Center is flight-training facility that offers its students the chance to earn a bachelor of science degree in aviation through the center's partnership with collegiate level schools. Through either the Utah Valley University or Mountain State University, both of which offer online classes in aviation, students can combine their flight training at the center with classroom experience to earn a bachelor's degree. Areas of study include aviation management and aviation technology. Some of the particular areas of study offered at the Colorado Flight Center include mountain flying and an understanding of multi-engine aircraft. The flight center also uses FAA-Industry Training Standards (FITS) to train its students.
Students seeking a more advanced path in the broad field of aviation and aircraft engineering should consider the aerospace engineering program at the University of Colorado, in Boulder. It offers a bachelor's of science in aerospace engineering, which focuses on the science of both aircraft and spacecraft. In fact, the school's Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is ranked as a top four program nationwide by the 2010 National Research Council (NRC) for its field of study. Additionally, in 2011, "U.S. News and World Report" listed the undergraduate program 10th overall among public programs in aerospace engineering. A PhD program is also offered.
Colorado residents also have the option to enroll in online programs that allow them to earn a bachelor's of science in aviation. One such long-distance program is the aviation program offered by Mountain State University's School of Business and Technology. In fact, the online school offers several aviation-related degrees, including an associate's degree in aviation and a bachelor of science in airline transport professional pilot operations, all of which are available online. The school also allows collegiate credit for flight training, and students have the opportunity to explore an independent study option for the aviation degree.