FAQ - Civil Aviation for Pilots

Prof. Dr. Thomas Biermann

Programme Director

What do you want to know? You may contact us directly by e-mail info@wit-wildau.de, but you should look here first for answers to frequently asked questions about the CAP programme:

Where will the on-site courses take place?

On-site teaching will be either at the Wildau University of Applied Sciences or at another location inside a 20-minute radius of Berlin Schönefeld Airport SXF (hotel, training centre).

How much time will I have to invest?

On-site teaching will be offered on 40-50 days per year, organized in two-day courses organized in three trimesters (Mar-Jun; Jul-Oct; Dec-Feb) per year (nine in total). We plan to offer the majority of these courses in the winter months as most airlines in Europe have reduced their flight schedule in this period. For eLearning, reading, project work and preparation for exams you will need the equivalent of two full days per week on average (there will of course be peak and off-peak work periods). Part-time students with an office job usually tell us that they take two workday evenings and one day of the weekend for studying, but pilots may find a better time regime of their own – for example using layover times in a hotel for learning.

What happens if during the programme I am unable to attend one or more of the courses because of changes in my flight duty plan?

Of course we recommend that you take part in all on-site courses we offer, but we know that in the history of academia no student has ever been present at all courses 100 per cent…. There should be no serious problem if you miss out just occasionally due to illness, flight duty or other obstacles.

Is it possible to interrupt my studies if something unexpected should happen?

Yes, you may take a break without problems or additional costs and take up your studies again with the next-year group. But please keep in mind that CAP starts only once each year, so any serious interruption will result in a full year lost.

What kind of exams should I expect?

Universities generally rely on three types of exams: written tests in a closed room (therefore called “Klausur” in German), individual papers done at home and presentations of projects (mostly in student teams). In a Bachelor programme the written test will be the most common form, while in a Master programme papers and presentations will be more important.

How is the final exam done?

The final examination consists of a written paper – the Bachelor thesis (around 50 pages) plus an oral exam in a colloquium format (several candidates and several examiners, open audience). Our lecturers will help you to find an interesting subject for a thesis and assist you in getting your paper on the way.

I am planning to get a pilot`s licence, is it possible to join the programme while still at the flight school?

We recommend to concentrate on your licence first, combining flight school and study will be extremely challenging - from a workload perspective as well as under financial considerations. Of course you could also think about studying first in any normal cost-free university program (e.g. at the Wildau University of Applied Sciences) and then take up flight school. This programme is targeted at pilots already in active flight duty.

How are tuition and other fees to be payed?

The total cost is 12 000 € including study material, use of the eLearning platform, exams etc. payable 2200 € at the beginning and then 280 € per month during the programme (35 months).

Are the fees tax-deductible?

In Germany costs for a study programme which leads up to a state university degree (Diploma, Bachelor, Master) are deductible (including travel costs etc.) as “Sonderausgaben” (with a cap of 4000 € per year) and as “Werbeausgaben” (without a limit) if there is a direct connection to your job; please check this issue with a tax advisor, as laws may change and were are not authorized to give tax advice. You should also contact your local authorities if you are not a German tax-citizen.

Will grants be available?

WIT or the Wildau University of Applied Sciences have no grant programmes on offer for students already active in work life, sorry. In some cases your employer might be willing to assist you by taking over at least some part of the fees. In the WIT Master programmes (MBA and AVIMA-Master of Aviation Management) about 50 % of the students get some financial support by their employer, but at the moment we have no experience regarding the willingness of airlines to invest in management education for their flight crews in this way.

I have a PPL – could parts of the theory contents be recognized in the CAP study programme?

No, only ATPL/MPL theory can be recognized with ECTS-credit points.

Will the lectures concentrate on topics with a special relevance for pilots?

CAP is a pilots-targeted programme according to its structure and organisational features as well as the contents. But the lectures will encompass a broad field of interest, mainly transport economics, logistics and management issues. Students will get to understand the economic mechanisms of industry and services with a special focus on air transport, they will acquire a toolbox of analytic methods and general management skills as well. In case study work airline issues will be frequently discussed, but our lecturers will keep an open view to other industries as well.

Why is this study programme called a “Bachelor of Arts” and not a “Bachelor of Economics”?

In Germany we have only a limited number of denominations for a Bachelor`s degree. Common types are the Bachelor of Engineering, of Sciences, of Law, of Education and of Arts, with “Arts” as the standard name for non-technical topics including social sciences, economics and business administration.

I have already studied business administration for a year at another university but did not finish, will exams I took there be recognized?

If you successfully passed exams at a University in the European Union and have received ECTS credit points (European Credit Transfer System) there, we will recognize these for the relevant courses. If for example you already passed “accounting” in your earlier programme and got 5 credit points you will not have to attend this course in CAP. We will recognize 5 credits. Please note that in any case our lecturers will have to check whether the “old courses” are equivalent regarding content and workload.

Will I be qualified for a Master`s study programme after finishing CAP?

Yes, as a CAP Bachelor you have the formal prerequisite for a Master`s programme. As the degree is given by the Wildau University of Applied Sciences, a German state university, you may trust your degree has a high reputation worldwide.