Sacramento City College maintains an Air Traffic Control program in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Collegiate Training Institute program. Our Associate of Science degree program is designed to provide students with a professional level of aviation knowledge and to allow students to compete for selection to attend the FAA Academy in a preferential selection pool.

The program is structured as an intensively-scheduled cohort learning program. Students will be taking a total of 12-17 units in a series of 4-8 week classes during each semester. Individual classes may require knowledge gained in prior classes, therefore scheduling individual classes outside of the cohort or taking courses out of sequence is not permitted.

The program covers all the FAA learning objectives of the FAA Academy's AT Basics course in a 2-semester series (12-17 units per semester) of cohort classes. Students must complete the degree to receive hiring consideration in the preferential pool.

Current FAA hiring requirements for Air Traffic Controllers include a maximum age of 30 years at the time of application and U.S. citizenship. Students must complete the degree to receive hiring consideration in the preferential pool.

This program meets the needs of students who want to pursue further training opportunities for work in an FAA facility, work in a contract ATC facility, or work in an ATC facility for the military. It is also suitable for students seeking an expanded knowledge of aviation flight operations and traffic flow management.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

✔ interpret Federal Aviation Regulations that pertain to Air Traffic Control procedures.

✔ utilize correct air-to-ground and ground-to-air communication terminology and phraseology.

✔ interpret, prepare and disseminate terminal and enroute weather reports.

✔ apply Air Traffic Control procedures in simulated radar approach control, terminal, and enroute environments.

To be eligible for enrollment in the program, the student must meet the following criteria:

✔ The Federal Aviation Administration requires that all applicants read, write, speak, and understand the English language. FAA guidance on language proficiency can be found in the current version of Advisory Circular AC60-28 and the Level 4 proficiency standards of ICAO Doc 9835.

✔ One of the following:

a) Successful completion of FLTEC 320, Private Pilot Ground, OR

b) Hold an FAA or ICAO-compliant Private Pilot certificate with a current biennial flight review (BFR), OR

c) Have significant documented recent (within the last 5 years) military or civilian commercial aviation operations experience.