Preparation for a career in air traffic control begins with completing a college program. These programs should teach students about flight safety, aviation foundations and tower operations while also preparing them for the demands of the career through classes such as communications.

Master-level studies involve specialized study in a field of research or an area of professional practice. Earning a master’s degree demonstrates a higher level of mastery of the subject.
Earning a master’s degree can take anywhere from a year to three or four years. Before you can graduate, you usually must write and defend a thesis, a long paper that is the culmination of your specialized research.