AACSB Bridge program. Worth it? Anyone know someone who completed the program?

Hello.

I have a PhD in a social science from a reputable (and AACSB which is required by the bridge program) state university and would live to pivot to another academic field. I am interested in Marketing in articular. (I also own a small side business and rely on digital marketing.) The job market for my social science field is nil in my area (I am bound to my area due to my spouse's work) but there are at 6+ colleges that routinely are hiring Business school faculty in my general area.

There are currently two schools that offer an AACSB Bridge program, Florida and Toledo. The prospect of getting another PhD is not appealing to me (as I am an aging Gen-Xer) so I thought this might be a solid option.

Does anyone know any folks who have gone through either program? Have they had success?

Thanks!

 

One of my professors I had in my MBA program, Dr. Kendra Ingram, did her PhD in Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University - Commerce. She then did the Post-Doctoral Bridge Program at the University of Florida. She is now a professor at an AACSB Accredited business school.

Now as to whether it is worth it, that is up to you and your goals. I am uncertain the cost of the program nor do I know the time commitment.

 

Have you spoken with the six schools about your eligibility and candidate strength if you were to do this program? Have you spoken with the two programs about your eligibility for the bridge program?
For what it's worth, it looks like the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is offering the program this June. Nothing against Toledo or Florida, but if you are transitioning to the business realm... that name has clout.

 

For what I see, it is a program meant from someone with a PhD in a related field of teaching that just needs a post doc label with few publications in top journals to make it to a faculty position. This being said, a position normally does not call for a bridge but a graduate from a school of good reputation with publications in the field of teaching.

So the bridge can work with a person in PhD in Economics from the University of Florida that wants to teach Finance with a bridge in Finance but it is highly unlikely that would work for someone lets say with a PhD from Union in Humanities with a bridge in Management.

Most AACSB accredited schools that hire faculty look at two things, a PhD from school that has a business school accredited from AACSB and publications in top journals. The bridge only gives you the second but you need to have the first already.

One might think that you don't need the bridge and can just publish on your own but this is kind of hard if you have no networks or coach faculty that can help you. The bridge does that, it puts you in contact with a faculty member that has experience publishing in top journals so you are paying to be coached by a professional researcher.

It might be worth it depending on your situation. I believe the school should only accept you to the bridge if you have a good chance of becoming a faculty member but not necessarily as many might just be doing it as a cash cow. So, this is the case where the purchaser has to be aware what he or she is purchasing that is the possibility of good publications in your resume but it is not as straight forward as someone that went to a five year program. You should be aware that would be considered most of the time second choice if a person with a PhD in the field of teaching from an AACSB accredited school shows up for the job.

 

There was a post in 2012 about this. https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/aacsb-endorsed-post-doctoral-bridge-to-business-programs.39401/

 

Toledo might have retired their AACSB postdoctoral bridge. The link from the AACSB page that describes the Toledo program is dead and searches and directory investigations on utoledo.edu aren't showing anything current.

 

It is not a simple thing. Here are the first three criteria for admission to the Florida program:

→ Strong academic backgrounds
→ Research skills that are readily transferable to their chosen areas of specialization
→ A non-business doctoral degree from a university with an AACSB-accredited business school OR currently teaching at an AACSB-accredited business school

Pretty narrow, IMHO.

I can't find the Toledo program. It's referenced at the AACSB site, but the link is broken. A search at that school's website doesn't find this program.

It would appear such programs are for existing academics wishing to migrate to business-related fields, as opposed to people with a doctorate interested in breaking into academia via this route. If I'm mistaken in this impression, please correct me.

 

Interesting... The OP seems to meet #1 and #3. They haven't made any mention of their research skills or interests.