AACSB International

Select an Upcoming Program

The AACSB Bridge Program helps professionals from the corporate world transition to a business school teaching career by covering topics essential for those new to teaching.

• Prepares senior-level professionals for instructional practitioner roles at business schools 
• 465 program graduates to date
• Nearly 60% employed in a business school

Learning Outcomes

• Learn how to create an engaging and motivating learning environment
• Gain insight into planning, organizing, and delivering courses
• Develop class management techniques and teaching skills that inspire and mentor today's students
• Find out if the classroom is right for you by recognizing the differences between academic and corporate careers

Who Should Apply

Senior-level executives actively participating in field with 5-7 years of extensive professional management experience, as well as at least seven years of in-depth industry experience (related to the area you'd like to teach in). Master's degree or equivalent professional certification required. Preferred candidates should have less than two years full-time teaching experience. Candidates with extensive classroom experience may attend the program if they wish to strengthen their teaching and platform skills. Most program graduates pursue instructional practitioner faculty positions at business schools. 

According to AACSB Business Accreditation Standards: Instructional Practitioners (IP) sustain currency and relevance through continued professional experience and engagement related to their professional backgrounds and experience. Normally, IP status is granted to newly hired faculty members who join the faculty with significant and substantive professional experience as outlined below. IP status is sustained as outlined below. Normally, at the time that a school hires an IP faculty member, that faculty member’s professional experience is current, substantial in terms of duration and level of responsibility, and clearly linked to the field in which the person is expected to teach. Normally, IP faculty members also have master’s degrees in disciplines related to their fields of teaching. In limited cases, IP status may be appropriate for individuals without master’s degrees if the depth, duration, sophistication, and complexity of their professional experience at the time of hiring outweighs their lack of master’s degree qualifications.

For sustained IP status, a non-exhaustive list of professional engagement activities and interactions may include the following:

• Consulting activities that are material in terms of time and substance
• Faculty internships
• Development and presentation of executive education programs
• Sustained professional work supporting IP status
• Significant participation in business professional associations, professional standard setting bodies or policy-making bodies
• Relevant, active service on boards of directors
• Documented continuing professional education experiences
• Documented professional certifications in the area of teaching
• Participation in professional events that focus on the practice of business, management, and related issues - Participation in other activities that place faculty in direct contact with business and other organizational leaders

Application