Military Faculty Pipeline Information

The Department of Systems Engineering and Management's faculty is divided roughly in half between civilian professors and military professors. Military faculty are normally assigned to the department for a 4-year controlled tour upon completion of their Ph.D. While the department welcomes military members that already possess doctorates in relevant fields to directly apply for a faculty position, most military faculty members apply and are selected before being “sponsored” by AFIT to return to school to obtain their Ph.D. Thus, we run a “pipeline” for faculty recruiting and development that starts approximately 4 years before an individual would join the faculty.

Please check myPers for the most up-to-date AAD/SPEED guide (on instructions and quotas)

 
ENV Department Military Faculty Pipeline POC:  

Maj John X. Situ, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering
Comm: 937-255-3636 x4709
DSN: 785-6565 x4709 

1. Will I be eligible to be considered for program with a XXXX ASC even though my master’s degree was in a YYYY ASC? I have some justification in my educational history to support this.
   
   Maybe. Academic eligibility for Ph.D. programs are not as rigid as MS programs, and are addressed in the application process, on a case-by-case basis. If you meet all of the fixed criteria such as GRE scores and GPA, an academic package will be forwarded to the respective curriculum chairs for review.
   
   
2. I would like to attend a University other than AFIT, through the Civilian Institute program, since I will be joining the AFIT faculty. Will AFIT send me to a CI program?
   
   For degree programs that are available at AFIT, the Air Force does not sponsor or fund attendance at a civilian school. On a rare exception basis, the SAF A1 may approve a candidate’s waiver request to attend a civilian program IF and only if the candidate has secured funding or scholarships to cover all tuition and fees at the civilian school for the full 3 years of their program. Any requests for such a waiver must start by gaining the department’s support for attending the specific school and program and must clearly demonstrate why attending the specific school and program is in the best interest of the Air Force. Contact the Pipeline Manager for more details. AFIT faculty pipeline applications are not conditional based upon the success of a CI waiver. Applicants should plan on attending AFIT for their Ph.D. programs.
    
3. I would like to be considered for a PhD program, but I have not completed the ADSC for my master’s degree? Am I eligible?
   
   Maybe. By default, your records will show a DO block, prohibiting you from being re-assigned from a technical follow-on position, prior to completing your AAD payback. So, you would not be released to compete. However, this requirement is waiverable by AFPC/DPA or AF/DP on a case-by-case basis. The most likely basis for approval is a lack of otherwise qualified applicants, which strongly suggests submission or re-submission during AAD/SPEED supplemental calls.