Thomas Edison State University Degree Options
Thomas Edison State University appears in our ranking of the Top ten Online Colleges for Adults.
Thomas Edison State University offers more than 100 areas of study, as well as multiple ways in which a student can earn their credits. The degrees are designed for working adults, but anyone can benefit from the topics offered at the university. The school offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in areas as diverse as aviation management, environmental studies, and occupational therapy.
One of the features of the degree programs at the university is that students may take their real-world experience and use it to satisfy some of the class requirements for their degree. Students are encouraged to take two classes that include Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment and Introduction to gain an understanding of how the university handles learning assessments.
Students may earn credits toward their degree through credit-by-exam, licenses and certifications held, or military training and education. Credits may also be earned through previous professional training, open courses, and the school’s prior learning assessments. The university promotes its ability to help working adults finish degrees they may have already started.
Some of the associate’s degrees students can earn online include an Associate of Arts in Human Services, an Associate of Science in Electrical Technology, or an Associate in Science in Business Administration. Other topics students can study at the associate’s level include criminal justice, nuclear engineering technology, applied computer studies, and computer & information technology.
Bachelor’s degrees online are also popular at Thomas Edison State University, and students have several areas in which to focus. Available degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, and a Bachelor of Arts in English. Students can also study topics like accounting, marketing, data science, operations management, and organizational leadership.
For students interested in graduate-level study, the university offers ten degrees in areas like educational leadership, public service leadership, and human resources management, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Other topics available for study include homeland security, management, applied science, and liberal studies.
Students who want to focus their energy in a targeted area of study may choose one of the university’s undergraduate certificate or graduate certificate programs that require anywhere from 18 to 33 credits. Topics available in certificate programs include human resource management, digital humanities, and clinical trials management.
About Thomas Edison State University
Most of the 18,600 students at Thomas Edison State University attend their classes online. The university is designed as an institution for adult learners in New Jersey. The public institution of higher education was founded in 1972 and was named in honor of famous inventor Thomas Alva Edison. The urban campus is located in Trenton, New Jersey and was recently elevated to university status in 2015 through approval from the Secretary of Higher Education.
The university features more than 100 areas of study for its students, who come from every state in the country, as well as 60 countries around the world. At its physical location in Trenton, the university houses art collections from artists like George A. Bradshaw and N.C. Wyeth. The university’s Kelsey Building is a historical and architectural landmark in Trenton.
Thomas Edison State University Accreditation Details
Thomas Edison State University was first granted approval to conduct operations in 1972 by the New Jersey Department of Higher Education. The university is also regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The university is affiliated with the New Jersey State Library, the National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning, and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.
Programmatic accreditations come from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. The university’s nursing programs are also approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing, and the engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Thomas Edison State University Application Requirements
Criteria for admission at Thomas Edison State University include having a high school degree, home school diploma, or GED, as well as being at least 21 years of age. Students who are active-duty military only need to be 18-years-old to enroll. Students under the age of 18 aren’t allowed to take courses at the university.
Students who are interested in enrolling in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must have a valid RN license. Students aren’t required to submit standardized test scores, but students from non-English speaking countries must provide proof of English language proficiency. There is no application deadline, and students can start classes during any one of the 12 yearly terms offered by the university.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at Thomas Edison State University is charged by full-time flat-rate tuition or via per-credit tuition. Students who enroll in more than ten credits per term will receive a flat-rate discount and a tuition rate of $3,963 if they’re from New Jersey or $4,928 if they’re from outside the state. Meanwhile, students who enroll in fewer than ten credits will pay $399 per credit if they’re a New Jersey resident, $509 per credit if they’re from out-of-state, or $544 per credit if they’re considered a non-matriculating student.
Some programs require extra classes that aren’t offered at Thomas Edison State University, and students may need to take those classes at other institutions where they will pay the tuition rate of those colleges or universities. Students who are enrolled in graduate-level study or in any of the university’s nursing programs do not qualify for the per-credit tuition rate. Students have one month to pay their tuition after registering for classes.
Students may apply for student loans when they attend Thomas Edison State University, as well as several scholarships that come directly from the university. Eligibility for the university’s scholarship fund includes having been admitted to the university in one of its degree programs, have no student conduct violations, and meet all other criteria as described in the information page for the desired scholarship.
Some of the scholarships include the Switzer Foundation Scholarship, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Scholarship, the Paula Vaughan Endowed Scholarship, and the Toscani Endowed Scholarship. Students may also achieve eligibility for grants when they attend Thomas Edison State University and may want to explore the grant options from the federal government that may help with costs associated with attending the university.
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