Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ

Learn what degree programs Thomas Edison State College offers. Research its academics, and read about its admission and financial aid info to make an informed education decision.

View 7 Popular Schools »

About Thomas Edison State College

Thomas Edison State College is located in Trenton, New Jersey. The 4-year, public school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The school is designed primarily for adult students and provides distance-learning opportunities, but also operates four buildings on its campus.

Academics

Thomas Edison State College offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in more than 100 fields of study. It offers nine master's degree programs. Graduate classes are only delivered online. In the fall of 2011, the school had a student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1. The maximum class size is 20 students.

Students at the college may complete classes online, or through e-Pack, guided study, prior learning assessment courses or even through exams. Online courses last 12 weeks and offer students the ability to interact with other students, while e-Pack courses also last 12 weeks but do not allow for interaction with other students. In e-Pack courses, students take quizzes to prepare for the course's final exam.

Students can also earn course credit through a prior learning assessment or exams. In the former, the school allows students to demonstrate knowledge of a subject learned through a means other than completing a traditional college course. In the latter, students pass an exam to show their mastery of a subject and are awarded college credit. The school prides itself on its lenient transfer-credit program. Students can transfer up to 120 credit hours of study and apply them to the degree program they are pursuing.

Admissions

Undergraduate and graduate applications are submitted online; the school does not accept the common application. After applying, undergraduate students receive an academic evaluation that assesses the number and types of credits that they may transfer into the school. In the fall of 2011, the school enrolled about 20,000 students, of which approximately 19,000 were undergraduates.

Thomas Edison State University's undergraduate academic calendar runs on terms, in which each term lasts one month. Undergraduate students may start their studies in any term; the school therefore has a rolling admissions and notification process. The graduate academic calendar only has four terms: July, October, January and April. Newly admitted graduate students may only begin their studies on one of these terms.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Thomas Edison charges different tuition for in-state and out-of-state residents. However, active military students pay in-state tuition rates. For the 2012-2013 year, tuition for the first year of undergraduate study for New Jersey residents was $5,508 and for non-New Jersey residents $8,111. Tuition for non-first year students during this same academic year was $4,830 for in-state and $7,430 for out-of-state students. Tuition for graduate students for the 2012-2013 school year was $576 per credit hour. Tuition for the Master of Business Administration program was $619 per credit hour.

The school's undergraduate nursing programs have different tuition rates than other undergraduate programs. The total tuition for the accelerated, second degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program for the 2012-2013 year was $29,900, while tuition for the registered nurse to BSN program was $379 per credit hour for in-state residents and $464 for out-of-state residents.

The school accepts loans, and also offers scholarships and grants. Scholarships may be available only to graduate students, members of the military or students in specific programs.

THOMAS EDISON STATE COLLEGE QUICK FACTS
School Type	4-year, public**
Degrees Offered	Associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees*
Religious Affiliation	None**
Academic Calendar	Terms*
School Setting	Small city
Student Body	About 19,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students**
Student Housing	Not offered**
Academics
Schools and Programs	100 undergraduate fields of study, 9 graduate programs*
Student-Faculty Ratio	20 to 1**
Admissions
Application Due Date	Rolling*
Decision Notification Date	Rolling*
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition	$5,508 for the first year of undergraduate study per year and $576 per credit hour of graduate study (2012-2013)*
Financial Aid Sources Available	Loans, scholarships and grants*
Percent of Students Receiving Aid	9%** (fall 2011)