Military Degree Completion Program

The Military Degree Completion Program was developed to accommodate the special needs of military personnel whose location, relocation, and time constraints make traditional college attendance difficult-if not impossible. This program allows you to engage in a degree program wherever you may be stationed.

The advantages of Thomas Edison State College to armed forces personnel include:

• Focuses on degree, not just course completion
• No on-campus residency requirement
• Provides you with a personalized degree plan
• Allows you maximum credit for military training and prior college-level knowledge
• Courses structured in eight and 12-week terms
• New terms begin each month
• No classroom attendance is required for most methods of earning credit so studying can fit flexibly within your own lifestyle and assignment demands
• Access to the full range of College services
• You are considered enrolled at the time of application
• Your SOC Agreement is filed by the time six credits are completed at the College

Because of your affiliation with the military, you've received intensive training and educational instruction unmatched by many others in our society. Yet you are undoubtedly aware that in society's broader view, a completed college degree is regarded as the primary indicator of educational achievement. Whether you plan to make the military your career or return to civilian life sooner rather than later, earning a college degree should be one of your most important goals.

Thomas Edison State College, a regionally accredited college with a unique mission and philosophy, enables eligible military personnel to complete quality degrees at a distance wherever they are stationed, today or tomorrow.

Chartered in 1972 and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the College is one of New Jersey's 12 senior public institutions of higher learning. It offers educationally valid alternatives to college classroom study appropriate to the varied needs and learning styles of adults, especially those in the military.

The College offers flexible, high-quality opportunities to earn associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees by providing a complete network of resources to serve today’s adult learner via innovative course and credit earning options, distance delivery formats, and academic advising methods. 

To participate in the Military Degree Completion Program, students must complete at least 9 semester hours toward an associate degree or 18 semester hours toward a baccalaureate degree at Thomas Edison State College.

Students complete degrees at Thomas Edison State College through a variety of methods, including transfer of credits from other regionally accredited academic institutions; development of portfolios assessed for course credit; credit by examination; and courses delivered through such distance-education methods as guided independent study, contract learning and online computer-delivered instruction. This variety of methods allows students to achieve their academic goals, regardless of geographical location, work and family responsibilities, time restrictions or personal learning style. The College's nationally recognized advising staff assists students throughout their education via telephone or in-person appointments and by correspondence, including e-mail and fax.