Graduate Admissions

Information on this page pertains to the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Science in Human Resources Management, Master of Science in Management, the Master of Science in Applied Science and Technology and most graduate certificates offered by Thomas Edison State College. Graduate programs in Educational Leadership and Nursing have separate application requirements.

• Graduate Educational Leadership requirements
• Graduate Nursing requirements

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Admission to online graduate degree programs at Thomas Edison State College is competitive. Applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and must be ready to participate in an online environment. Admission is based on:

• A qualitative evaluation of the applicant's undergraduate educational work from a regionally accredited college or university. An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 is recommended to be successful in the program.
• A qualitative assessment of the applicant's personal statements, essays and two letters of reference.
• Relevance of work experience and career objectives to the program objectives.
• Three-to-five years of professional, managerial or related experience is required for all graduate degree programs (see below).
• Applicants to the Master of Science in Human Resources Management program should have at least three years of exempt-level experience. Applicants to the Master of Science in Management program are expected to have managerial or supervisory experience. Applicants to the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and Master of Science in Applied Science and Technology degree programs are expected to have some professional, managerial or significant volunteer experience.

Applicants to graduate degree programs must provide official transcripts, a current resume a statement of background and goals and two letters of reference. Applications will be reviewed to select students who best demonstrate the following criteria:

• All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. View transcript requirements.
• Applicants to degree programs must provide a current resume with their completed application.
• Applicants to degree programs must provide two letters of recommendation with their completed application. View letter of recommendation requirements.
• All statements of background and goals must be completed and submitted with a completed application and will be evaluated critically and used to assess an applicant's ability to succeed in and benefit from the graduate program. View statement of background and goals requirements.
• All appropriate essay questions must be completed and submitted with a completed application; all essays are evaluated critically and used to assess a student's ability to succeed in and benefit from the graduate program. View essay questions and requirements.
• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) www.ets.org/toefl is required of all applicants whose primary language is not English. A score of 550 on the written; 213 on the computer version; or 79 on the Internet version is required.

Prerequisites:

• Basic knowledge of workplace or community issues.
• Competency in written expression and presentation skills.
• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who have not received their undergraduate degree from a U.S. college or university must demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English as indicated by a Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 on the written version; 213 on the computer version; or 79 on the Internet based version.
• Access to and the ability to use e-mail and the Internet.
• GMAT or GRE scores are NOT required for admission. Students may submit test scores if they have taken the examinations.

A qualitative evaluation of the applicant's undergraduate and graduate educational work from regionally accredited colleges and universities is part of the admissions committee review process. An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 is recommended to be successful in the program.

Sending Transcripts and Other Documents:
Official transcripts and documentation of all an applicant’s past college credits, professional and/or military training and other experiences, should be sent to:

Office of Admissions
ATTN: Graduate Admissions
Thomas Edison State College
101 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608-1176

• All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate-level educational work is required from all previously attended institutions

Regarding transcripts, please note:

• Transcripts should be sent directly to Thomas Edison State College from the institution(s) an applicant has attended.
• Transcripts sent to Thomas Edison State College that have been sent first to an applicant from the institution(s) they attended must arrive at Thomas Edison State College in the unopened, sealed envelope from the institution (or institutions) they attended. Applicants may not open their transcripts; Transcripts that arrive at Thomas Edison State College in opened envelopes are not valid and must be resubmitted.
• Applicants with undergraduate degrees from international, non-regionally accredited institutions must submit a course-by-course evaluation from an agency approved by Thomas Edison State College. The College will accept credit recommendations from a required course-by-course evaluation completed by any of the following agencies:
International Education Services
One DuPont Circle, NW
Suite 520
Washington, D.C. 20036-1135
(202) 296-3359


P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
(414) 289-3400


P.O. Box 5087
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10274-5087
(212) 966-6311


P.O. Box 618056
Chicago, IL 60661-8056
(312) 421-9300

All costs associated with the international credit evaluation are the responsibility of the student. The College reserves the right to make its own determination on the amount and type of credit to be awarded based on the evaluations provide by these agencies. An enrolled student may transfer a maximum of 90 credits from international institutions. Thomas Edison State College does not participate in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Therefore the College does not sponsor foreign national students for F-1 or J-1 visa status. Course-by-course credit recommendations will be reviewed by Thomas Edison State College based upon existing transfer and degree policies in place at the time of application.

Applicants to graduate degree programs must submit two letters of recommendation with your application package. Applicants to graduate certificates must send one letter of recommendation with your application package. Letters of recommendation should come from individuals who can access your abilities on an academic or professional basis. Preferred recommenders include instructors or work supervisors. Co-workers or individuals with whom you work in a volunteer or community organization are also acceptable. Please do not submit recommendations from family or personal friends.

All recommendations must be typed, current and include:

• Date of the recommendation
• Recommender's name, address, phone number and position/title
• Recommender's affiliation to you
• Reason the recommender believes you will succeed in the graduate program of choice
• Recommender's detailed remarks and commendations

Letters of recommendation can be attached and submitted with the online application, sent to gradstudies@tesc.edu or sent via the U.S. mail to:

Office of Admissions
ATTN: Graduate Admissions
Thomas Edison State College
101 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608-1176

In addition to the Graduate Application Essay, all applicants are required to submit a statement of background and goals. The statement of background and goals is limited to a 500 word response that addresses:

• Your professional and personal goals
• Your reasons for selecting the program for graduate study
• How you expect the program will help you achieve your goals

This statement is an important part of your application. It allows the admissions committee to evaluate the clarity of your goals and the suitability of your choice of program to meet those goals. In this context, you may wish to briefly summarize any employment, community involvement or personal history and accomplishes that help shape your decision. Define as precisely as possible what you hope to do when you complete the degree.

The statement of background and goals is also used as a writing sample to allow the admissions committee to evaluate your ability to write at the graduate level. Please proofread your essay for spelling, grammar, and clarity.

Type your statement of background and goals and submit it to the Office of Admissions by either attaching it as a file to the admission application or sending it to gradstudies@tesc.edu.

Graduate degree programs at Thomas Edison State College require students to relate their academic study to real world applications. Applicants are expected to have the prerequisite knowledge and skills to handle complex concepts and communicate clearly about them. To help the admissions committee assess your background and skills in writing effectively, explain and evaluate your experiential or academic background, emphasizing how it demonstrates your preparation in the areas listed below.

As you craft your essay, please keep a number of points in mind:

• You will not be judged on your opinion but on your ability to present a clear coherent position
• You may draw on your professional knowledge, your reading and/or your general understanding of culture and society

Limit your response to 500 words. The essay is used as a writing sample. Submit your essay in a double spaced format and include your name on each page. Type your essay and submit it to the Office of Admissions by either attaching it as a file to the admission application or sending it to gradstudies@tesc.edu.

1. Choose an organization for which you work or volunteer. Assume that you are recruiting an executive employee. Identify the role that person will plan and then describe the mission and goals of the organization. Discuss some challenges and opportunities facing the organization. Use specific examples to support your position.
2. Describe an experience where you were required to seek and analyze information and then to communicate your interpretation of that information to others. Who originated the request? What did you do? Where did you seek information? How did you decide what it meant? How did you communicate your results to those who wanted to act on the information you provided?
3. Leaders do many things. They create a vision and they align, inspire and motivate people to bring about change in an organization. Select an example of one situation where you exercised leadership. Describe what you did and reflect on the effectiveness of your actions.