Summary

Thomas Edison State College is a public institution of higher education located in Trenton, New Jersey. One of New Jersey's 12 public universities and colleges,[2] Thomas Edison State College offers degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level.[3] Thomas Edison State College was approved by the New Jersey Board of Education in December 1971, and established on July 1, 1972. The college was named in honor of Thomas Alva Edison, the New Jersey inventor who gained encyclopedic knowledge of many subject areas through self-directed learning.[4]

Campus

Thomas Edison State College moved into downtown Trenton in September 1979, at a time when other institutions were leaving cities. The 7-year-old college, which had spent three years at the Forrestal Center outside of Princeton, needed room for growth. At the same time, the state was looking for an appropriate tenant for the landmark Kelsey Building at the edge of the Capital Complex, while the city sought to preserve the building’s historic use as a school. Built in 1911 and one of the architectural landmarks of the city, the Kelsey Building housed three schools before serving as the headquarters for Thomas Edison State College.

Academics

The college offers 20 associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in more than 100 areas of study[5] to its more than 18,700 students in every state in the United States and more than 70 countries around the world. These programs are based in Thomas Edison State College’s five schools.

The School of Applied Science and Technology provides students with innovative degree programs to gain expertise in the fields of the applied sciences and technology. The curriculum meets the educational and career needs of adult learners who work in environments that benefit from technical currency, practical knowledge and applied skills.

The Heavin School of Arts and Sciences provides an interdisciplinary approach to lifelong learning for adult learners interested in exploring values inherent in the liberal arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, as well as rigorous degree programs in the human services.

The School of Business and Management provides a broad curriculum that encompasses the academic and professional areas of current business and management specialties. Organizational leadership is a strong focus of its curriculum, which ensures college-level competence in business and the arts and sciences

The School of Nursing provides students with innovative degree programs that meet the educational and career needs of licensed registered nurses who want an alternative to campus-based instruction.

The John S. Watson School of Public Service and Continuing Studies offers degree programs and advanced certificate programs that cover domestic and international issues, including public policy studies, nonprofit management, financial management, public policy analysis, regional planning, early childhood education, environmental policy/environmental justice and health policy and management.

Thomas Edison State College offers 14 degrees at the undergraduate level, including six associate degrees and eight bachelor's degrees in more than 100 major areas of study. The college also offers six graduate degrees as well as undergraduate, graduate and noncredit certificates. [6]

Currently, the BS is only offered for those majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Undergraduate certificates generally require 18 credits of study. Gas distribution requires 15 credits.

Thomas Edison State College's accreditations are as follows:[7][8]

Reviews

Forbes magazine identified Thomas Edison State College in 1997 as one of the top 20 colleges and universities in the nation in the use of technology to create learning opportunities for adults [14] and, as an early adopter of online education and administration, the college's computer network was cited in 1994 as “one of the brighter stars of higher learning” by The New York Times.[15] The college's Bachelor of Arts degree programs in psychology, social sciences and sociology were ranked among the top "Best Buys" in the country for online accredited degree programs in those fields,[16] while the college's Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree was named one of the top five "Best Buys" in the country for an online accredited business degree, both by GetEducated.com.[17]

Alumni

The College has approximately 34,000 alumni worldwide.[18]

Proposed merger with Rutgers

In March 2010, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie proposed merging Thomas Edison State College into Rutgers.[29] After thoughtful consideration and reflection by the governor and the legislature, a consensus was reached that the merger proposal would not go forward. On June 29, 2010, the governor, the legislative leadership in both houses, and of both parties, concurred with Thomas Edison State College’s view that the public interest was best served by maintaining the autonomy and special mission of both Rutgers and Thomas Edison State College.[30]