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Advising
This section includes information that can be helpful to you as a new student and throughout your academic career at TESU.
Suppose you want to make a change to your academic program. You may find it valuable first to review the list of available programs online.
After selecting the program your are interested in and reviewing the associated degree template, you can have your program changed manually by contacting academicadvising@tesu.edu. Military and Veteran students should contact militaryeducation@tesu.edu. Your email should include your intended degree type in the subject line (e.g., BA, BS, BSBA), your University ID number, your first and last name, and a short statement formally requesting to change your program on file.
Change of degree requests generally take 3 to 5 business days to process and will be confirmed via email.
If you are wondering how long it will take to complete your degree program, we have a useful method of identifying your potential degree completion date. First, identify the number of credit hours remaining in your academic program. This information is available within the header space of your Academic Evaluation (Page 2) under “S.H. Remaining.”
Next, identify the number of courses and credits you intend to take per term. The average course is 3 credits, therefore, three courses in a given term would amount to 9 credit hours total.
After indicating the number of credits you intend to take per term, multiply this number by 4, because there are four consecutive terms in a calendar year. The sum indicates the number of credits you are likely to take in a calendar year.
Lastly, divide your total number of credits required (i.e., S.H. remaining) by the number of credit hours anticipated per year.
For example:
I intend to take 3 courses per term.
3 courses x 3 credits per course = 9 credits per term
9 credits x 4 terms per year = 36 credit hours per year
120 credit hours required/36 credit hours per year = 3.33 years of total study (40 months)
Simply put, most programs are comprised of three sections: the general education segment, the specialization or core segment, and the free electives segment. When referring to the general education section of your MyProgress degree plan, keep in mind that there is a useful web-based list covering the applicable courses for each respective section (i.e., Information Literacy, Civic Engagement). This list is found online through the Thomas Edison State University homepage. Hover over Academics from the navigation pane and select General Education Courses.
In addition to the General Education Course List, students are able to preview online syllabi for all offered courses. These syllabi are accessed via Thomas Edison State University’s homepage. Hover over Academics from the navigation pane and select Courses and Schedules. On the Courses and Schedules webpage, select View All Undergraduate Courses, select the course you are investigating from the list and then click Preview Online Syllabus.
Beginning your studies can appear overwhelming at first. We recommend you take the following steps after you have applied and you have been admitted:
- Schedule an advising appointment online or by calling (609) 292-2803. Academic advisors are well-versed in course planning, degree changes, program mapping, academic policies and procedures as well as charting your individual academic needs as a student.
- Once your transcripts have been received and evaluated, you will be notified that the information can be viewed in MyProgress. MyProgress is a degree planning tool that shows an assessment of your transfer credits and how these credits apply to your academic profile on file.
- Register for courses, purchase textbooks and attend classes online. Instructions on how to register online can be found on the Course Registration page.
TESU’s exclusive online bookstore is available online. - A practice, non-graded Test Drive course is available free of charge to assist you in acclimating to the Moodle course space.
- Immerse yourself in your studies and in the experience that is online learning!
If you are pursuing a program not offered wholly online through TESU, it is important to map your course requirements very early in your TESU academic career. TESU offers a range of programs that are deemed “transfer-oriented.” These are programs intended for transfer credit and that require third-party course work. Examples of such programs include the BA in Foreign Language, the BA in Biology and the BS in Construction.
Transfer-oriented programs are intended to make the best use of transfer credits while allowing students to complete essential general education, elective and Capstone requirements through TESU. Nevertheless, transfer-oriented programs require students to identify course work offered externally through outside colleges and/or universities that are compliant with the curriculum of a student’s TESU degree requirements. For example, students pursuing a BA in Biology are required to satisfy 6 credit hours of Organic Chemistry. Because TESU does not offer courses in Organic Chemistry, students would be required to locate similar options externally (such as Organic Chemistry I/II through the University of Oregon). Once a student has identified the outside course(s) they would like considered for their specialization, they are required to send the course title, course code and course description (drawn from the host institution catalog) to academicadvising@tesu.edu along with a written request to have the course considered for the area in mind. An academic advisor will then review the material provided and send a follow-up email within 3 to 5 business days.
Your grade point average (GPA) is the mean of all grades earned in TESU courses. Unlike the procedure at many other institutions, your comprehensive GPA at TESU is calculated using solely course grades earned through TESU. Therefore, transfer grades do no not impact your academic standing. In addition to transfer course grades, credit-by-exam options such as CLEP®, DSST®, and TECEP® exams also have no bearing on your GPA. If you would like to manually calculate your GPA, use our GPA calculator.
It is important to note that satisfactory academic standing, the standing required for graduation purposes, is set at 2.0. Students failing to meet this GPA requirement are not eligible for graduation.
In addition to transfer course grades, credit-by-exam options such as CLEP®, DSST® have no bearing on your GPA. TESU will transcript credit (CR) without a letter grade for the following: prior learning assessment (PLA); e-Pack®; all testing programs (including TECEP®) and these grades are also not calculated into the GPA.
Students pursuing a baccalaureate or associate degree through TESU may be subject to a Capstone requirement. The purpose of this requirement is to synthesize a student’s subject matter expertise through a Capstone project. It is recommended that students register for the Capstone course during their senior (final) term of their active degree program. Access to this course is issued after an appointment with an academic advisor.
Toni M. Terry, BA
"I am 67 years old, soon to be 68, and to be able to say I did this at this day in my life is just gratification for my own self."