First Year Foundations

The Undergraduate Certificate in First Year Foundations is a 30-credit certificate offered completely online that provides students with a solid foundation in General Education. The certificate is a stackable credential that can be applied toward an undergraduate degree at Thomas Edison State University, satisfying up to half of the general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree and all or most of the general education requirements for the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degrees at the University. The certificate can be completed using the University’s online courses and TECEP^® exams, or free open courses in conjunction with an assessment, including TECEP^® exams, or a combination of both.

Students can earn the certificate by taking the University's online courses and TECEP® exams, or by taking taking free open courses, available from OERu or the Saylor Academy, and then successfully completing an assessment. Some open courses, listed below as Saylor Direct Credit, include an ACE- or NCCRS-approved assessment. For others, students will need to take either a TECEP® or a CLEP® exam. The chart below lists the TESU online courses and open course and assessment options.