Thomas Edison State University: Online courses and degrees for members of the National Guard and their Spouses

Chartered by the New Jersey Board of Higher Education in 1972, Thomas Edison State University pioneered and established distance-learning options, long before “online” became our present everyday reality. We have not been idle through the years, as we have also worked to take full advantage of your military training and experience by developing competitive and relevant degree programs, which enable you to transfer the maximum amount of credit for your military experience and transfer credit.

It is with this in mind that we offer you an individual advisor, dedicated to your success, in hopes that we have the privilege of working with you, in order to achieve your academic goals.

New Jersey Guard

I have had the pleasure of working with Thomas Edison State University, Office of Military and Veteran Education for 10 years as an Independent Contractor. I am the Test Administrator for CLEP, DSST, Pearson Vue and Distance Learning Proctored exams, at the National Test Center, located at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Education Center.

In October of 2019, my role was expanded to include Regional Base Representative and New Jersey National Guard Outreach Coordinator for Thomas Edison State University. In addition to my continued role as Test Administrator, I now work with our New Jersey Guard members, to assist them in navigating the application process and entry into the New Jersey National Guard Tuition Program (NJNGTP).

I truly enjoy helping prospective students with their journey to pursue a degree with Thomas Edison State University, and am grateful to all of our service members. It is because of this that I am extremely proud to have the opportunity to be a part of your collegiate journey.

Air Guard

As the spouse of an active duty Airman for nine years, and now the spouse of a veteran, I genuinely understand the unique lifestyle and obligations of our military and veteran students, which set them apart from traditional students. At one point in life, your main goal is working toward enhancing your military career, and in a few short years you are trying to figure out how to transition to civilian life.

I have first-hand experience with the tuition assistance process, as well as using GI Bill benefits, and helping you understand what your options are and how to make them work for you to maximize your well-earned benefits toward completing your educational goals. Both my husband and I are graduates from TESU, so I can walk you through each step of the journey having been in your exact shoes myself once before as a TESU student.

Army Guard

I have had the pleasure of working with the military education community since 2005 when I facilitated the distance-learning program for the afloat Navy in Pearl Harbor, HI. When I moved to North Texas in late 2006, I was lucky enough to begin working with Thomas Edison State University, one of the participating colleges that offered courses to the afloat Navy. I have been working in the Office of Military and Veteran Education ever since.

I have seen many changes over the years, but one thing has stayed constant within Thomas Edison State University: our dedication to our students and our exceptional academics. I am proud to serve this remarkable population and to work with people who feel the same.

The below are our five most popular degrees, which generally represent the most open or flexible options for our National Guardsmen, based on their experience. Does a program below fit your needs? If so, we invite you to apply, as we can get you started quickly, and free-of-charge.

Associate of Applied Science in Military Technology Leadership
Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance Technology
Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Bachelor of Science in Electronic Systems Engineering Technology
Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Not connecting with the above, or looking for a more specialized route? We realize every service member is unique and as such, you may be looking for a degree that reflects this.

If you are unsure of which program is for you, or are curious to see how your credits will fit into any of our degree options, then we invite you to try the Military & Veteran Portal (MVP). Simply upload your military transcript to review your credit options, at a glance and in real-time, as you browse more than 100 available degree programs.

In order to ensure your success in completing your degree, Thomas Edison State University strives to meet or exceed the following Principles of Excellence, as established under Presidential Executive Order 13607.

Up-front and transparent pricing, in order to gain a better understanding of the total cost of education.
Minimize out-of-pocket expenses, by identifying potential military and veteran education benefits.
A no-pressure, self-determined educational experience, emphasizing degree completion, over institutional compensation.
Delivering only high quality regionally accredited educational programs.
A seamless readmission process, should a Service member experience an interruption to their education.
Accommodations for our deployed Service members, should they need to drop or extend a course, as a result of service in the field.
Custom tailored roadmaps, establishing both a snapshot of what has been earned and a clear path to completion.
From application to graduation, each student is assigned a dedicated advisor, who is there to help.

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