Thomas Edison State College (TESC) in Trenton, New Jersey, was named as one of the four recognized colleges for learning assessment degrees, or life experience degrees. TESC is one of 12 public colleges in the state of New Jersey and is primarily focused on providing college education for working adults. The school received its regional accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Students can earn credit for associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees through learning assessment. This is the process whereby the college determines how many credits the student should be awarded based on prior knowledge of a given subject. The school does not simply award degrees or credit for "life experience," but rather what life experience has taught the prospective student. Students can earn credit in over 100 different areas of study. This credit is based on professional licenses and certifications, military training, professional training courses, testing and through a process of prior learning assessment whereby students work with a faculty mentor to determine their mastery of a subject.
Thomas Edison State College offers students the opportunity to pursue degrees in over 100 areas of study based on prior learning assessment. Programs of study are grouped by degree type. Students can pursue an associate degree in applied science, the arts, human services, natural science and math, business administration and applied technology. Bachelor's degree programs include studies in the arts, organizational leadership, science, applied science and technology, nursing, health services, human services and business administration. Students can also design their own area of study by submitting a proposal to the school.
TESC students can develop their degree plan and finish quickly if they have prior college credit. Such credit is another factor of the learning assessment process. TESC allows up to 80 community college credits to transfer and up to 120 credits from a regionally accredited four-year college or university.
The cost of obtaining a learning assessment degree at Thomas Edison State Ciollege varies greatly because of the way that learning assessment affects the overall number of credits needed to graduate. The college offers different pricing plans meant to give students the most value based on how many courses they take in a given school year. For students taking more than 36 credit hours in a year, the college recommends its comprehensive tuition plan, which costs $4,883 for New Jersey residents and $7,190 for nonresident students (as of the 2010 to 2011 academic school year). Students pursuing less than full-time study simply pay an annual enrollment. New Jersey students pay $1,446 for their first year of study and $1,264 for subsequent years of study. Out-of-state students initially pay $2,696 and then the reduced rate of $2,332 per year (as of 2010 to 2011).