FAQs

Visit TCNJ’s Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management for admission information.

Students looking to pursue a graduate program (Certificate, M.Ed., or M.A.) with Off-Site and Online Programs (OSOP) MUST submit a completed application, along with supplementary admission materials, to the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management.

Admission supplementary materials are uploaded into Slate, the admissions and enrollment management platform. The Slate Instructional Guide helps students access Slate. If you are having difficulty with Slate, please get in touch with the Office of Graduate Enrollment at graduate@tcnj.edu.

All graduate admission materials are submitted, stored, and communicated through Slate, a platform for admissions and enrollment management. The Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management oversees Slate and the graduate application process. Students interested in managing their admission materials and tracking what they have submitted can do so through Slate. If you are having difficulty with Slate, please get in touch with the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management at graduate@tcnj.edu.

For assistance in using Slate, please contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management at graduate@tcnj.edu.

No, graduate applications for Off-Site and Online Programs are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will be reviewed, and their admittance will be decided once a completed graduate application is received by the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management and reviewed by an academic advisor.

The Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management will email decisions.

For assistance in using Slate, please contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management at graduate@tcnj.edu.

Graduate applications are submitted and processed by the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management. When a graduate application is complete, it will be reviewed by an academic advisor. Upon a decision, the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management will send a decision letter to students electronically.

Students can track the status of their graduate application. Questions about Slate can be directed to the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management at graduate@tcnj.edu.

Yes, students are eligible to take up to 9 credits (3 graduate courses) as Visiting Students. If students wish to continue and complete a graduate program (M.Ed./M.A. or Certificate), they MUST apply for admission. New students (Visiting Students) who have never taken a TCNJ course before must complete a visitor application with the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management.

Visit the Off-Site and Online Programs website, click “courses by term” and the term (i.e., fall, winter, spring, summer) to view the course selection and how to register in PAWS. Students can register only if they have submitted a visitor’s application (non-matriculation) or a completed graduate application (matriculation).

Off-Site and Online Programs – osgp@tcnj.edu (Elementary/Secondary Education)

Danita Ishibashi ishibasd@tcnj.edu (Educational Leadership – domestic)

Elizabeth Sims-Pottle, Ed.D. – pottlee@tcnj.edu (Educational Leadership – global)

Stuart Roe, Ph.D. – roes@tcnj.edu (School Counseling)

Yiqiang Wu, Ph.D. – wuyiqian@tcnj.edu (Teaching English as a Second Language)

OSOP offers six graduate programs:

• Educational Leadership – Global – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu
• Educational Leadership – Domestic – please contact graduate@tcnj.edu
• Elementary Education – Global – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu
• Secondary Education – Global – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu
• Counselor Education – Global – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu
• Teaching English as a Second Language – Global – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu
• Teaching English as a Second Language – Domestic – please contact osgp@tcnj.edu

The length of each program will vary from student to student based on each student’s commitments and limitations outside the program’s requirements. Program completion may vary depending on whether students attend full- or part-time and on course offerings. Please consult the academic advisors below for more information.

• Off-Site and Online Programs (osgp@tcnj.edu): Elementary/Secondary Education – Global
• Dr. Elizabeth Sims Pottle (pottlee@tcnj.edu): Educational Leadership – Global
• Danita Ishibashi (ishibasd@tcnj.edu) Educational Leadership – Domestic
• Dr. Jill Schwarz (schwarz@tcnj.edu): Counselor Education – Global
• Dr. Yiqiang Wu (wuyiqian@tcnj.edu): Teaching English as a Second Language – Global and Domestic
  

A maximum of twelve graduate credits may be accepted pending departmental approval. Individual graduate programs may have lower transfer limits due to accreditation or licensing requirements. Transfer courses must apply to the student’s current program of study and have been completed at an institutionally accredited graduate institution within the last six years with a grade of B or higher. Please read TCNJ’s graduate transfer of credit policy here.

For more information and approval of transfer of graduate credit, please consult an academic advisor.

Off-Site and Online Programs (osgp@tcnj.edu): Elementary/Secondary Education – Global
Danita Ishibashi (ishibasd@tcnj.edu): Educational Leadership – Global and Domestic
Dr. Jill Schwarz (schwarz@tcnj.edu): Counselor Education – Global
Dr. Yiqiang Wu (wuyiqian@tcnj.edu): Teaching English as a Second Language – Global and Domestic

The program planners include Certificate and M.Ed./M.A. course requirements and are located below either under the global or domestic program pages. Please consult the program planner and your academic advisor to map out your course sequence.

• Global Programs
• Domestic Programs

Academic Advisors:

Off-Site and Online Programs (osgp@tcnj.edu): Elementary/Secondary Education – Global
Elizabeth Sims Pottle, Ed.D. (pottlee@tcnj.edu): Educational Leadership – Global
Melissa Meagher (meagherm@tcnj.edu): Educational Leadership – Domestic
Dr. Jill Schwarz (schwarz@tcnj.edu): Counselor Education – Global
Dr. Yiqiang Wu (wuyiqian@tcnj.edu): Teaching English as a Second Language – Global and Domestic

Please click here to see all course descriptions as outlined in the course catalog.

OSOP only offers in-person courses in Portugal during the summer. Courses available are in Counselor Education.

Students make travel arrangements. Global Counselor Education Students will be responsible for paying for their travel and hotel accommodations in Portugal (summer only).

OSOP offers online courses. Courses are offered in either *synchronous or asynchronous modalities.

*Synchronous means used in real-time, requiring participants and instructors/facilitators to meet virtually at the same time from different places. Asynchronous learning refers to students accessing materials at their own pace and interacting with each other over longer periods.

Students are eligible to receive the following documents after completing the following OSOP programs:

1. TCNJ Diploma
Students MUST apply for graduation ($100 Application Fee)

Educational Leadership (MAES Program)
Elementary Education (M.Ed. Program)
Secondary Education (M.Ed. Program)
School Counseling (M.A. Program)
Teaching English as a Second Language (M.Ed. Program)

2. Certificate of Qualification CQ (Global Students)
The Certificate of Qualification (CQ) was developed by the School of Education at The College of New Jersey and verifies successful completion of the required graduate coursework in The College of New Jersey’s Off-Site and Online graduate certificate program. It is a credential widely recognized by International Schools and their accrediting agencies.

CQ’s are available to students at the end of their program and upon request. Students interested in obtaining a CQ from OSOP and who have successfully graduated from their OSOP certificate program, please complete this form. Allow 3-5 weeks for delivery.

If this is a duplicate request, students will incur shipping and handling.

Educational Leadership (Post-Master’s Certificate Program) – Global Only
Elementary Education (Certificate Program) – Global Only
Secondary Education (Certificate Program) – Global Only
Teaching English as a Second Language (Certificate Program) – Global Only

3. Standard Certificate (US Citizens)

School Counseling (MA program)

Students MUST apply to TCNJ’s Certification Office at the end of the program

Visit the Off-Site and Online Programs website, click “courses by term” and the term (i.e., fall, winter, spring, summer) to view the course selection and how to register in PAWS. Students can register only if they have submitted a completed visitor’s application (non-matriculation) or a completed graduate application (matriculation). See the Admission FAQ section above.

1. Non-Matriculated Student (Overseas Visiting Student): non-matriculation)

Students with this status are eligible to take up to 9 credits (3 graduate courses).
Students who wish to complete a graduate program (M.Ed., M.A., or Certificate) MUST complete a graduate application for admission with the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management.

2. Matriculated Students – Students who have completed a graduate application for admission to the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management and have been accepted into a graduate program.

OSOP will do our best to adhere to the published class schedules on our website, under “Course Offerings,” organized by term. OSOP, however, reserves the right to cancel a graduate class if (low) enrollment does not reach 10 students or if an instructor contracted to teach an OSOP course becomes unavailable due to extenuating circumstances.

PAWS is a student database that allows students to initiate and complete many student services processes. Below are a few of the most widely used processes students can perform in PAWS. Students can access PAWS through TCNJ Today.

1. Course descriptions
2. Register for courses
3. Access course grades
4. Order transcripts
5. Update personal information
6. Make tuition payments
7. Apply for graduation
8. Review student financial account information

Please click here to access PAWS tutorials created by the Office of Records and Registration.

Course tuition and payment options can be viewed on OSOP’s site. Students receive e-bill invoices monthly from the Office of Student Accounts, and the payment due date is sent to their TCNJ email address. Please consult TCNJ’s billing calendar for important dates and deadlines. Questions about tuition and tuition payment can be emailed directly to the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu.

Please consult this handout for instructions on viewing and paying your bill in PAWS.

Tuition MUST be received before class commences. TCNJ offers three methods of payment.

All TCNJ offices on campus communicate with students through their TCNJ email addresses. Students MUST either check their TCNJ email regularly or forward their TCNJ email to their personal email.

Students who don’t remember their TCNJ email address may access it in PAWS under the general overview tab, in account lookup, or by contacting OSOP at osgp@tcnj.edu.

Students can access their course history and check their grades in PAWS.

The Assessment Fee is an electronic portfolio and assessment system used by the School of Education to gather data on student learning, thereby maintaining accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

All matriculated students in the School of Education, including OSOP students, incur a one-time Assessment fee ($139). For questions about this assessment system or the fee, please contact TCNJ’s STEP office at step@tcnj.edu.

Students can verify tuition and whether their payment has been posted to their account through PAWS. Students can access their financial history at the bottom left of the student center homepage in PAWS. Please visit the Office of Student Accounts to learn how to view and pay your bill in PAWS.

Tuition payments and fees are posted on OSOP’s website. Payment plan options are located on TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts website. Every month, TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts emails invoices to students’ TCNJ email addresses. Tuition MUST be received before class commences.

Students in need of an invoice can directly submit a request to The Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu. In your email request, please include your name, PAWS ID, and the term.

Please consult TCNJ’s billing calendar for important dates and deadlines. Questions about tuition and tuition payment can be emailed directly to the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu.

Tuition and fees are posted on OSOP’s website. Payment plan options are located on TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts website. Every month, TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts emails invoices to students’ TCNJ email addresses.

Please consult TCNJ’s billing calendar for important dates and deadlines. Tuition MUST be received before class commences. Questions about tuition and tuition payment can be emailed directly to the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu.

Students in need of an invoice can directly submit a request to The Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu. In your email request, please include your name, PAWS ID, and the term.

Yes, financial assistance is offered to matriculated full-time graduate students. Please refer to TCNJ’s Office of Financial Aid for more details, or consult a representative in their office at osfa@tcnj.edu for assistance.

If the course has not started and the tuition payment date on your TCNJ Invoice is before the course start date, please go into PAWS and drop the course. Once you have dropped the course in PAWS, no further action is required.

If you paid for the course, please inform the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu that you are no longer interested in taking the OSOP course(s) and that you plan on dropping the course in PAWS.

CREDIT: To have a credit applied to their account for future tuition, students must contact TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu.

REFUND: Students wishing to have a refund MUST set up a direct deposit through PAWS. Please learn how to set up direct deposit or consult a representative in the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu for assistance.

Tuition is refunded only to students who have set up direct deposit. Students who want a refund MUST set up direct deposit through PAWS. Please refer to this handout to set up direct deposit or consult a representative in the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu for assistance.

Please visit the Office of Records and Registration to learn how to order official and unofficial transcripts, and direct any questions you may have to their office at trnscrpt@tcnj.edu.

All TCNJ offices on campus communicate with students through their TCNJ email addresses. Students MUST either check their TCNJ email regularly or forward their TCNJ email to their personal email.

Students who don’t remember their TCNJ email address may access it in PAWS under the general overview tab, in account lookup, or by contacting OSOP at osgp@tcnj.edu.

Students who have difficulty accessing their passwords or accounts (after following the account lookup steps) should contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@tcnj.edu. Students who have forgotten their username (the first part of their TCNJ email, i.e., xxxxx@tcnj.edu), which is different from their PAWS ID, please contact osgp@tcnj.edu.

Canvas is a learning management system (LMS). Instructors use Canvas to post messages, upload class materials, grade, and synchronously set up class time for online learning.

Students may access Canvas through TCNJ Today. To learn how to use Canvas, please click here.

PAWS is a student database that allows students to initiate and complete many student services processes. Below are a few of the most widely used processes students can perform in PAWS. Students can access PAWS through TCNJ Today.

1. Course descriptions
2. Register for courses
3. Access course grades
4. Order transcripts
5. Update personal information
6. Make tuition payments
7. Apply for graduation
8. Review student financial account information

Please click here to access PAWS tutorials created by the Office of Records and Registration.

PAWS, CANVAS, and TCNJ Email can be accessed on TCNJ Today.

Please click here to look up/reset your password if you are unable to access PAWS, Canvas, or TCNJ Email. If you continue to have difficulty, please contact the TCNJ Helpdesk at helpdesk@tcnj.edu.

Students in need of an invoice can directly submit a request to The Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu. In your email request, please include your name, PAWS ID, and the term.

All replacement diploma requests are handled by TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration.

Apostilles verify the legal status of New Jersey Notaries Public and certain public officials (e.g., notaries). Apostilles can be obtained in any state; therefore, we suggest that students with family or friends residing in another state have an Apostille issued there, possibly with their assistance, to expedite the process. 

Apostille mailing is a courtesy our office provides only to OSOP students during fall and spring terms. Winter and summer students must handle it themselves; however, the process and payment are managed by the NJ Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), outside of TCNJ, and must be initiated and completed by the student.

If this is the spring or fall semester, please complete and submit the Apostille mailing assistance request form. After submission, you will receive an automated response with additional details about the process and the steps required to obtain an Apostille in New Jersey, including OSOP’s mailing assistance.

From start to finish, obtaining an affixed Apostille on your TCNJ document(s) can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Most of this process is done outside of our office. That is why we also encourage students to seek assistance from family members or friends who live stateside. Apostilles can be obtained in any state, and the process may be quicker if a family member or friend in another state assists you.

OSOP students looking for their graduation documents (diploma, official transcripts, and/or CQ) to be notarized, please email OSOP at osgp@tcnj.edu with your request and include the following information: name, PAWS ID, the program completed/date of graduation, and address (if applicable) where you would like your documents mailed. *Students may incur the S&H costs depending on location.

Candidates who are completing an M.Ed., M.A., or a Certificate must apply for graduation. M.Ed. and M.A. candidates incur a $100 graduation fee (the application fee is waived for Certificate candidates). Only matriculated students are eligible to apply for graduation.

Graduation applications are due (for May, August, and December graduation) in February of the same year. OSOP cannot guarantee the diploma/TCNJ certificate will be available to students at the summer graduation ceremony if the graduation application is received past the February deadline.

Diplomas and TCNJ Certificates will be mailed by the Office of Records and Registration to students 4-6 weeks after their degree or certificate is posted on their TCNJ transcripts. For more information on graduation, please visit OSOP’s graduation information page.

Students who have completed a certificate and are interested in pursuing another graduate program with TCNJ/OSOP must reapply with the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management by submitting another graduate application.

Please complete an online global graduate application with the Office of Graduate Enrollment and Management. The application fee of $75.00 is waived for former TCNJ students who have completed a graduate program, and *no other supplementary materials are needed. (for OSOP M.Ed. programs)

*Supplementary materials may be needed for specific graduate programs.

Diplomas and Certificates (TCNJ and CQ) will be mailed to students 4-6 weeks after their degree or certificate is posted to their TCNJ transcripts. For more information on graduation, please visit OSOP’s graduation information page.

Please refer to TCNJ’s academic calendar for conferral (graduation) dates.

Students interested in having their official documents notarized, please visit OSOP’s website. Please be aware that requesting notarization of your documents will delay delivery by 1-2 weeks.

Upon completing an OSOP certificate program, students will be eligible to receive one or more of the following documents:

1. Certificate of Qualification CQ (Global Students)
The Certificate of Qualification (CQ) was developed by the School of Education at The College of New Jersey and verifies successful completion of the required graduate coursework in The College of New Jersey’s Off-Site and Online graduate certificate program. It is a credential widely recognized by International Schools and their accrediting agencies.

CQ’s are available to students at the end of their program and upon request. Students interested in obtaining a CQ from OSOP and who have successfully graduated from their OSOP certificate program, please complete this form. Allow 3-5 weeks for delivery.

If this is a duplicate request, students will incur additional shipping and handling costs.

Educational Leadership (Post-Master’s Certificate Program) – Global Only
Elementary Education (Certificate Program) – Global Only
Secondary Education (Certificate Program) – Global Only
Teaching English as a Second Language (Certificate Program) – Global Only

2. Standard Certificate (US Citizens – Counseling Students ONLY)
Students MUST apply directly to the NJDOE. Please consult your academic advisor for more information.

Students completing a NJ Domestic OSOP Certificate Program (ESL initial certification, Bilingual Endorsement (initial or standard), or EdL Supervisor Certification (US Citizens in the domestic program) may be eligible to apply for their certification with TCNJ’s Certification Office. (To ensure you complete the correct application, please consult with your academic advisor before completing/submitting it)

Official transcript requests and disbursements are handled by TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration. Students may order official transcripts through PAWS. Please refer to TCNJ’s Records and Registration website or consult a representative in their office at trnscrpt@tcnj.edu for assistance.

Apostilles verify the legal status of New Jersey Notaries Public and certain public officials (e.g., notaries). Apostilles can be obtained in any state; therefore, we suggest that students with family or friends residing in another state have an Apostille issued there, possibly with their assistance, to expedite the process. 

Apostille mailing is a courtesy our office provides only to OSOP students during fall and spring terms. Winter and summer students must handle it themselves; however, the process and payment are managed by the NJ Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), outside of TCNJ, and must be initiated and completed by the student.

If this is the spring or fall semester, please complete and submit the Apostille mailing assistance request form. After submission, you will receive an automated response with additional details about the process and the steps required to obtain an Apostille in New Jersey, including mailing assistance from OSOP.

From start to finish, obtaining an affixed Apostille on your TCNJ document(s) can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Most of this process is done outside of our office. That is why we also encourage students to seek assistance from family members or friends who live stateside. Apostilles can be obtained in any state, and the process may be quicker if a family member or friend in another state assists you.

OSOP students looking for their graduation documents (diploma, official transcripts, and/or CQ) to be notarized, please email OSOP at osgp@tcnj.edu with your request and include the following information: name, PAWS ID, the program completed/date of graduation, and address (if applicable) where you would like your documents mailed. *Students may incur the S&H costs depending on location.

OSOP works with TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration to coordinate the procurement and disbursement of graduation document mailings for OSOP students. Document procurement begins only after the conferral date is posted. Please check TCNJ’s academic calendar for each term’s conferral date. Procurement will begin only after students have applied and been cleared for graduation. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the conferral date to receive your documents.

Diplomas and official transcripts are mailed to students from an outside vendor. OSOP sends a certificate of Qualifications (CQ). If you have not received them within the 4-6 week time frame, please contact Off-Site and Online Programs at osgp@tcnj.edu.

Students MUST apply for graduation in PAWS (M.Ed. candidates incur a $100 application fee, and the certificate candidates’ fee is waived). The graduation application deadline is in February of that year (for spring, summer, and fall terms). Graduation applications received beyond February may be subject to delays in receiving graduation documents (diploma/certificate).