FAQs | Off-Site Graduate Programs

Admission FAQs

What are the graduate admission requirements?

• Global Graduate Application (the application is located on TCNJ’s Office of Graduate Studies website)
• $75 application fee (waived for TCNJ alumni)
• Official Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendations
• Student Essay
• Standardized Test Scores
• Resumé/CV
• *Copy of Teacher Certification
• **Addendum

*Only for Educational Leadership Post-Master’s Certificate Program
**Only for School Counselor Education Program

Please visit our site for more detailed information.

How do I submit a graduate application?

Students looking to pursue a graduate program (Certificate, M.Ed., or M.A.) with Off-Site Graduate Programs (OSGP) MUST submit a completed application, along with supplementary admission materials, with the Office of Graduate Studies. Please click here to access the graduate admission application located on the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Admission supplementary materials are uploaded into Slate, the admissions and enrollment management platform. Please click here to access the Slate instructional guide to help students access Slate.

How can I track the status of my graduate application?

All graduate admission materials are submitted, stored, and communicated through Slate, a platform for admissions and enrollment management. The Office of Graduate Studies oversees Slate and the graduate application process. Students interested in managing their admission materials and keeping track of what they have submitted may do so through Slate.

Please click here to access the Slate instructional guide to help students access Slate.

Is there a deadline for the graduate application for admissions?

No, graduate applications for Off-Site Graduate Programs are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. This means that students’ applications will be reviewed and their admittance will be decided once a completed graduate application is received by The Office of Graduate Studies and reviewed by OSGP.

Once a decision has been made The Office of Graduate Studies will contact students by way of an email. Materials and decisions may be tracked by students in Slate.

Please click here to access the Slate instructional guide to help students access Slate.

Have I been admitted (matriculated) into a graduate program?

Graduate applications are submitted and processed by The Office of Graduate Studies. When a graduate application is complete, it will be reviewed/approved/denied by the OSGP Faculty Advisor (Elem/Sec Education, Educational Leadership, ESL, Special Ed.) or Program Coordinator (Counselor Ed). Upon a decision, The Office of Graduate Studies will send a letter electronically to students.

Students may monitor progress through Slate. Please click here to access the Slate instructional guide to help students access Slate.

Can I begin my coursework prior to being admitted (matriculated) into a graduate program?

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 admissions. Brand new students (Visiting Students), who have never taken a TCNJ course before, MUST complete a visiting application simultaneously while completing a pre-registration form with OSGP. Please visit our site to access the pre-registration form.

1. Before you pre-register for your course, please consult your academic program planner or an OSGP faculty advisor

2. Go to OSGP’s website to pre-register

Please consult an OSGP academic advisor for additional guidance and information about the graduate programs offered.

Stuart Carroll, Ph.D. – szcarrol@tcnj.edu (Elementary/Secondary Education)

Linda Mayger, Ed.D. -maygerl@tcnj.edu (Educational Leadership)

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

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

Global Program FAQs

What graduate programs does OSGP offer?

OSGP offers six graduate programs:

Educational Leadership
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
School Counseling
Special Education
Teaching English as a Second Language

How long will my program take?

The length of each program will vary from student to student based on each student’s personal commitments/limitations outside the scope of the program requirements.

Our site provides a sample sequence as a general guide for some of our graduate programs. Please consult the faculty advisor of the graduate program as a better way to plan out your course sequence.

Educational Leadership
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
School Counseling
Special Education
Teaching English as a Second Language

Dr. Stuart Carroll (scarrol@tcnj.edu): Elementary/Secondary Education, and Special Education
Dr. Linda Mayger (maygerl@tcnj.edu): Educational Leadership
Dr. Jill Schwarz (schwarz@tcnj.edu): School Counseling
Dr. Yiqiang Wu (wuyiqian@tcnj.edu): Teaching English as a Second Language

May I transfer credit into my graduate program?

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 be applicable 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 for approval of transfer of graduate credit, please consult your faculty advisor.

What course(s) should I take?

The graduate program planners below show course requirements for each of OSGP’s six graduate programs. The program planners include Certificate and M.Ed./M.A. requirements. Please consult the program planner and your faculty advisor to map out your course sequence.

Educational Leadership M.Ed.
Educational Leadership Post-Master’s Certificate
Elementary Education Certificate and M.Ed.
Secondary Education Certificate and M.Ed.
School Counseling M.A.
Special Education Post-Baccalaureate and M.Ed.
Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate and M.Ed.

OSGP Faculty Advisors:

What are the course descriptions?

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

Where are OSGP global sites located?

OSGP offers online courses throughout the academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring).

Do I make my own travel arrangements?

Travel arrangements are made by students. Students will be responsible for making and paying for their travel and hotel accommodations.

Does OSGP offer online courses?

OSGP offers online courses. Courses are offered either in *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.

What do I receive after completing my program?

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

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

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

2. Certificate of Qualification CQ (US and Non-US Citizens)
Students MUST apply for graduation at the end of their certificate program. (no application fee)

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

3. Standard Certificate (US Citizens)

School Counseling (MA program)

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

4. Certificate of Eligibility for Advanced Standing CEAS (US Citizens)

Special Education (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program)

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

What are the differences between the Certificates offered?

1. Certificate of Qualification (CQ) (US and Non-US Citizens) – The Certificate of Qualification was developed by the School of Education at The College of New Jersey and verifies successful completion of the required coursework for a graduate program (either in teacher preparation program, leadership program, or school counseling program). It is a credential widely recognized by International Schools and their accrediting agencies.

Program completers who apply for the CQ will receive the following documentation:

• Physical Certificate of Qualification

Students completing the following OSGP programs are eligible to receive a CQ:

2. Standard Certificate The school counselor endorsement authorizes the holder to perform school counseling services such as the study and assessment of individual pupils with respect to their status, abilities, interest, and needs; counseling with administrators, teachers, students, and parents regarding personal, social, educational, and vocational plans and programs; and developing cooperative relationships with community agencies in assisting children and families. The certificate holder is authorized to perform these duties in all public schools.

School Counseling (MA) – US Citizens ONLY

3. Certificate of Eligibility for Advanced Standing CEAS (CEAS) (US Citizens) The Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) is a credential issued to an individual who has completed a teacher preparation program and has met the basic requirements for certification including academic study and applicable test requirements. The CEAS authorizes an individual to seek and accept employment in NJ public schools requiring certification. The CEAS is issued to an individual who does not hold a NJ Standard certificate or has not completed two years of full-time teaching under a valid out-of-state instructional certificate. Students seeking to obtain a CEAS must apply with the NJ’s Department of Education at the point of graduation. The CEAS application portal can be accessed on TCNJ’s Certification Office’s website.

Students completing the following OSGP programs are eligible to apply for CEAS: Special Education (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program)

Course Registration and Tuition/Fees FAQs

How do I pre-register for my course(s)?

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 admissions. Brand new students, who have never taken a TCNJ course before, MUST complete a visiting application simultaneously while completing a pre-registration form with OSGP. Please visit our site to access the pre-registration form.

1. Before you pre-register for your course, please consult your academic program planner or an OSGP faculty advisor

2. Go to OSGP’s website to pre-register

OSGP Faculty Advisors:

After I pre-register for a course(s) with OSGP when do I register for my course(s) in PAWS?

Upon receiving your pre-registration form, OSGP reviews and clears/adjusts your course selection. After students are cleared, OSGP emails students a course registration email (1-2 weeks). The course registration email includes information on registration, course, and tuition details. After receiving the course registration email from OSGP, students are approved to register for their course(s). Students who experience difficulty when registering in PAWS may reach out to OSGP at osgp@tcnj.edu for assistance.

What is my student status?

1. Non-Matriculated Student (Overseas Visiting Student) – Students who have not completed their graduate application for admissions

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 Studies.

2. Matriculated Students – Students who have completed a graduate application for admissions and have been accepted into a graduate program

What is the OSGP Course Cancellation Policy?

OSGP will do our best to adhere to published class schedules as outlined on our website, under “Course Offerings,” organized by term. OSGP, 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 OSGP course becomes unavailable due to extenuating circumstances.

Please review here.

What is PAWS?

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 have the ability to do 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.

How and when do I pay for my course(s)?

Course tuition and payment options can be viewed on OSGP’s site. Students receive e-bill invoices monthly and payment due date by way of their TCNJ email address. Please consult TCNJ’s billing calendar for important dates and deadlines. Finally, questions about tuition and tuition payment can be emailed directly to the Office of Student Accounts at stuaccts@tcnj.edu. Please consult this handout on how to view and pay for your bill in PAWS.

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

Should I be regularly checking my TCNJ email or should I forward my TCNJ email to my personal email?

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

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

How can I check a course grade?

Students can access their course history and check their grades in PAWS. Please click here to learn how.

What is Live Text?

All matriculated students in the School of Education will be assessed a one-time Live-Text fee at the point of matriculation. To learn more about Live Text visit TCNJ’s School of Education website or contact a School of Education representative at educat@tcnj.edu.

How can I verify the tuition I owe or if my payment has been received?

Students can verify tuition and if their payment has been posted to their account through PAWS. Students can access their financial history at the bottom left-hand side under the student center homepage in PAWS. Please consult this handout on how to view and pay your bill in PAWS.

Tuition payments and fees are posted on OSGP’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 in question.

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.

What is the tuition?

Tuition and fees are posted on OSGP’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.

How do I obtain a TCNJ invoice?

Does TCNJ offer financial assistance?

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

I am unable to take the course I registered/paid for in PAWS. What should I do?

Please contact OSGP immediately at osgp@tcnj.edu to let us know that you will not be able to attend. OSGP will drop you from the course in PAWS. This action will prevent The Office of Student Accounts from billing your account. If you have not paid for the course no further action is required.

If you paid for the course, please inform OSGP which option below you would prefer to have done with your tuition payment:

CREDIT: Students wishing to have a credit applied to their account to cover future tuition MUST notify OSGP. We will then work with TCNJ’s Office of Student Accounts to have your payment credited to your account for future tuition.

REFUND: Students wishing to have a refund MUST set up a 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.

Should I set up a direct deposit?

Tuition is only refunded to students who have set up direct deposit. Students wanting a refund MUST set up a 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.

Student Services FAQs

How do I order official TCNJ transcripts?

Official transcript requests and disbursement is 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, this handout, or consult a representative in their office at trnscrpt@tcnj.edu for assistance.

I don’t remember my TCNJ email address. Who can I contact for help?

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

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

I am still having IT issues. Who can I contact?

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

What is Canvas?

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.

What is PAWS?

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

How do I access PAWS, Canvas, and/or my TCNJ email address?

Please refer to this instructional handout for how to access and get assistance with TCNJ’s information technology.

I am unable to access PAWS, Canvas, and/or my TCNJ email address.

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.

How do I obtain a TCNJ invoice?

Who do I need to contact for a replacement diploma?

All replacement diploma requests are handled by TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration. Please refer to their website for detailed directions. Payment for replacement diplomas is made by either a US check or money order. For students who are unable to make these two payment options, please contact OSGP at osgp@tcnj.edu for assistance.

Who do I contact for an Apostille?

Apostilles and Notary Certifications are handled outside of TCNJ, through the State of New Jersey’s Department of the Treasury Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES). Please consult DORES’s website for instructional details. While this process takes place outside of TCNJ, we are happy to support our alumni as follows:

Shipment to DORES: If you are a new graduate or are ordering a replacement/duplicate diploma or certificate, OSGP can mail the diploma/certificate to DORES on your behalf. Please follow these steps:

a. Complete the form(s)/payment listed on the DORES website.

b. DORES requires that a pre-paid envelope be in included in the package so please set up a shipment to your desired address. Many students take advantage of discounted shipping rates available through OSGP’s shipping partner, eShipGlobal. You may also initiate a shipping label through another carrier, so long as you can share a copy of that label with OSGP (see below).

c. Email both the DORES order form and shipping label to osgp@tcnj.edu. OSGP will package your 1) new or replacement diploma or certificate (when available from the Office of Records & Registration) with your 2) DORES request form and 3) shipping label and will mail (via US Mail, no tracking available) to DORES. From there, the process rests with DORES.

Who can I contact to have my official TCNJ documents notarized?

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

What is a change of program form used for?

Matriculated students interested in changing their academic program (i.e.: Secondary Education Certificate to Elementary Education Certificate) MUST complete a change of program form. Please consult your faculty advisor for advisement. Upon submission of the form, please allow 2-3 weeks for changes to reflect in PAWS.

What is the OSGP mentorship program?

Off-Site Graduate Programs (OSGP) is introducing a new initiative in 2021, a Peer Mentorship Program, for matriculated students who would like to become a mentor for new students to OSGP.

OSGP will pair an interested mentor (matriculated student) with a mentee (non-matriculated student). The mentor, in part, will provide additional support during the beginning of the mentee’s graduate program. The time commitment is determined by both the mentor and the mentee.

Matriculated students who wish to become mentors may express interest on their pre-registration forms (upon course pre-registration) or email osgp@tcnj.edu.

Graduation FAQs

How do I apply for graduation?

Candidates either 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. OSGP cannot guarantee 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 OSGP’s graduation information page.

I have completed my certificate and would like to continue with a M.Ed., what are my next steps?

Students completing a certificate and who are interested in pursuing another graduation program with TCNJ/OSGP MUST reapply with the Office of Graduate Studies by submitting another graduate application.

Please complete an online global graduate application with The Office of Graduate Studies. 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 OSGP M.Ed. programs)

*supplementary materials may be needed for certain graduate programs.

When will I receive my diploma or certificate?

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 OSGP’s graduation information page.

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

Students interested in having their official documents notarized, please visit OSGP’s website. Please be aware that requesting your documents to be notarized will increase delivery by an additional 1-2 weeks.

What certificate(s) do I receive upon completing my TCNJ certificate program?

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

Certificate of Qualification CQ (US and Non-US Citizens)
Students MUST apply for graduation (No Application Fee)

Educational Leadership (Certificate Program)
Elementary Education (Certificate Program)
Secondary Education (Certificate Program)
Special Education (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program)
Teaching English as a Second Language (Certificate Program)

Standard Certificate (US Citizens – Counseling Students ONLY)
Students MUST apply directly with the NJDOE, please consult your academic advisor for more information.

Students completing an NJ Domestic OSGP Certificate Program (ESL initial certification, Bilingual Endorsement (initial or standard), or EdL Supervisor Certification 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):

How do I order official TCNJ transcripts?

I need my TCNJ documents to receive an affixed apostille.

Apostille and Certificate of Authentication are handled and processed through the Department of the Treasury Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), State of New Jersey. Please consult DORES’s website for instructional details.

I need my TCNJ documents to be notarized.

When will I receive my graduation documents and how will they be sent to me?

OSGP works together in conjunction with TCNJ’S Office of Records and Registration in coordinating the procurement and disbursement of graduation document mailings for OSGP students. The procurement of documents begins only after the conferral date is posted. Please check TCNJ’s academic calendar for each term’s conferral date. The procurement will only begin after students have applied and have been cleared for graduation. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the conferral date to receive your documents. If you have not received them within that 4-6 weeks time frame, please contact Off-Site Graduate 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 February of that year (spring, summer, and fall terms). Graduation applications received beyond February may be subjected to delays in receiving graduation documents (diploma/certificate).

OSGP graduates are eligible to receive, free of charge, a one-time shipment of graduation documents (either by way of the United States Postal Service (USPS) or express mail service). OSGP will bundle together all pertinent documents, per each student’s request, for a one-time mailing.

Documents may include the following below: (Students requesting for two or more of these documents to be bundled and mailed together please email OSGP at osgp@tcnj.edu with your request.

1. TCNJ Diploma (M.Ed. and MA candidates) Students apply for graduation through PAWS. All diplomas are processed by TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration.

2. TCNJ Certificate of Qualification (CQ) (all graduation candidates) Students apply for graduation through PAWS.

3. TCNJ Official Transcripts (all graduation candidates) Students order official transcripts through PAWS. Transcripts are processed by TCNJ’s Office of Records and Registration. Students requesting their graduation documents to be bundled together and mailed by OSGP (including official transcripts), please include on the transcript form OSGP’s office (Green Hall Room 201 as the mailing address). Students wishing to receive their official transcripts separately and not bundled, please include their preferred mailing address (US only).