*Elementary School Teachers, click below for Literacy Letter Information*

45-hour Literacy Letter 2011-2012

New Pathways To Teaching in New Jersey – Alternate Route

*NEXT INFORMATION SESSION:  MARCH 13 @ 6PM, CRABIEL HALL*

Pre-registration is required.  To reserve a seat please call (732) 548-6000 ext. 3144 and leave your name and phone number OR send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NPTNJ is an intensive program that satisfies the 200 class hours required for Alternate Route Teachers. The program starts with Stage I at Middlesex County College Edison Campus. Classes are generally scheduled to start at 6:00PM. Stage II runs the entire school year, September-June, and meets once a week.

Brief History of NPTNJ

Middlesex County College, in partnership with New Jersey City University (NJCU) and the State’s Community Colleges, offer New Pathways to Teaching in NJ (NPTNJ). This alternate route to teacher certification program provides a process by which individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher degrees) can become licensed teachers without completing a traditional teacher training program.

Middlesex County College holds information sessions regarding the application process and admission to NPTNJ. If after reading this overview you are interested in applying to NPTNJ, please register for one of the upcoming information sessions

For an overview of the NJ Process for Certification visit:www.nj.gov/education/educators/license/teacher

All applicants for a Certificate of Eligibility MUST complete a 24 hour "Introduction to the Teaching Profession" course before applying for a CE.

New Pathways to Teaching in New Jersey is pleased to offer the new ‘Introduction to the Teaching Profession: 24-Hour Program required for alternate route candidates who apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CE). Anyone who registers for this course must have a Bachelor's Degree.

Please read this information and then contact the office with your questions. If you are unfamiliar with the terminology see the glossary at the end of this page. After reading the overview, if you have additional questions Mr. Bob Sullivan, Coordinator of The New Pathways program, can be reached by email at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at 732-548-6000 ext. 7827.

For more information and class schedules:

Contact the New Pathways office at Middlesex County College at 732.906.2554 or by email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NPTNJ program is established as a Statewide consortium among New Jersey City University, collaborating NJ community colleges and affiliated school districts in New Jersey. The program is designed to provide alternate route education certification programs to qualified candidates as part of their collective response to statewide and local needs for certified teachers.  Download a program Overview.

New Pathways to Teaching in NJ: An Alternate Route to Teacher Certification

Enrollment Options

There is no admission to Stage II without completion of Stage I and without a job as a teacher in a public,charter, private, or parochial school in New Jersey. Enrollment in the NJ Deptment of Education's Provisional Teaching Program is also required.

All participating community colleges offer the same program for the same fee at approximately the same time. At the end of Stage I, students may transfer to another community college to complete Stage II of the program.

Choose from two options:

Students have the option of attending as a non-matriculated master’s degree candidate. Upon completion of the 2-stage program, the student will receive 15 credits through New Jersey City University. The student may also register as a non-credit candidate, receiving identical course training. Both options result in an NPTNJ completion report issued by the Community College to be submitted to the Provisional Teaching Office for licensure.

Graduate credit option offers 15 graduate credits through New Jersey City University (NJCU).

Prices are for the 2011-2012 academic year

Stage I: $2,943                   Stage II: $5,887

The noncredit option offers a certificate only.

Stage I: $1,300                   Stage II: $2,400

The course requirements and workload are identical for both options. Both equally fulfill the DOE requirements for the alternate route certification. Only the fees differ.

Schedule Format

Stage I - 12 class sessions and 15 hours of classroom observation totaling 60 hours. Classes usually meet from 6:00pm to 9:20pm, and New Jersey City  University offers 4 graduate credits for Stage I.

Stage II - 10 month program totaling 140 hours from September to June.progr Classes meet one night a week, 6:00-9:20pm. To progress to Stage II you must have acquired full-time employment as a teacher of record and have obtained a grade of "B" or better in Stage I. NJCU offers 11 graduate credits for Stage II.

Schedule for 2011-2012 Academic Year

STAGE I (2010-2011)

Spring:     March 30-June 15,2011    (Wednesdays)

Summer:     June 21- July 27, 2011    (Tuesday and Wednesday)

Time: 6:00-9:20pm ** (All sessions are contingent on sufficient enrollment).

Stage 2 (September 2011 - June 2012)

140 hours that take place concurrently with the novice teacher's provisional year.

Overall Program Eligibility Requirements
*Certificate of Eligibility (CE)

*Bachelor degree or higher with 2.75 minimum GPA in an undergraduate or graduate degree.

HOW TO APPLY to the Middlesex NPTNJ Program

Application is not complete until all items are received. Submission of application does not automatically result in admission to the program

 1. Attend an Information Session.

 2. Submit the following information to Middlesex after attending an Information Session:

 A.)  Fully completed Middlesex County College NPTNJ Application.

B.)  A copy of Certificate of Eligibility (CE).

C.)  A copy of Praxis II scores

D.)  Four official transcripts from all colleges attended.

Mail All Application Items To:

Middlesex County College

Office of School Relations

2600 Woodbridge Ave.

Edison NJ 08818

International Students

Applicants with Degrees from Foreign Institutions

Applicants with academic credentials from foreign institutions must provide a copy of a transcript evaluated by a third party organization course-by-course evaluation, to include an overall GPA, indicating that the applicant's education is equivalent to a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited U.S. institution, with a GPA of at least 2.75.Go tohttp://www.naces.org for a current list of accredited agencies.

CE Credit Requirements 

• To qualify for a CE in Elementary Education: 60 credits in liberal arts and sciences are required.

• To qualify for a Middle School CE: 15 credits in subject area are required, as well as an Elementary CE. The Middle School CE is called an Elementary with Specialization CE in one of the following areas: math, science, social studies, english/language arts, or a world language (Spanish, French, etc.).There is a middle school Praxis II exam for all middle school specialization areas but world language. For any of the world languages you must take the subject area Praxis II test and follow the additional world language regulations.

• To qualify for a K-12 Subject Area CE: 30 credits, with minimum of 12 at the advanced level, are required. Courses must be in a coherent sequence.

Summary
To teach middle school you need a CE in Elementary Education and a CE in Elementary Education with Specialization OR a single CE in a subject area. A subject area CE qualifies you to teach that subject K-12. A subject area CE is the most versatile and gives you the most options in getting a job. See below for specifics.

ETS automatically forwards your Praxis II exam results to the DOE, however NPTNJ requires a copy for your file. With the CE you are now eligible to apply for a teaching job in the NJ public school system. A Certificate of Eligibility is required for admittance into Stage I of the NPTNJ alternate route program.

MCC Office of School Relations is not qualified to review your transcript or advise as to what you are qualified to teach, or what credits might be missing. The DOE Office of Licensing and Academic Credentials is the only department that can do this.

**Note: You will receive your CE from the Department of Education (DOE). Please understand that MCC and the NPTNJ Program do not issue the CE and have no control over that process.

Glossary

DOE: New Jersey Department of Education

Certificate of Eligibility (CE): Qualifies the holder to seek employment as a teacher. This is NOT a NJ Standard License.

Provisional License: One-year license that allows first year teachers to begin working in the classroom and legalizes employment. Upon employment, the school enrolls you in the provisional program.

Provisional Teacher Program (PTP): The combination of training, support and evaluation required by the state of New Jersey for first year teachers.

Standard License: The permanent credential that allows the holder to serve without condition in all New Jersey schools