Military Degree Completion Program

The Military Degree Completion Program (MDCP) was developed to accommodate the special needs of military personnel whose location, relocation and time constraints make traditional, classroom-based college attendance difficult, if not impossible. The program allows service members to engage in a degree program wherever they are stationed. Coursework is built around the unique needs of service members and the demands of their military assignments.

The advantages of Thomas Edison State University to armed forces personnel include:

  • Focuses on degree, not just course, completion
  • No on-campus residency requirement
  • A personalized degree plan
  • Maximum credit awarded for military training and prior college-level knowledge
  • Courses structured in 8- and 12-week terms
  • New terms begin each month
  • No classroom attendance is required for most methods of earning credit so studying can fit flexibly within your own lifestyle and assignment demands
  • Access to the full range of University services

Completing Your Degree


Because of your affiliation with the military, you have received intensive training and educational instruction unmatched by many others in our society. Whether you plan to make the military your career or return to civilian life sooner rather than later, earning a college degree should be one of your most important goals.

The University offers flexible, high-quality opportunities to earn associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees by providing a wide range resources to serve today’s adult learner. To participate in the Military Degree Completion Program, service members must complete at least 12 semester hours toward an associate degree or 24 semester hours toward a bachelor's degree at Thomas Edison State University.

Service members may complete degrees at Thomas Edison State University through a variety of methods, including transferring credits from other regionally accredited academic institutions; demonstrating they possess college-level knowledge acquired outside the classroom; earning credits by examination; and taking online courses.