Career and Technical Education Alternate Route Teacher Program

New Jersey Career and Technical Education Alternate Route Teacher Program

The CTE Alternate Route program is a non-traditional teacher preparation program designed for those individuals who have not completed a formal teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university but wish to obtain the necessary training to become a NJ certified teacher. Individuals may teach in vocational or comprehensive schools that offer programs in their CTE subject area.

• Do you aspire to become a teacher but don’t have a degree in education?
• Do you have expertise in career and technical fields such as Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts,  or Graphic Design?
• Are you looking for a career change?

You may be eligible for Brookdale’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Alternate Route Teacher Certification Program. This comprehensive program prepares you to enter the teaching profession by providing 400 hours of instruction in a New Jersey Department of Education-approved program.

Is CTE the right program for you?
Please Click Here to Find Your Endorsement Area and Code*

*If you do not see your endorsement area, we highly recommend contacting your County Office of Education to determine which CE endorsement you qualify for and which Educator Preparation Program/Alternate Route Program you would enroll in.
Please note: Brookdale Community College does not offer a P-3 Alternate Route Program.
Contact the NJ Department of Education for a list of approved P-3 providers.

Career and Technical Education Certificate of Eligibility Educator Preparation Program (CTE CE EPP)

Candidates may apply for and begin Stage I, the 50-Hour Pre-Professional Experience without a Certificate of Eligibility (CE)* and/or a teaching job but will need both to continue to the 350-Hour component of the Program.

*All CE applications and supporting documents, regardless of subject area, must be submitted directly to the NJDOE: http://www.state.nj.us/education/educators/license/

Cost of the Career and Technical Education Certificate of Eligibility Educator Preparation Program (CTE CE EPP)

Stage I – 50 Hour Pre-Professional Experience cost is $396*. These costs do not include textbooks.

Stages II-VII – Total non-credit cost for the remaining 350 hours of program $4,290* that will be broken out by $715* per stage. These costs do not include textbooks.

*Note: Tuition is based on Brookdale Community College’s credit tuition rate and is subject to change.

Financial Assistance

There is no financial aid available through the College. Students may seek private loans.

Click here for information on scholarship opportunities.

CTE CE EPP program start dates

Stage I – 50 Hour Pre-Professional Experience will have start dates throughout the year. Upcoming dates will be announced to candidates as they submit completed program applications.

The Stage II program will include cohorts with start dates throughout the year.

What to expect once registered

The CTE CE EPP is a hybrid course which means there are online components and virtual class meetings designed as “Cohort Saturdays.” The 400-Hour program is broken down into seven curriculum components: Stage I represents the 50-Hour Pre-Professional Experience and is comprised of ten online sessions and two Cohort Saturdays; Stages II-VII represent 350 hours of instruction comprised of online sessions and a total of 18 Cohort Saturday sessions over two years.

Credit and noncredit options:

Credit Option

Brookdale Community College has developed an associate degree credit option for individuals who do not already have a college degree, or who may want to pursue credits for an additional degree.  Teachers in the Career and Technical Education Certificate of Eligibility Educator Preparation Program (CTE CE EPP) will be offered the opportunity to earn undergraduate college credits toward an associate degree at Brookdale Community College.  Candidates can earn credits toward a Technical Education AAS by successfully completing the components of Stage II through Stage VII of the curriculum. More information will be provided to all candidates when available, and during open enrollment periods.

Non-credit Option

The noncredit option is for certification only.

The course requirements and workload are identical for both options. Both equally fulfill the NJ Department of Education alternate route teacher education requirements for teacher certification.

Additional information:

For more information, please review the CTE Program Overview.

Brookdale Community College is an Equal Opportunity educational institution. In order to promote this goal, the College makes positive efforts to ensure equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or veteran status.