Career and Technical Education Alternate Route Teacher Program

New Jersey Career and Technical Education Alternate Route Teacher Program

Brookdale Community College is a proud member in good standing with the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

The Brookdale Community College Alternate Route to Teaching program has received AAQEP’s initial accreditation, valid through December 31, 2029.

This accreditation underscores the program’s commitment to excellence in preparing effective, growth-oriented educators and highlights its dedication to maintaining the highest standards in educator preparation.

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.

* 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.

Candidates may apply for and begin Stage I, the 50-Hour Pre-Professional

Experience with out 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:
Apply for Certification

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

Beginning January 2026, the total non-credit cost for the remaining 350 hours of program $4, 637.50*. This cost does not include textbooks.

* Note:

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

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

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.

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 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…