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Thomas Edison State University and Atlantic Cape Community College signed an agreement Tuesday to allow Atlantic Cape students to transfer 90 college credits and then complete the remaining 30 credits required for graduation from Thomas Edison through the TESU/NJ 3+1 Pathways Program.

The colleges say the move aligns with goals of the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to create more 3+1 programs, as well as more college-educated New Jersey residents.

“TESU developed the 3+1 program because we know that New Jersey community college graduates are well-prepared to take on a four-year degree,” Thomas Edison President Merodie Hancock said in a statement. “And together with our community college partners, we are building affordable and timely degree completion pathways in high-demand fields.”

The program permits students to remain at Atlantic Cape for an additional 30 credits beyond the associate degree and pay for those credits at the community college rate. It also promotes associate and baccalaureate degree completion while driving the New Jersey State Office of Higher Education goal of 65 percent degree attainment by 2025, with the added benefit of keeping students in New Jersey.

“We are proud to partner with Thomas Edison State University to bring this innovative program to Atlantic Cape, as it provides an open-access opportunity for our students to further the mission of degree completion, while at the same time lessening the financial burden of earning a college degree,” Atlantic Cape President Barbara Gaba said.

New Jersey’s community colleges enroll more than 325,000 students at more than 60 campuses, making them the largest provider of higher education in New Jersey.