New Jersey Department of Education

Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Initial Application Packet - Private Career School (PCS)

The Private Career School (PCS) initial application may be completed by any business enterprise operated for either profit or nonprofit which does business in New Jersey and recruits adult students from the general public; charges tuition and/or fees; offers instruction to a group or groups of four or more adult students at one time; and offers preparatory instruction for entry-level employment or for upgrading in a specific occupational field.  The application process includes both the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD). While the processing time for new applications varies, the average approval process for new schools may take up to six months.

Note: The application process for schools applying to run the programs listed below is longer and schools must obtain approval from the corresponding New Jersey State Department/Board prior to approval from the LWD and DOE:

Programs Requiring New State Board/Departmental Approval
Program New Jersey State Board/Department Approval Required
Certified Medication Aide NJ Department of Health
Certified Nurse Aide NJ Department of Health
Dental Assistant with X-Ray Component NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Homemaker-Home Health Aide NJ Board of Nursing
Practical Nursing NJ Board of Nursing

 

If you have any questions about the checklist requirements or specific forms below, please contact the DOE's Postsecondary Private Career School Unit by e-mail at privatecareerschools@doe.nj.gov or LWD's Training Evaluation Unit by e-mail at TrainingEvaluationUnit@dol.state.nj.us.

Program CIP Codes State-Regulated Curriculum Content
Acupuncture N.J.A.C. 13:35-9 51.3301
  • New Jersey law requires that applicants hold at least a baccalaureate degree in addition to their acupuncture training.
  • Background checks apply (including student loan, child support, criminal)
  • Board regulations require graduation from an acupuncture program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
  • Board regulations require applicants submit evidence of successfully passing the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) examination, taken in English, including the following modules: Foundations of Oriental Medicine; Acupuncture; Point Location; and Biomedicine. Commencing June 21, 2014, the acupuncture program must consist of at least 2,500 hours of instruction.
Massage N.J.A.C. 13:37A-1.1 51.3501 The course of study in massage and bodywork therapy must be at least 500 hours. The 500 hours of education must include:
  • 90 hours of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology;
  • ethics and law;
  • theory and practice;
  • electives related to the practice of massage and bodywork therapy; and;
  • at least 100 hours of clinical practice under the supervision of a faculty member legally authorized to practice in the State in which the school exists.
Applicants must possess certification in Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) from courses offered by the American Heart Association or a substantially similar course approved or offered by the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council, Coyne First Aid, Inc., the American Safety and Health Institute, or EMP International Inc. Applicants must also pass either an examination offered by National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB); or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) offered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB).  As a result, school curriculums must be aligned to one of these agencies.
“Certified” Medical Assistant N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.4 51.0801 “Certified medical assistant” means a graduate of a postsecondary medical assisting education program accredited by CAHEA (The Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association), or its successor; ABHES (Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools), or its successor; or any accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The educational program shall include, at a minimum, 600 clock hours of instruction and shall encompass training in the administration of intramuscular and subcutaneous injections and instruction and demonstration in: pertinent anatomy and physiology appropriate to injection procedures; choice of equipment; proper technique including sterile technique; hazards and complications; and emergency procedures. The medical assistant must also maintain current certification from the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT), or registration from the American Medical Technologists (AMT), or any other recognized certifying body approved by the Board. Medical Assistants are not required to be certified in New Jersey.

 

Program Not Approved as a Private Career School
Program CIP Codes New Jersey State Board/Department Approval Required
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor
  • 12.0401
  • 12.0413
  • 12.0499
 NJ State Board of Cosmetology

 

Individual Components of Initial Application Packet


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