Introduction to Criminology
Self-paced online Introduction to Criminology course (Criminology 150). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →DelawarePublic safety
How many college credits do you need to be a police officer in Delaware?
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
To become a Delaware State Police trooper you need 60 semester credits from an accredited college or university, or 30 credits plus two years of active-duty military service. Municipal departments in Delaware set their own hiring rules, so check each one. Count the credits you already have before you take any new course.
The State Police rule in one table
The Delaware State Police qualifications page sets out three routes. Most applicants use the first.
| Route | College credits | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 60 semester or 90 quarter | High school diploma or GED |
| Military | 30 | Two years of active-duty military service |
| Accelerated Academy | 30 | Two years as a Delaware-certified officer or out-of-state trooper |
Municipal departments are different
The 60-credit rule is the State Police's own. City and town departments in Delaware hire under their own rules, and many publish them on their recruiting pages. Some ask for a high school diploma only, and others ask for some college or give preference to it.
If you are applying to more than one agency, list each one's education line side by side. The State Police rule is usually the highest bar, so meeting it keeps every door open.
Count the credits you already have
Many applicants have more college credit than they think. Courses from a community college, a semester at a university, dual enrollment in high school, and military training that a college has already posted can all show up on a transcript.
Request an unofficial transcript from every college you attended and add up the semester credits. Quarter credits convert at the rate DSP uses: 90 quarter credits match 60 semester credits.
- Community college or university courses
- Dual enrollment from high school
- Military training already posted by a college
- Any courses finished elsewhere but never transferred
Closing the gap
If you are short, decide how many credits you need and by when. Delaware Tech charges $156.75 per credit hour in state for 2026-2027, plus a $10 per credit technology fee, so 30 credits cost about $5,003 there.
Another route is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses that a college then posts on its transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask DSP recruiting in writing whether it would count credits posted that way before you enrol.
Plan for promotion too
The credit rule follows you after the Academy. DSP needs 60 credits to compete for Sergeant and a bachelor's degree for Lieutenant and above. Choosing courses that fit a degree plan now saves you from retaking or replacing them later.
Criminology, Psychology, Sociology and English Composition fit most criminal justice and general studies degrees, so they serve both the hiring count and later promotion.
A checklist before you apply
Before you send an application, line up the paperwork that proves each requirement. Recruiters move faster when an applicant can show every item at once, and gaps found late can push you to a later Academy class.
Keep copies of everything you send and note the date. If a recruiter tells you something about your credits by phone, ask for the same answer by email so you have it in writing.
- Official transcripts from every college you attended
- Proof of age and US citizenship
- High school diploma or GED
- Driver's license and a record of your driving history
- DD-214 if you are using the military route
- A written answer from DSP recruiting on any credit you are unsure of
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the Delaware State Police Recruiting Unit in writing whether credits posted on a partner college's transcript would count toward its 60- or 30-credit requirement before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Do Delaware municipal police departments need 60 college credits?
Not necessarily. The 60-credit rule is the Delaware State Police's own qualification. City and town departments set their own hiring standards, so check each department's recruiting page and ask its recruiter in writing about any education rule before you plan your courses.
Do quarter credits count for the Delaware State Police?
Yes. DSP's qualifications page asks for 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits from an accredited college or university. If your transcript uses quarter credits, divide by 1.5 to compare them with the semester count DSP uses for its other rules.
Can I apply to the Delaware State Police while I finish my credits?
Check the current recruiting page and ask the Recruiting Unit. The qualifications page lists the credits as a requirement, so ask in writing when the credits must be on your transcript and whether courses in progress can count toward the application.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask DSP recruiting in writing first, then start with Criminology, Psychology and English Composition.
Sources
- Delaware State Police: Qualifications (official)US citizen; 21 by the end of the Academy and not over 39 on day one; high school diploma or GED plus 60 semester or 90 quarter credits from an accredited college or university, or 30 credits with two years of active-duty military service; 30 credits with two years as a Delaware-certified officer or out-of-state trooper for the accelerated Academy; 60 credits for Sergeant, bachelor's for Lieutenant and above. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.