Introduction to Criminology
Self-paced online Introduction to Criminology course (Criminology 150). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Finishing a bachelor's while on shift work
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Finishing a bachelor's on shift work is mostly a planning problem. For a Florida officer, the bachelor's adds $50 a month to the salary incentive under s. 943.22, on top of the $30 associate level. Choose one accredited college plan, ask what it will count in writing, then fit self-paced courses around rotating shifts.
What the bachelor's is worth under the state program
Section 943.22 adds $50 a month for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, for $80 a month in education pay. The total of all salary incentives is capped at $130 a month. Agencies often add their own degree pay or promotion rules; those are separate and worth asking about.
Why shift work makes fixed classes hard
Rotating shifts, court dates, overtime and call-outs break a fixed class schedule. A missed week in a 16-week term can mean a withdrawal. Self-paced online courses let you study on days off and stop when a busy rotation starts, without losing a term.
A plan that survives a bad month
Keep the plan simple and written down.
- One college, one degree plan, one advisor email thread
- One course at a time during heavy rotations, two on lighter ones
- General education first: it fits almost any bachelor's
- Major courses after the college confirms where they go
- Transcript to your agency as each level is reached, because pay is not retroactive
Where UPI Study courses can fit
UPI Study courses are self-paced and online. Introduction to Criminology, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Ethics in the Social Sciences and English Composition are common choices for officers. They are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended and reach a college via a college transcript.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. Whether a course counts in your bachelor's is the college's decision. Ask it in writing before you enrol.
| Plan length | Courses a month | Credits in 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| Light rotation | 2 | about 36 |
| Heavy rotation | 1 | about 18 |
| Mixed | 1-2 | about 24 |
What to ask before you start
Three written answers save most wasted effort: from your agency, which transcript it needs and when it pays from; from your college, which of your existing credits count; and from your college, which outside courses it will review and where they sit in the degree. Keep all three in one folder.
Keeping the pace steady
Most officers who stall do so after a run of night shifts or a court-heavy month, not because a course was too hard. Set a small weekly target that still works on a bad week, such as two short study sessions on days off, and treat anything more as a bonus.
Plan around the calendar you already know: annual training, holiday cover and shift bids. Start a new course right after a heavy period ends, not just before one begins. Self-paced courses make this easier because there is no term deadline to miss.
When each level posts, send the transcript to your agency at once. The incentive is not paid back to the date you finished, so a transcript left in a drawer for three months is three months of pay you will not see.
- Two short sessions a week as the floor
- Start new courses after busy rotations, not before
- Send each transcript to your agency as soon as it posts
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your agency's training or HR office in writing which transcript it accepts for the salary incentive, and ask your college in writing which courses it will place in your degree plan, 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
How long does a bachelor's take on shift work?
It depends on how much credit you already have. Officers with an associate degree often need about 60 more hours. At one or two self-paced courses a month, general education can move quickly; major courses depend on the college's own schedule.
Do I need the associate degree first?
Not always. The statute pays $30 for the associate level and $50 more for the bachelor's. Ask your agency how it reports a bachelor's earned without a separate associate, and plan with that answer.
Will my agency pay for courses?
Some Florida agencies offer tuition help; it is set by the agency, not by s. 943.22. Ask HR in writing what it covers, which colleges qualify and whether it pays for outside courses before the college counts them.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Ethics in the Social Sciences
Self-paced online Ethics in the Social Sciences course (Social Science 110). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
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 →Start when you have it in writing
Criminology, psychology, sociology and composition are all on PRO. Check with your college and agency first.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 943.22: Salary incentive program for full-time officers (official)$30 a month for a community college degree or equivalent; an additional $50 for a bachelor's degree; $120 for 480 hours of career development training; $130 monthly cap; equivalent = 60 semester or 90 quarter hours and eligibility to receive an associate degree; accredited institution defined in (1)(a); no education incentive where the job requires a 4-year degree. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.