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 →New JerseyPublic safety
Which online credits can end up on an accredited college transcript
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Online credits end up on a college transcript in two ways: you take the course from the college itself, or a college reviews outside courses with ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations and posts the credit. NJSP counts credits from an accredited college or university, so the posting college matters more than where you studied.
Why the transcript matters
The New Jersey State Police counts degrees and credits from an accredited college or university. A recruiter reads your college transcript, not a list of courses or certificates. So the question is not only where you study, but which college puts the credit on its record.
Local police departments have their own rules, but most also ask for a college transcript when they ask about credits.
Route one: courses from the college
The plainest route is to take online courses directly from an accredited college. New Jersey's county colleges offer many online sections. The credit appears on that college's transcript as soon as you pass. The trade-off is cost and timing: Mercer County Community College lists $260.55 a credit for Mercer residents and $420.25 for other New Jersey residents for 2026-2027, and classes follow a term calendar.
Route two: recommended credit posted by a college
The second route uses courses from outside providers that carry credit recommendations from ACE or NCCRS. These bodies review a course and recommend how many college credits it is worth. A college then decides whether to award that credit on its own transcript. Once it does, the credit sits on the transcript like any other transfer credit.
UPI Study's courses carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and many other colleges do the same. Each college sets its own limits on how many outside credits it takes and how they count toward a degree.
- You study online at your own pace.
- A college reviews the ACE or NCCRS recommendation.
- If it agrees, the college posts the credit on its transcript.
- You send that college's official transcript to NJSP.
What does not end up on a transcript
Some online courses carry no credit recommendation at all. Certificates of completion, badges and training hours are useful for learning, but a college usually cannot post them as credit. Courses from a school that is not an accredited college or university face the same problem. Check before you pay: ask the provider which body reviewed the course, and ask the college whether it considers that review.
- Certificates of completion with no ACE or NCCRS review.
- Training hours, unless a college grants credit for them.
- Credits from a school that is not an accredited college or university.
Questions to ask in writing
Two short emails save months. Ask the college how it would post each course you plan to take and how many credits it would give. Then ask the NJSP Recruiting Unit whether credit posted that way counts toward your route. Keep both replies with your application papers.
- To the college: will you post this course, and for how many credits?
- To the college: is there a limit on outside credit?
- To NJSP: does credit posted this way count toward my route?
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the NJSP Recruiting Unit in writing whether credit posted by a college from ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses counts toward your option, before you enrol, and keep the reply.
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
Does NJSP count online credits?
NJSP counts credits from an accredited college or university and does not say they must be taken in person. What matters is that the credit appears on that college's transcript. If you plan to use outside courses, ask the NJSP Recruiting Unit in writing whether credit posted by a college that way counts.
What are ACE and NCCRS?
ACE, the American Council on Education, and NCCRS, the National College Credit Recommendation Service, review courses taught outside colleges and recommend how many college credits they are worth. A college then decides whether to award that credit. A recommendation alone is not a transcript entry, so the college step is needed.
Which college should post my credit?
Ideally the college where you plan to finish a degree. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and many others do too. Ask each college how it would post your courses and whether it limits outside credit, then choose the one that fits your plan.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
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
Get NJSP's answer in writing first, then close your credit gap at your own pace and have a college post the credit.
Sources
- NJSP: Minimum qualifications and disqualifiers (official)Education options: bachelor's from an accredited college or university; associate degree or 60 college credits plus 24 months (104 weeks, at least 20 hours a week, military counts) of experience; 30 college credits plus 24 months of active duty; or 80 credits by 31 Aug 2026 with a bachelor's by 31 Aug 2027 (not considered for the current selection). Age at least 20 at application, 21 at Academy start, under 35 at Academy graduation; New Jersey residency on graduation. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Mercer County Community College: Tuition and fees (official)Summer 2026 to Spring 2027: $260.55 a credit for Mercer residents and $420.25 for other New Jersey residents, including college and technology fees. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.