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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Which colleges take NCCRS and ACE credit recommendations in New York
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Some New York colleges consider ACE-recommended and NCCRS-recommended credit and some do not, and each college decides course by course. For NYPD applicants the question is narrower: which accredited college will post the credits on its transcript in a way that shows the 2.0 index the NYPD looks for. Ask before you enrol.
Start with the partner colleges
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and Newlane is a third. They are not in New York, but an accredited college in any state can hold the credits the NYPD reads. Ask each one how it posts the credits before you choose.
New York colleges and their own policies
Excelsior University in Albany publishes a transfer policy that covers ACE and NCCRS recommendations. It says it may accept or deny such credit, wants official transcripts, and posts approved transfer credit as 'Pass' without a GPA effect. That last point matters for the NYPD's 2.0 index. SUNY Empire State University and CUNY colleges have their own policies; read each college's page and ask the admissions office.
- Read the college's own transfer page.
- Ask whether it posts a grade or Pass.
- Ask whether there is a limit on how many recommended credits it takes.
The 2.0 index problem
When a college posts credit as Pass, the transcript may show credits but no grade point average for them. The NYPD's notice asks for at least a 2.0 cumulative index 'or its equivalent'. How the NYPD reads Pass credits is its decision, so ask its candidate assessment staff in writing and keep the answer.
A short checklist for each college
Send the same questions to every college you are considering, and compare the written replies.
- Do you consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit for these courses?
- Will the credits appear with grades or as Pass?
- How long does posting take?
- What does it cost to apply and to post transfer credit?
- Can I be a non-degree student, or do I need to enrol in a programme?
What the NYPD reads at the end
Whatever college you choose, the NYPD reads that college's official transcript, not the NCCRS or ACE record. Make sure the transcript shows 24 semester credits from an accredited college or university. Then ask your investigator to confirm it meets the rule.
Why partner and New York colleges differ
Colleges that serve adult learners, such as TESU, UoPeople and Newlane, are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and they publish how they review it. Traditional New York colleges often review credit recommendations case by case and may limit how many such credits they take. Neither approach is right or wrong for the NYPD rule; what matters is the transcript you end up with.
For an NYPD applicant who does not plan a full degree, the useful questions are simple: can I enrol as a non-degree or transfer student, how fast will you post the credits, and will they show a grade. A college that posts quickly with grades may be a better fit than a cheaper one that posts Pass months later.
- Speed of posting
- Grade or Pass on the transcript
- Cost to apply and to post
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college in writing how it will post your credits, and ask the NYPD candidate assessment staff in writing whether those posted credits meet the 24-credit, 2.0-index rule, 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
Does CUNY take ACE or NCCRS credit?
Each CUNY college sets its own transfer policy and some evaluate credit recommendations case by case. Ask the admissions office of the CUNY college you want in writing, naming the courses, before you enrol.
Is a college in another state fine for the NYPD?
The notice asks for an accredited college or university, accredited by an agency recognised by the US Secretary of Education and CHEA. It does not say the college must be in New York. Confirm your choice with the NYPD in writing.
What if a college refuses some courses?
Ask which courses it refused and why, then replace them with courses it will post. Get the list of acceptable subjects in writing before you start the next course, and check with the NYPD that the final total still reaches 24 credits.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Introduction to Sociology
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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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
Earn 12-24 credits with courses that carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations, then move them to an accredited college via a college transcript.
Sources
- Excelsior University: Transfer credit sources policy (official)A New York college's own policy on ACE- and NCCRS-recommended credit: it may accept or deny it, needs official transcripts, and posts approved transfer credit as 'Pass' without a GPA effect. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DCAS Notice of Examination: Promotion to Police Officer, Exam No. 6539 (amended 21 Jan 2026) (official)24 college semester credits at an accredited college or university with at least a 2.0 cumulative index, or 2 years of honorable full-time US military service; college must be accredited by an agency recognised by the US Secretary of Education and CHEA; foreign education evaluated at the candidate's cost. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.