Welcome to the MACEM&PS at Frederick Community College’s Police Science degree program, offered in partnership with the Maryland State Police (MSP)!
While any sworn officer at any stage of their career is eligible to pursue our Police Science degree, we’ve worked together with MSP to also offer a special version of the program that is blended into the MSP Academy training. Courses are taught online or on Academy premises, and are considered just another part of a participating trooper candidate’s training. At the end of the Academy, successful candidates will not only become MSP Troopers, they’ll receive their Associate’s degree at the same time.
If you’re an MSP candidate who might be interested in the program, we’ve put together this page to help you get started. You’ll find the details of the program, instructions for registering, placement test prep resources, and more!
1. Check Out the Program Requirements
To earn your degree, this is the list of courses and credits you’ll need. Some you’ll get credit for as a result of your police academy training; some you’ll take with our instructors – take a look, get familiar, and then download a copy of the checklist to keep for yourself!
To download a version you can keep for yourself, click here. Save it on your device, click it to check off courses as you complete them – then hit save again to keep a record of your progress!
You can also click here to learn more about the Police Science A.A.S. degree itself, including career trajectories, departmental contact info, and transfer opportunities for further study.
2. Enroll at FCC
Before starting the FCC Police Science program while attending the Maryland State Police (MSP) Academy, you must be enrolled with Frederick Community College.
Step #1:
Click on the link, which will open in a new tab: https://apply.frederick.edu/begin
Step #2:
Select the “Begin Application” at the bottom right of the corner.
Step #3:
Complete the application.
When prompted to select the degree path, it is very important you select “POLICE SCIENCE”
Step #4:
Once you have completed the application, please email Jason Deater, the 1st Responder Program Manager, at jadeater@frederick.edu with your full name and notify him that you have completed the application.
Once registered as a student with the college, a student identification number will be issued within 1 or 2 days. The 1st Responder Program Manager will have your student identification number on the first-day students meet with FCC. This will occur during the first week of the MSP academy.
3. Requesting Transcripts
If you have prior college experience, please bring an official transcript from each college you’ve previously attended during the MSP Academy’s first week. If you have successfully completed English and Math 101, you will not need to complete the college placement testing.
If you have graduated high school within the previous five years with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, please bring a copy of your high school transcripts the first week of the academy. You may be exempt from placement testing.
You will also need to request that official copies of your transcripts be sent to Frederick Community College’s Transfer Evaluation office. Click here to learn how and view their FAQ page.
Official college transcripts can typically be ordered from your previous institutions, to be delivered either electronically or by mail. High school transcripts can be requested from your high schools, often via similar processes. If you have questions, contact your previous colleges’ transfer offices, your high school guidance counselor’s office, or email Program Manager Deater (jadeater@frederick.edu) to get some assistance.
4. Placement Testing
Frederick Community College requires new students to take placement tests as part of the College’s admissions process. As described in Step 3, you may be exempt from placement tests based on prior college credits and high school GPA.
There are two resources to help prepare you for the ACCUPLACER Placement Test.
I encourage you to review the “Test Prep – FCC” first, and the ACCUPLACER review materials if you feel you could use further practice.
This prep time is important, especially if you’ve been outside of high school or college for a while. And don’t worry! Most students only need a simple review to pass the placement testing successfully.
5. Your Day 1 Checklist
Before you show up for Day 1 of your Academy class, be sure that you…
- Are registered with FCC.
- Have requested official transcripts sent to FCC.
- Have a copy of your official transcripts with you for review on first day.
- Are adequately prepared for the placement test.
If you’ve got all four, then you’re ready to go. We’ll see you soon, Trooper Candidate!