The college offers two-year
associate degree programs designed for students who aim to
transfer to four-year colleges and complete their
bachelor's degree. MCCC also offers associate degree programs in
applied science designed for students seeking employment after their time at the college. These programs include degrees in
accounting,
electronics,
horticulture,
funeral service, and
computer graphics. Non-degree programs include
certificates in over 30 different areas,
adult education classes for those seeking a
high school–equivalent diploma, and an
English as a second language program. Students can also take courses on-campus at MCCC that fulfill the requirements for degrees awarded by
Rutgers University and
William Paterson University. These on-campus programs are offered through the University Center; in 2018, ground was broken to build the center. In 2020, the University Center offered bachelor's programs with
Felician University and Rutgers, as well as bachelor's and master's from
Fairleigh Dickinson University, William Paterson, and
Wilmington University.
Accreditation The college is
accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education and approved to offer degree programs by the New Jersey
Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. Some of the college's programs are further programmatically accredited.
Honors program Established in 2006, the Mercer Honors Program is an
honors pathway available to students matriculated into a degree program. Honors students take honors courses each semester that prepare them for upper-division coursework they may encounter after transferring. These courses are smaller and more discussion-based, but intentionally challenging. The program also hosts an annual student-led honors conference; the 2019 conference was on the topic of challenges faced by
millennials.
DREAM Program In 2005, Mercer and
The College of New Jersey split a $300,000 grant from Laura and
Steve Riggio, chief executive of
Barnes & Noble, to develop programs for students with cognitive disabilities. The couple at the time had a college-age child with
Down syndrome. The college now offers a program through their Center for Accessibility Resources to offer postsecondary education to those with
intellectual disabilities. The four-semester DREAM (Developing Real Expectations for Achieving Mastery) Program includes program-specific courses as well as inclusive classes alongside other students.
High school partnerships Through
concurrent enrollment programs, high school students may take credit-bearing courses at the community college. For the Jump Start Program, students must have completed tenth grade or the equivalent and place into the program through
SAT or
ACT scores. The Dual Enrollment Program, meanwhile, is available only to high school seniors (and juniors at specific high schools) who take courses that can then be applied to further college education after high school graduation. Jump Start is capped at two courses per term, while Dual Enrollment students may take up to 12 credits per year. Career Prep, offered in partnership with
Mercer County Technical Schools (MCTS), is another high school program for students in the county. Eligible 12th grade students take courses at the West Windsor Campus during the afternoon session and receive credit towards their high school graduation that can also be transferred to other colleges. Students take two classes in the spring and two in the fall, typically resulting in 12 credits in an academic year. Courses are available in the fields of aviation, criminal justice, culinary arts, fashion (at the Kerney Campus), fire science (at the Dempster Fire Training Center), journalism, manufacturing, marketing, and theater, among others.
Transfer destinations Formerly known as Dual Admissions, the Guaranteed Transfer Admission program at MCCC allows for the college's students to be guaranteed admission to specific four-year colleges and universities should they meet coursework and GPA requirements. Mercer has established guaranteed transfer agreements with the following institutions:
Fairleigh Dickinson University,
Georgian Court University,
New Jersey City University,
New Jersey Institute of Technology,
Rider University,
Rowan University,
Rutgers University,
Stockton University, and
William Paterson University in New Jersey, and
Delaware Valley University,
James Madison University,
La Salle University,
Temple University, and
Wilmington University out of state. Two years after
Princeton University, an
Ivy League university in
Princeton, New Jersey, began accepting transfers, two students from the Mercer County Community College class of 2020 transferred to the university. Princeton published on their website in 2024 a news story of another transfer from MCCC. Princeton University has launched initiatives to attract qualified community college transfer students; the
New Jersey Education Association gave Mercer County Community College as an example of a targeted college. Transfer destinations of honors program alumni include
Case Western Reserve University,
Columbia University,
Harvard University, Princeton, and
Washington University in St. Louis. ==Student body==