Central Penn College

Summerdale, PA

• Associate Degree Programs

  • Associate in Applied Science in Medical Assisting (hybrid)

    Medical Assisting

    Do you have what it takes to assist doctors in delivering compassionate, effective medical care? Central Penn College’s Medical Assisting program may be the perfect fit for you! Medical Assisting students will gain practical, real-world experience in Central Penn’s simulated medical office.

    How would you like to learn to draw blood, prepare patients for exams, administer medications and injections or even assist with minor surgery? With your Associate in Applied Science degree in Medical Assisting from Central Penn College, you can.

    Our Medical Assisting students learn from experts in the field about everything from bedside manner to patient care. The degree program will help students gain the skills necessary to manage various medical facilities and assist doctors.

  • Associate in Criminal Justice

    Central Penn Criminal Justice program graduates will learn to enforce laws, gather and compile statistical information, detect and apprehend criminals, prevent crime and delinquency, rehabilitate offenders, and provide safety and security to those around you. The positions available to Criminal Justice Associates students* include: State and local police departments, Private security firms, Sheriff's departments, Federal border patrol, U.S. Marshall's office, State and Federal correctional facilities, Private prison programs, Bank security and fraud prevention, Insurance investigation and fraud prevention *Availability varies among departments and jurisdictions. Age, physical fitness, and additional testing and training requirements may apply.

  • Associate in Paralegal (hybrid)

    Paralegal

    The Associate in Science degree in Paralegal is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to be practicing paralegals in law firms, government agencies, corporations and the courts. Personalized instruction and relevant coursework capped by a professional internship prepare students to meet the growing demand for degreed paralegals in the public and private sectors. 

    You Will Learn

    Upon completion of the Paralegal program, the graduate should be able to: 

    • Use the resources of a law library and online information sources to solve legal research problems and draft memoranda, briefs, and pleadings using proper legal format, grammar, and spelling. 
    • Operate and maintain computer equipment and systems found in a law office. 
    • Demonstrate knowledge of legal terminology, principles, and procedures, and possess the skills necessary to apply that knowledge to fact patterns in a logical and coherent manner. 
    • Comply with the ethical guidelines required of paralegals. 
    • Use communication skills appropriate to the legal setting that demonstrate a firm knowledge of the mechanics of written and oral language. 
    • Prepare a case for trial from filing the initial lawsuit through and including preparing oral arguments, client and witness testimony, and appellate documents. 
    • Use the internet to gather factual and legal information. 
    • Relate a knowledge of professional behavior necessary to carrying out the tasks of a paralegal under the supervision of a lawyer.

  • Criminal Justice Associate

    Do you have a natural desire to serve and protect others? Do you want to help make the world a better, safer place? If you do, and you have a strong sense of right and wrong, then consider majoring in criminal justice. Here you will learn how to conduct criminal investigations, apply critical thinking to real-world situations, analyze legal and political responses to criminal behavior and more.
    
    Combining both classroom theory and real-life work, you will be ready to enter this exciting, high-demand field.
    

  • Entrepreneurship & Small Business Associate

    When that light bulb in your head clicks on, your future can get much brighter.
    
    Learn what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur. Take your idea to new heights by learning how to market, hire, develop a product, expand your clientele and profit margin, and more.
    
    Our professors are uniquely devoted to helping those who aspire to open their own business or who may eventually take the reins of a family business.
    
    Central Penn College ­has been creating entrepreneurs since 1881.
    
    While learning about the fundamentals of innovation and initiative, you will gain real-world experience creating and shaping the future of a company. Our experienced faculty will guide you and provide valuable insight into owning and running a small business.
    

  • Medical Assisting Associate

    Do you have what it takes to help doctors deliver compassionate and capable health care? You will gain real-life experience in our simulated medical office, and enter a field that will always be in demand. You will take courses in anatomy, learn clinical techniques and medical laboratory testing, and embark on an internship as a medical assistant.
    
    Through our partnership with UPMC, your tuition may even be eligible for reimbursement after a successful work history. Our courses combine lectures with hands-on learning to maximize your training.
    
    How would you like to learn to draw blood, prepare patients for exams, administer medications and injections or even assist with minor surgery? With our Medical Assisting degree, you can.
    
    At Central Penn, you’ll learn from experts in the field about everything from bedside manners to patient care. This degree program will help you gain the skills necessary to work in a variety of healthcare facilities and assist doctors.
    

• Bachelor’s Degree Programs

  • Bachelor in Business Administration-Marketing

    The Bachelor of Science degree program in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing will prepare students to meet the demands of today’s business. This program provides extensive knowledge in the areas of business background, management preparation, human resource and communication skills, and ethics in business and society. Central Penn’s Marketing concentration provides the student with the understanding of the application of marketing concepts to business models, the development of a marketing strategy, and the effective use of an advertising campaign. It will prepare students for careers as sales representative, marketing research analyst, advertising coordinator, public relations specialist, marketing manager, and marketing communications specialist.

  • Bachelor in Criminal Justice Administration

    The Bachelor of Science degree program in Criminal Justice Administration will prepare students to meet the growing demand for college educated criminal justice practitioners in both the public and private sectors. This academically rigorous program is designed to provide graduates with a comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system, relative bodies of law, and specialty subject matter consistent with each student's unique career ambitions. With due appreciation for the individual interests of program graduates, this degree program allows students to select choice classes most consistently aligned with their personal interests and professional goals. This eclectic approach enables students to design a customized educational experience. Empowered with ability to either focus or diversify choice classes, students enjoy the opportunity to either generalize or specialize their studies.

• Certificate

  • Dental Assistant Certificate

    If you would like to be part of a dental health care team, working as a strong unit, you can help dentists and their patients prevent pain, tooth loss, gum disease and other serious dental issues. It is also a perfect way to start or hit “refresh” on a career with great earning potential and many opportunities for advancement.  
    
    By taking just six courses over three terms and 9 months, you can enter this high-demand field.  Work as a dental assistant in a clean, quiet health care environment, performing chairside and related dental office and lab procedures. As a friendly face and a steady hand, you will greet patients and help with
    
        Scheduling appointments.
        Handling billing and payments.
        Managing and maintaining patient records.
        Sterilizing instruments.
        Preparing patients and the dentist’s work area.
        Assisting dentists during procedures when needed.
        Using the suction hose during procedures.
        Processing x-rays.
    
    Your targeted training will include some of the most practical, relevant and up-to-date education available in the midstate. In addition to the classroom, you will perform a minimum of 80 hours per term in a clinical externship.
    

  • Entrepreneurship & Small Business Certificate

    Take care of your business with the Entrepreneurship & Small Business Certificate program. Learn the business essentials that will save you time and money… and help you make more money in the long run as a business owner.
    
    This 9-month program is perfect for people who want to learn business essentials fast, so they can either start their own business or make their current business even more successful.
    
    Build Your Business
    
    Small businesses are the engine of the economy. They drive innovation… solve problems… and create jobs. And despite the challenges, the best entrepreneurs––through knowledge, skills and hard work––find ways to succeed.
    
    Pivoting for the Unprecedented
    
    This new Entrepreneurship certificate program includes specific, pandemic-related content, with the purpose of enabling current and future entrepreneurs to adapt and pivot quickly when circumstances change.
    

• Diploma

  • Medical Assisting Diploma

    If you’re looking for a career where you can make a difference, consider Central Penn’s new Medical Assisting Diploma Program.
    
    Medical assistants are one of the unsung heroes of the healthcare profession. They are talented, versatile healthcare professionals who perform both clinical and administrative duties. They are often one of the first healthcare workers patients see and interact with when they visit a physician’s office.
    

• Certificate

  • Medical Billing & Coding Certificate

    Medical Billing & Coding professionals (certified and non-certified) earn an average salary of $54,890, up 5.8% from last year’s average salary of $51,889. Medical coders without certification earn approximately $42,015 per year while certified professional coders on average earn $55,923 annually—33% more than their non-certified colleagues, according to the American Academy of Professional Coders. Ready to go? Apply today!
    
    What Does a Medical Billing Coder Do?
    
        Record and process patient data including treatment records, insurance information, bills and payments.
        
        Set-up payment plans for patients.
        
        Organize and verify patient records, bills and statements.
        
        Code patients’ diagnoses and requests payment from insurance companies or individuals.
    

  • Phlebotomy Technician Certificate

    In as little as nine months, you could be working in the healthcare field. Our 18-credit Phlebotomy Technician certificate program prepares you for this high-demand career.
    
    Students who successfully complete the coursework will have the opportunity to become Certified Phlebotomy Technicians (CPT). CPT jobs are projected to grow by 25% through 2026.* As a student in this program, you’ll learn how to perform blood collection… conduct CLIA-waived laboratory tests… verify patient identity… collect, store and process blood, urine and other specimens for laboratory testing… and much more.
    
    This postsecondary certificate is part of the Medical Assisting associate degree. As a Phlebotomy Technician, you could work at a hospital, diagnostic laboratory, blood donor center or private medical office.
    
    “Phlebotomists and medical assistants are much-needed members of the health care team, providing a wide range of crucial services to patients,” said Lou Baverso, chief operating officer, UPMC in Central Pa. “It is a need in our communities, and we hope this will help fill it. We’re very happy to partner with Central Penn College to support these programs and provide a high-quality education at potentially no final cost to the student.”
    

  • Sports Management Certificate

    Central Penn College’s new online sports management certificate enables sports fans to channel their craving for competition into a rewarding career in the fast-growing world of sports.
    
    If you have a passion for sports and a knack for business, sports management may be the dream job for you. Whether you are inspired by the likes of Tom Cruise’s iconic Jerry Maguire or real-life sports managers like the Philadelphia Eagles’ Howie Roseman, you can now gain real-life training at Central Penn College in how to coach and manage a team at the professional, semi-professional, or recreational levels. It is the perfect intersection of athletics and entrepreneurship.
    
    Sports management involves far more than just recruiting talented athletes. It also encompasses exercise science, accounting, psychology, sociology and more.
    
    Careers in the sports industry, including athletic trainers, coaches, and athletic directors, are growing by as much as 26 percent, according to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Everything from restaurants to retail to ticket sales and talent management is impacted by the wide world of sports.
    

• Diploma

  • Surgical Technician Diploma

    Surgical Technician Diploma Program Sponsored by UPMC
    
    The Surgical Technician Diploma program provides students with the technical knowledge and skills required for employment as a member of an operating room healthcare team in a hospital or surgical center.
    
    Surgical technicians are highly skilled and highly sought-after healthcare paraprofessionals. This short-term program is for individuals looking to change careers, or high school graduates who wish to work in healthcare and are looking to quickly enter the workforce. Hands-on learning through simulation and live clinical experiences will prepare students for certification.
    
    JOIN THIS EXCITING FIELD AND HAVE THE FULL TUITION COST OF THE PROGRAM REIMBURSED!
    
    UPMC, UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, and Central Penn College are working together to bring more skilled surgical technicians to the region. In addition to making a meaningful impact in the community, students who successfully complete the program and are hired by UPMC will receive financial assistance up to full reimbursement of all diploma tuition costs.
    
    In just 18 months you can be part of an exciting, fast-growing field in health care. And you can have your tuition completely reimbursed!