Northampton Community College’s Medical Assistant Specialized Diploma provides a college-credit route into medical assisting. The school also links to separate online CCMA training through ed2go. These options lead to different educational awards and certification routes.
Cost, Duration, and Credits
| Item | Credit Specialized Diploma | Online workforce option |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | 37 | Separate noncredit training |
| Duration | One calendar year; three semesters full time | Confirm with course provider |
| Format | Campus instruction, labs, and externship; part-time study available | Online coursework through ed2go; confirm practical experience terms |
| Locations | Fowler Southside Center, Bethlehem; Pocono campus, Tannersville | Online |
| Cost | Calculated from $7,287 in tuition, standard fees, and identified course charges for qualifying Northampton County residents; other expenses extra | Confirm current course price |
| Certification route | AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) | CCMA; separate CCMA plus CEHRS bundle also listed |
Official diploma program | Online workforce options
Diploma Duration and Course Sequence
The 2026–27 program map shows 16 credits in fall, 17 in spring, and a four-credit externship in summer. Medical Assistant Techniques I and pharmacology run in fall; Techniques II runs in spring. Students who study part time should plan around these annual course offerings.
| Term | Main subjects | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Anatomy and physiology, college success, medical terminology, techniques I, pharmacology | 16 |
| Spring | Techniques II, insurance, coding, office management | 17 |
| Summer | Medical Assistant Externship | 4 |
Placement or developmental coursework may add time. Students must earn C or better in MDAS courses.
2026–27 program map | Current catalog
Clinical Training and Externship
The final semester includes supervised experience in a medical office or other clinical setting. Students practice skills they have learned in class and laboratory instruction.
The June 2026 student handbook tells students to prepare for full eight-hour days at their externship site. Students should confirm the total placement hours and weekly schedule with the department before arranging work commitments.
Medical assistant student handbook.
Admission and Clinical Requirements
The current catalog states that the program has no special admission requirements, but students need the English preparation required for individual courses. The student handbook specifies ENGL 101 eligibility, basic reading and writing skills, and basic math skills.
Students must attend the mandatory program orientation before registering for MDAS 101 and MDAS 102. The department’s acceptance materials explain background clearances, health insurance, physical examination, immunizations, drug screening, and BLS documentation. Confirm the checklist for the entering cohort before paying for time-sensitive tests.
Health Professions Resource Center | Student handbook
Tuition and Program Cost
The estimates below apply 2026–27 rates to two full-time terms and four summer credits. They assume the published 16/17/4-credit sequence and no additional courses.
| Residency | Tuition and standard fees | With $249 identified course charges |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible Northampton County sponsoring districts | $7,038 | $7,287 |
| Monroe County | $10,710 | $10,959 |
| Other Pennsylvania county | $14,246 | $14,495 |
| Out of state | $19,006 | $19,255 |
For eligible Northampton County residents, the calculation is $3,105 per full-time term × two terms, plus four summer credits × $207. The county rate is limited to residents of the sponsoring districts listed by the college. Other residency categories use their corresponding rates.
2026–27 tuition and fee schedule.
Identified course charges total $249: BIOS 130, MDAS 101, and MDAS 105 at $70 each; COLS 101 at $13; and liability insurance for MDAS 101 and MDAS 201 at $13 each. Course substitutions, exemptions, or revised fees can change the estimate.
Northampton separately lists approximately $2,688 in medical assistant out-of-pocket expenses, in addition to ordinary supplies and textbooks. This allowance can include required equipment, uniforms, health-related requirements, and clearances. Confirm its current scope with the department. Housing, transportation, and living expenses are additional.
Out-of-pocket expense estimates. These calculated amounts are estimates, not a school-issued total program quote.
Certification and Accreditation
Northampton identifies the AMT Registered Medical Assistant exam as the diploma’s certification route. Its institutional accreditation is through MSCHE. Institutional accreditation and exam preparation do not establish CAAHEP or ABHES medical assisting program accreditation.
Program and certification information | Institutional and program accreditation
Separate Online CCMA Training
Northampton’s workforce page links to ed2go’s Certified Clinical Medical Assistant course and a combined CCMA plus Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist course. The listings identify exam vouchers as included. These courses are separate from the 37-credit diploma.
Before enrolling, confirm the current price, access period, admissions rules, exam eligibility, hands-on requirements, and any clinical placement arrangements. The diploma’s tuition, externship, and RMA pathway should not be applied to these online courses.
View Northampton’s online healthcare course links.
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