Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →AlaskaNursing
RN to BSN in Alaska: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
An Alaska RN moving to a BSN, such as UAA's RN to BS in Nursing Science, needs general education as well as upper-level nursing. Statistics, writing, social science and humanities are where outside recommended credit is most often considered. Ask the programme in writing which courses it would consider, then move the credit to a college transcript.
Why general education comes first
An RN with an associate degree already has the nursing sciences and a licence. A BSN adds upper-level nursing, which you take with the university, and any general education the associate degree did not include.
General education is where universities most often review credit from another college's transcript. It is also the part you can fit around shifts, which matters in a state where many nurses work rotations far from a campus.
Courses to ask about
Compare your associate degree transcript with the BSN degree plan and list the gaps. UAA's own BS list gives a sense of what a nursing degree expects: elementary statistics, writing at the 100 and 200 level, a reasoning course and an ethics course.
- Statistics: Principles of Statistics (UAA lists STAT A200).
- Writing: English Composition 1 and 2.
- Social science: Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology.
- Humanities: Principles of Philosophy or Humanities Critical Thinking and Analysis.
- Electives: any lower-level course the plan leaves open.
Cost compared
Say your plan shows four lower-level general education gaps of three credits each. At UAA's 2026-2027 resident rate of $251 per credit plus the $25 infrastructure fee and the $46.25 Anchorage fee, 12 credits cost about $3,867 before books.
On UPI Study PRO at $99 a month, four courses finished in two to three months cost about $198-$297, plus the partner college's own fee for placing the credit on its transcript. The saving only counts if your programme says yes first.
| Route | Price | 12 credits |
|---|---|---|
| UAA, resident, Anchorage | $251 per credit plus $71.25 fees | about $3,867 |
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month | about $198-$297 over 2-3 months |
How the credit reaches your programme
UPI Study is not a college. Your results go to a partner college that considers ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, such as TESU or UoPeople. If it places the credit on its transcript, that college transcript is what you send to UAA or your chosen BSN programme.
What to leave for the university
Upper-level nursing courses, upper-level ethics and anything with a practice experience belong with the university. Do not study a course the adviser has not named in writing, and check what your associate degree already covers before adding anything.
Ask too whether the programme sets a limit on transfer credit or a residency rule for the last part of the degree, so you do not study more than can be used.
A simple plan for a working RN
Start by asking for a transcript evaluation, so you know which general education the programme already counts. Then send one email naming each course you would like to take outside and the requirement it should meet. Once you have a written yes, take one or two courses at a time around your rotation, and request the partner college transcript as soon as the last one is graded.
- Week 1: request the transcript evaluation.
- Week 2: send the written question.
- Months 1-3: study the courses that got a yes.
- Then: send the partner college transcript.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the UAA School of Nursing in writing whether it would consider each course, including each online lab, 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 UAA have an RN to BSN programme?
Yes. UAA's School of Nursing lists an RN to BS in Nursing Science. Check its current page for admission rules and the general education it expects, then ask the adviser in writing which outside courses it would consider.
Do I need statistics for a BSN in Alaska?
UAA lists STAT A200 Elementary Statistics on its BS in Nursing plan, and many BSN programmes require statistics for nursing research. If your associate degree lacks it, ask whether Principles of Statistics on a partner college transcript would count.
Can I finish BSN general education from a remote Alaska town?
Yes, self-paced online courses suit rural Alaska and shift work. Get a written list of the courses your programme would consider first, then study on your own schedule and send the partner college transcript before you need it.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
English Composition 2
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask UAA first; then study only the courses it said it would consider.
Sources
- Alaska Board of Nursing: Statutes and Regulations, Nursing (September 2025 compilation) (official)AS 08.68.100(a) gives the board the duty to approve curricula and education programmes; 12 AAC 44.010 sets the purpose of education programme approval. Neither rules on where a student took a prerequisite. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UAA School of Nursing: BS in Nursing admission process (official)Prerequisite list, C or better by the deadline, 3.0 prerequisite GPA, TEAS 58.7 within 36 months, Fall 2027 deadline March 22, 2027; Microbiology, Ethics, Nutrition and Statistics due by the start of the programme. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UAA: Cost, tuition and fees 2026-2027 (official)Resident lower-division tuition $251 per credit for 2026-2027, plus a $25 UA infrastructure fee and a $46.25 Anchorage consolidated fee per credit. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.