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 →IndianaNursing
RN to BSN in Indiana: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
For an RN-to-BSN in Indiana the general education credits are the part most often finished outside the nursing school. At IU, all but nine general education credits must be done before nursing courses start, each with a C or above. Statistics, composition, social science and humanities courses are typical. Ask the campus in writing which outside credit it will consider.
What IU's RN-to-BSN asks for
Indiana University's RN to BSN Online Degree Completion Option was built by all nine IU nursing campuses together. You need an associate degree or diploma from an accredited nursing programme, an unencumbered RN license and a 2.0 GPA in that nursing degree.
General education rules are the part to plan around: course competencies need a C or above (a C- is not enough), you may attempt a course twice, and all but nine general education credits must be finished before you enrol in nursing courses. Nursing courses must then be completed within four years.
Special credit is also part of the IU design: after the first semester of nursing courses, the bulletin lists nursing courses for which special credit is given in recognition of your RN preparation. That shortens the nursing side, which is why the general education side often becomes the longest part of the plan for a working nurse.
Why general education is the online-friendly part
Working nurses already hold their clinical training. What stands between them and the BSN is often a block of statistics, writing, social science and humanities. These are the courses where colleges most often consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, because they are not tied to a lab or clinical setting.
The exact list differs by IU campus, because the general education core is set campus by campus. A nurse applying through one campus may need a speech course where another campus asks for a humanities elective. That is why the first step is always the campus evaluation of your existing transcript, not a generic list from the internet.
When you write to the campus, name each course you plan to take, attach the syllabus, and ask whether ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit posted on a college transcript will be considered for that requirement. A short written yes for each course is worth more than a general statement about transfer credit.
Courses that commonly appear on RN-to-BSN gen-ed lists
Check your campus list; these are typical, not a promise of fit.
| Area | Typical course | UPI Study course |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Introductory statistics | Principles of Statistics (ACE- and NCCRS-recommended) |
| Writing | English Composition | English Composition 1 and 2 (NCCRS-recommended) |
| Social science | Sociology or Psychology | Introduction to Sociology; Introduction to Psychology (ACE- and NCCRS-recommended) |
| Humanities | Philosophy or ethics | Principles of Philosophy (ACE- and NCCRS-recommended) |
The order that saves time
- Get an unofficial evaluation of your associate degree transcript from the campus first.
- List the general education gaps it shows, by course name.
- Ask in writing which of those gaps can be met with ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit on a college transcript.
- Finish those courses, then move them via a partner college transcript: TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit.
- Keep the nine-credit rule in mind: everything but nine credits must be done before nursing courses begin.
Cost in plain numbers
At Ivy Tech, an Indiana resident studying part-time pays $178.38 per credit hour in 2025-26, so four 3-credit courses come to $2,140.56 in tuition. On UPI Study PRO, $99 a month covers every course; if you finish four in two months, that is $198, plus whatever the transcript college charges. Check that the campus will consider the credit before you pay for anything.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your nursing programme's advisor in writing whether each course, and any online lab, will meet its prerequisite 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
how many general education credits do i need before rn to bsn at iu
IU's bulletin says all but nine general education credits must be completed before you enrol in nursing courses, each competency with a C or above. Your campus evaluation shows exactly which courses are still open.
can i do rn to bsn general education online in indiana
Often, yes, because general education is not tied to a lab or clinical setting. Each campus decides which outside credit it takes, so ask in writing whether ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit on a college transcript will be considered.
is there a time limit for rn to bsn at iu
Yes. The bulletin says the nursing courses in the RN-to-BSN must be completed within four years. The seven-year science limit in the traditional BSN does not change the general education plan for most RNs.
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 Sociology
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 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
Take the courses your programme has agreed to in writing, then move them via a college transcript.
Sources
- Indiana University School of Nursing, Academic Bulletin 2025-2026 (IU Indianapolis) (official)Traditional BSN core: English Composition, Introductory Psychology, Introductory Sociology, Human Anatomy, Finite Math; C or higher; anatomy, physiology and microbiology must be graded college coursework; 7-year limit on anatomy, physiology, microbiology and statistics; RN-to-BSN: all but 9 gen-ed credits before nursing courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Ivy Tech Community College: Tuition and Fees (official)Indiana resident part-time tuition $178.38 per credit hour for 2025-26; the board froze tuition through 2026-27. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.