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 →MaineNursing
RN to BSN in Maine: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
An RN to BSN in Maine builds on your nursing diploma or associate degree with upper-level nursing courses plus any general education you still need. The nursing courses are taken at the university; the general education gaps are where outside credit is most often considered. Each programme decides what it counts, so ask for a written transcript review before you take anything online.
How an RN to BSN is put together
An RN to BSN starts from the credit on your nursing diploma or associate degree transcript. The university adds its upper-level nursing courses and checks your general education against its own degree rules. Whatever is missing, often statistics, a second writing course, social science or humanities, has to be filled before you graduate.
The Maine State Board of Nursing approves programmes that prepare people for licensure under 32 MRSA section 2153-A. Because you already hold a licence, the RN to BSN is mostly about the university's degree rules and transfer policy, not the board's.
Where general education credit fits
Plan outside courses early, before your final nursing courses, so a no does not delay graduation. Ask each university three things: which general education areas you still need, whether it caps transfer or examination credit, and how it reviews a course it has not seen before.
At the University of Maine, for example, a course not listed in the transfer equivalency tool is usually reviewed from its syllabus by the department. Expect a similar step elsewhere and keep syllabi to hand.
General education courses to ask about
Bring this list to the transcript review and ask which, if any, would fill a gap:
| UPI Study course | General education area to ask about |
|---|---|
| Principles of Statistics | Statistics or quantitative reasoning |
| English Composition II | Writing |
| Introduction to Sociology | Social science |
| Principles of Philosophy | Humanities |
| Ethics in the Social Sciences | Ethics or humanities |
| US History I | History or social science |
How the credit reaches the university
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. Its courses carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations and reach a university only via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Ask the university in writing whether it counts courses from that transcript, and for which general education areas. The University of Maine asks for official transcripts from all colleges attended, so make sure every college is listed in your application.
Cost comparison
On UPI Study PRO at $99 a month, every course is included; finishing four 3-credit general education courses in two to three months costs about $198-$297, before the transcript college's fee. Sophia Learning's monthly plan is also $99 a month. Either saving only counts if your university agrees in writing to count the credit, and an employer's tuition benefit may change the sums.
Before you enrol anywhere
Write down the general education gaps the university names, match each to one course, and send that list back for a written yes. Take only the courses it agrees to, and keep the reply with your degree plan. If you are choosing between universities, ask each one, because transfer rules differ.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your nursing programme's admissions office in writing which courses it will count, at what grade and from which college transcript, 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
can i transfer general education credit into a maine rn to bsn
Often, but each university decides under its own transfer rules. Ask for a written transcript review before you take outside courses, name the college transcript the credit will be on, and keep the reply with your degree plan.
which general education courses do rn to bsn students usually need
It depends on what your associate degree already covered. Common gaps are statistics, a second writing course, social science and humanities. The university's transcript review tells you exactly which areas are still missing.
does the maine state board of nursing set rn to bsn requirements
The board approves programmes that prepare people for licensure and sets standards for them under 32 MRSA section 2153-A. Degree and transfer rules for an RN to BSN are set by the university, so ask it directly.
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
Chemistry with lab, A&P with labs, English Composition, Statistics and Psychology, once your programme agrees in writing to count them.
Sources
- 32 MRSA section 2153-A, Maine State Board of Nursing: powers and duties (official)The board may prescribe curricula and standards for educational programs preparing individuals for licensure under the nursing chapter (subsection 3), may approve nursing educational programs within the State that meet the requirements of the chapter and of the board (subsection 5), and may place programs on probation or withdraw approval for failing to meet approved curricula or standards (subsection 6). It does not list prerequisite courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- University of Maine School of Nursing: undergraduate admissions (official)External transfer applicants submit official transcripts from all colleges attended and must complete, with a C (77 percent) or better, courses evaluated as transfer equivalents for: BIO100 Basic Biology with lab (4 credits), BMB207 Fundamentals of Chemistry (3), BMB209 Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab (1), BIO208 Anatomy and Physiology with lab (4) or FSN101 Introduction to Food and Nutrition (3), and ENG101 College Composition (3). Prerequisites are preferred within 5 years of application; after 5 years it is at the School of Nursing's discretion. Applicants with more than 2 repeated STEM courses, including withdrawals, are ineligible. Courses not in the UMaine transfer equivalency tool are reviewed from the syllabus by the department. Internal transfers need a 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 science GPA. More than 1,400 applicants a year for 80 seats per cohort. Application dates 1 November and 1 May; external transfers are not taken for a Spring 2027 start; Fall 2027 deadline 1 May 2027. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.