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 →MarylandNursing
RN to BSN in Maryland: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
RN to BSN general education in Maryland is set by each university. Licensed nurses usually still need statistics, composition, social science and humanities, and UMSON waives its 10-year science limit for actively licensed nurses. These non-nursing courses are where outside recommended credit is most often considered, after a written yes from the school.
What RN-to-BSN plans in Maryland usually ask for
An RN who already holds an ADN has the nursing courses and clinical hours. What remains is mostly the university's general education plus upper-level nursing courses that only the university teaches. The general education part is where most of the choice is.
Maryland universities publish their own lists. Common items are below; your school's sheet is the one that counts.
- Statistics
- English Composition (often two courses)
- Psychology and Sociology
- Humanities and arts electives
- Chemistry or other science with lab, on some plans
- Nutrition and Microbiology on some plans (not in the UPI Study catalog)
The 10-year limit and licensed nurses
UMSON's rule that Chemistry, Microbiology and A&P I and II be completed within the last 10 years is waived for actively licensed nurses. That matters for RN-to-BSN students whose sciences are older. Other schools may treat it differently; Towson, for example, sets 10 years for science and math prerequisites in its BSN admission rules, so ask how it applies to RN applicants.
Which UPI Study courses line up with general education
If your school agrees in writing, these courses map onto common general education slots. Each is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended; the course page shows which.
| Common slot | UPI Study course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| Composition | English Composition 1 and 2 | 3 each |
| Social science | Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology | 3 each |
| Humanities | Principles of Philosophy, Humanities Critical Thinking and Analysis | 3 each |
Plan the order before you start
Most RN-to-BSN students work full time, so the order of courses matters as much as the list. Start with the courses your university has already approved in writing, and leave any course still under review until the answer arrives. Statistics and English Composition are good first choices because nearly every Maryland plan lists them and neither needs a lab.
Keep a simple record for each course: the requirement it is meant to meet, the name of the person who answered your email, the date of the answer, and the date you finished. When you apply or ask for a degree audit, that record lets the advisor match each course to a slot without guessing.
- Requirement on the university's sheet
- Course you plan to use and its credits
- Written answer: who, when, yes or no
- Date finished and where the transcript was sent
Cost: what finishing general education might take
At the Community College of Baltimore County, county residents pay $124 per credit hour for 2026-27, so four 3-credit courses come to about $1,488 in tuition before fees. On UPI Study PRO at $99 a month, a nurse who finishes four courses in two months pays $198. The saving only exists if the university has agreed in writing that the credit will count, so ask first.
How the credit reaches your Maryland university
Credit reaches a university via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask your Maryland university two questions in writing: whether it would consider the named courses, and whether a transcript from that college is the form it wants. Keep both answers together.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Maryland nursing programme's admissions office in writing whether each named UPI Study course, including any online lab, would meet a listed prerequisite via a 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
do rn to bsn students in maryland need to retake old science courses
Not always. UMSON waives its 10-year science limit for actively licensed nurses. Other schools set their own rules, so ask your university's RN-to-BSN office in writing how its time limit applies to a licensed RN before you plan any science course.
can i finish rn to bsn general education online in maryland
Often yes, at a college, and some universities will also consider recommended credit for non-nursing courses. Each school decides. Email the RN-to-BSN advisor with the course names and ask whether each would meet a named general education requirement via a college transcript.
which rn to bsn courses can only be taken at the university
Upper-level nursing courses, such as community health, leadership and research in nursing, are taught only by the BSN programme. Outside credit is considered, if at all, for general education and electives, never for the nursing major itself.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). 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
Ask your programme in writing first, then take A&P I and II with labs, Chemistry and Statistics at your own pace.
Sources
- University of Maryland School of Nursing: Admissions Policies and FAQs (official)Chemistry, Microbiology and A&P I and II must be completed within the last 10 years (waived for actively licensed nurses); online courses must include a lab component, which can also be completed online; CLEP, AP or IB scores may meet prerequisites; ACE and NCCRS are not mentioned. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Towson University catalog: Department of Nursing (official)BSN applicants need a C or higher in every nursing prerequisite, a 3.0 cumulative GPA, science and math prerequisites within 10 years, no more than two repeats of a prerequisite, and a TEAS score of Proficient or higher. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Community College of Baltimore County: Tuition and Fees (official)Baltimore County residents pay $124 per credit hour (academic year 2026-27), the same rate online, in person or hybrid; other Maryland residents pay $246. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.