Anatomy and Physiology I
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology I course (Biology 211). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Which Maryland nursing programmes take online A&P labs? How to ask before you enrol
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Some Maryland nursing programmes allow an online A&P lab; others want an in-person lab or a course from a regionally accredited college. UMSON says online prerequisites must include a lab component, which can be online. The only safe answer for your school is a written one from its admissions office before you enrol.
What UMSON says about online labs
The University of Maryland School of Nursing is the clearest public example in the state. Its admissions FAQ says online courses must include a lab component, and that the lab component can also be completed online. It also sets a 10-year limit on Chemistry, Microbiology and A&P I and II, waived for actively licensed nurses.
That tells you online labs are not ruled out at UMSON in general. It does not tell you whether a particular course, or a particular kind of credit, will count. The FAQ names CLEP, AP and IB scores as routes for some prerequisites and does not mention ACE or NCCRS recommendations, which is why the question has to go to admissions in writing.
Why the answer differs from school to school
The Maryland Board of Nursing approves programmes under COMAR 10.27.03, but it does not publish one prerequisite list for the state. Each school writes its own. Towson University, for example, lists A&P I and II with labs, Microbiology, Chemistry with lab, statistics, human development and nutrition, with a C or higher, science within 10 years and no more than two attempts at any prerequisite.
Community college programmes often add their own conditions, such as a minimum grade in A&P or a requirement that the lab be taken with the lecture. Some programmes want sciences only from a regionally accredited college transcript. Others look at recommended credit case by case.
What to put in your email to admissions
A short, specific email gets a clear answer. Vague questions such as "do you take online courses?" get vague replies. Name the course, the credit, and the prerequisite you want it to meet.
- The prerequisite on their sheet, word for word (for example, Anatomy and Physiology I with lab)
- The course name and that it is NCCRS-recommended (A&P lecture 3 credits, lab 2 credits)
- That the lab is online, with a link to the course page
- That the credit would arrive via a college transcript from a college that considers recommended credit
- The term you plan to apply for, since the 10-year clock is counted from then
- A request for a yes or no in writing
Reading the reply
A useful reply names the course and the prerequisite. "Online labs are acceptable" on its own is general policy, so ask a follow-up: "Would this NCCRS-recommended A&P I course and lab, on a college transcript, meet your A&P I with lab prerequisite?" Keep the email thread with your application papers.
If the answer is no, or the office will only say it reviews transcripts after you apply, take that science at a college. A Maryland community college such as CCBC charges county residents $124 per credit hour for 2026-27, and that course is on a college transcript from the first day.
Where an online lab is least likely to be the issue
Statistics, Psychology and English Composition have no lab, so the online question does not arise; only the credit question does. If your programme will not consider recommended credit for A&P, it may still consider it for these general education courses, especially on RN-to-BSN plans. Ask about each course separately rather than in one bundle.
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
does umson allow online labs for prerequisites
UMSON's FAQ says online courses must include a lab component, which can also be completed online. That is a general policy. Whether a specific course or kind of credit counts is a separate question, so ask admissions in writing about the exact course before you enrol.
what should i do if a maryland school will not answer before i apply
Treat that as a no for planning. Take the science at a college, where it is on a college transcript from the start, and use online options only for courses the school has agreed to in writing. Many applicants mix both routes.
do i need the lecture and the lab from the same place
Some programmes ask for it, others do not say. If your sheet lists A&P I with lab as one course, ask whether a lecture and a separate lab course together meet it. Put the question in your email so the answer covers both parts.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology I Lab course (Biology 211L). NCCRS recommends 2 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab
Self-paced online Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab course (Biology 212L). NCCRS recommends 2 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
- Maryland Board of Nursing: Nursing Education (official)The Board approves and lists Maryland nursing education programmes under COMAR 10.27.03; prerequisite lists are published by each school, not by the Board. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- 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.