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 →MassachusettsNursing
RN to BSN in Massachusetts: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
RN to BSN general education in Massachusetts is set by each university. Licensed nurses usually still need statistics, composition, social science and humanities credits. These non-nursing courses are where outside recommended credit is most often considered, but each university decides, so get a written answer before you take any course.
What is left after an ADN
An RN with an associate degree already has the nursing courses and clinical hours for licensure. A BSN adds upper-level nursing courses that only the university teaches, plus the university's general education. The general education part is where you have the most choice about where and how to study.
The Board of Registration in Nursing approves pre-licensure programmes under 244 CMR 6.00; it does not set RN-to-BSN general education. Each university writes its own list.
Common general education slots
Your university's degree audit is the list that counts. These slots appear on most Massachusetts plans.
- Statistics
- English Composition
- Psychology or Sociology
- Humanities and arts electives
- Human Growth and Development and Nutrition on some plans (not in the UPI Study catalog)
Questions to put to your RN-to-BSN advisor
Advisors answer faster when the email is specific. Send one message with every course you are thinking of, and ask for an answer on each line. A single yes for the whole list is less useful than a yes or no per course, because degree audits are run slot by slot.
- Which general education slots are still open on my audit?
- Would this named course fill that slot via a college transcript?
- Is there a cap on credit from outside the university, or a residency rule for the last credits?
- Does the university need the transcript before I start the nursing courses, or before graduation?
UPI Study courses that line up with these slots
If your university agrees in writing, these courses map onto common slots. Each course page shows whether it is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended.
| 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, American Literature | 3 each |
Cost compared with a Massachusetts community college
Bunker Hill Community College lists $289 per credit for Massachusetts residents for fall 2026 and spring 2027, fees included. Four 3-credit courses would be about $3,468. On UPI Study PRO at $99 a month, four courses finished in two months cost $198. That difference matters only if your university has agreed in writing that the credit will count.
Getting the credit onto a transcript
Universities review credit via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask your Massachusetts university in writing whether it would review the named courses from such a transcript, and for which slots, before you start.
Keep a record for each course: the slot it is meant to fill, who answered your email and when, and the date you finished. That record makes the degree audit quick.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Massachusetts nursing programme's admissions office in writing whether each named UPI Study course, including a separate 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
can rn to bsn general education be done online in massachusetts
Often yes at a college, and some universities also consider recommended credit for non-nursing courses. Each university decides. Email the RN-to-BSN advisor with the course names and ask whether each would meet a named requirement via a college transcript.
which rn to bsn courses must be taken at the university
Upper-level nursing courses, such as community and public health nursing, leadership and research, are taught only by the BSN programme. Outside credit is considered, if at all, for general education and electives, not for the nursing major.
do licensed nurses need to retake old sciences for a massachusetts bsn
It depends on the university and the programme type. Time limits like UMass Boston's 10 years are written for pre-licensure applicants; ask the RN-to-BSN office in writing how they apply to a licensed RN before you plan any science.
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 your programme in writing first, then take the courses it agrees to at your own pace.
Sources
- 244 CMR 6.00: Approval of nursing education programs, standards and procedures (official)244 CMR 6.00, under M.G.L. c. 112, s. 81C, sets the criteria a nursing education programme must meet to obtain and keep Board approval; it covers programmes, not individual prerequisite courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UMass Boston: Accelerated Nursing Program (official)A&P I, A&P II and Microbiology at 4 credits each, with lab, within 10 years, C+ or higher for summer and fall 2027 and B or higher from spring 2028; lecture and lab must be taken together, not through separate courses or institutions; no pass/fail; prerequisite GPA 3.3, cumulative 3.0; CLEP and IB cannot be used. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Bunker Hill Community College: Cost of Attendance (official)Massachusetts residents pay $289 per credit for fall 2026 and spring 2027 ($24 tuition, $235 course fees, $10 technology fee, $20 Bulldog Books+). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.