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 →MinnesotaNursing
LPN to RN in Minnesota: prerequisite checklist and time limits
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
LPN to RN pathways in Minnesota are set by each college, but most ask for Anatomy and Physiology, a biology or chemistry course, English, psychology and math, plus a current LPN licence. Time limits matter: M State counts biology courses only from the last five years. Check your exact intake and ask in writing.
A prerequisite checklist
Use this as a starting point and replace it with your programme's own list. Most Minnesota LPN to RN pathways ask for:
- A current, unencumbered Minnesota LPN licence
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II, often with lab
- Microbiology or another biology or chemistry course
- English composition
- General or developmental psychology
- College algebra or statistics eligibility
- An entrance exam such as the HSRT-AD or TEAS
Time limits
Science courses often expire. M State's fall 2027 associate degree counts biology courses for points only if they were taken within the last five years: fall 2022 or later. Some programmes also limit how long ago you finished your practical nursing programme. If your A&P is from 2021 or earlier, plan to retake it or ask whether the programme makes exceptions.
Mankato's BSN admission page lists a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a C or better in each core prerequisite; it is a pre-licensure route, so LPNs should ask the School of Nursing which route fits them.
Deadlines and seats
Programmes fill on fixed dates. M State's fall 2027 intake has 32 seats at Fergus Falls and 32 at Wadena, with rounds on 15 February, 1 April and 15 May 2027. Transfer courses count only after evaluation, which can take up to six weeks, so send transcripts at least two months before the round you want.
What an LPN should ask in writing
Working LPNs have little spare time, so get clear answers before spending any of it. Email the programme and keep the reply.
- Which of my existing courses still count, and when do they expire?
- Is there an LPN advanced-standing route, and what does it need?
- Would these named online courses, recorded on a college transcript, meet any prerequisite?
- How would a course without a letter grade be scored?
- What is the transcript deadline for my round?
Planning a 12-month timeline
Work backwards from the round you want. For M State's 15 May 2027 round, transcripts need to be in and evaluated before the deadline, and evaluation can take six weeks, so treat mid-March 2027 as your own cut-off for finished courses.
If you work full time as an LPN, one or two courses a term is realistic. Put the sciences first if they are the ones with a time limit or a grade rule, and leave general education such as English or Psychology for gaps between shifts.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now | Get the programme's list and ask your written questions |
| Next 3 months | Retake any expired science at a college if needed |
| Months 3-6 | Finish general education the programme agreed to |
| 6-8 weeks before the round | Send official transcripts and check they arrived |
Where online courses can fit
Online courses fit best for general education: English Composition, Introduction to Psychology and Principles of Statistics. UPI Study's A&P I and II lectures and labs are separate NCCRS-recommended courses, so they need the programme's written agreement first. UPI Study does not offer Microbiology with lab, Nutrition, Lifespan Development, Organic Chemistry or Pharmacology, and no course gives clinical hours or answers a deficiency the Minnesota Board of Nursing has named.
Credit reaches your programme via a college transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Allow time for that review inside your deadline.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Minnesota nursing programme's admissions or transfer office in writing whether each named UPI Study course, including a separate online lab, would meet a listed prerequisite via a college transcript, and how it would be graded, 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 long are science prerequisites good for in minnesota
It depends on the programme. M State counts biology courses only if taken within the last five years, so fall 2022 or later for its fall 2027 intake. Ask your own programme in writing about its limit and when it starts counting.
do lpns need to retake anatomy and physiology for an rn programme
Only if your earlier course is outside the programme's time limit or below its minimum grade. Ask the programme to review your transcript and tell you in writing which courses still count before you retake anything.
can an lpn take rn prerequisites online in minnesota
Many general education courses are offered online by colleges. Recommended credit must first be recorded by a college, and science labs need special care. Ask your programme in writing whether each named online course would meet a prerequisite before you enrol.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
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 →
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 →Start when you have it in writing
Ask your programme in writing first, then take only the courses it agrees to consider.
Sources
- Minnesota Revisor: Minnesota Rules chapter 6301, Program Approvals (Board of Nursing) (official)The Board of Nursing's programme approval rules, including 6301.2310 Nursing Education Program Approval and 6301.2340 Required Criteria for Nursing Education Programs; the chapter governs programmes, not a statewide prerequisite list. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- M State: Associate Degree Nursing admission requirements, fall 2027 (official)Fall 2027 start at Fergus Falls and Wadena with 32 seats each; deadlines 15 Feb, 1 Apr and 15 May 2027; BIOL courses must be completed within the last five years (fall 2022 or later) to earn points; HSRT-AD score of 60 or higher; transfer courses count only once evaluated by the M State transfer specialist, allowing up to six weeks. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Minnesota State University, Mankato: Nursing BS pre-licensure, application and admission (official)Core prerequisites A&P I (4 cr), A&P II (4 cr), Chemistry of Life Processes (5 cr), Foundations of Writing (4 cr), Human Development (3 cr) and Elementary Statistics (4 cr), each with a minimum C before applying; minimum cumulative GPA 3.0; deadline for spring 2027 admission 11 September 2026; transfer coursework must appear on the degree audit with its posted grade; proposed fall 2027 changes add TEAS and a holistic review. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- M State: Cost and tuition 2026-27 (official)Tuition of $200.35 per credit for 2026-27 (resident and non-resident), $218.50 per credit for internet delivery, plus per-credit fees. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.