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 →NevadaNursing
RN to BSN in Nevada: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
UNR's RN to BSN runs fully online and gives RNs 30 semester credits for their prelicensure nursing through a portfolio review. What usually remains is the University Core Curriculum, the general education many ADN graduates have partly finished. Those courses follow UNR's transfer rules, so ask UNR in writing which outside credit it will count before you enrol.
How UNR's RN to BSN is built
The Orvis School of Nursing describes its RN to BSN as 100% online. Applicants hold a current, unencumbered RN licence in the U.S. (unless concurrently enrolled in an ADN programme) and have completed an ADN or equivalent from an accredited school of nursing. RN to BSN students receive 30 semester credits for their prelicensure requirements through a credit-by-exam portfolio review.
UNR says many associate degree holders may already have met University Core Curriculum requirements, and holders of a bachelor's degree have Core requirements 1 to 7 waived. Everything else is a gap to fill.
The general education on UNR's lists
UNR's BSN prerequisite checklist shows the Silver Core courses its nursing students take. RNs coming from a Nevada ADN, such as CSN's, often have English, Math, Psychology, Sociology and a Communication course already. Courses that often remain:
- English Composition II (ENG 102)
- Precalculus I or higher (MATH 126)
- Core humanities (two courses)
- A fine arts course and a global context course
- A statistics course (several options are listed)
- A capstone or integration course, which needs junior standing
What to check before using outside credit
UNR's RN to BSN page does not say how it treats credit from ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses. Any such credit would first need to appear on a regionally accredited college's transcript, and UNR would then decide whether it meets a Core requirement. Ask the Orvis School of Nursing or UNR's transfer office in writing, course by course, and keep the reply.
If a course is a Core capstone or needs junior standing at UNR, outside lower-level credit is unlikely to meet it. Focus on the lower-level gaps, such as English Composition II, Statistics or a humanities course.
| Gap | UPI Study course to ask about | Ask UNR |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition II | English Composition II | Meets ENG 102? |
| Statistics | Principles of Statistics | Meets a listed stats option? |
| Humanities | Principles of Philosophy | Meets a Core humanities slot? |
Questions to put in writing
Send UNR one short email listing each course you plan to bring, the college whose transcript it will be on, and the Core requirement you hope it meets. Ask for a yes or no on each line, and ask whether a minimum grade applies.
Working nurses often take one course at a time around shifts, so knowing in advance which courses count saves months.
- Will you count this course once it is on a regionally accredited college's transcript?
- Does credit from ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses count once a college has posted it?
- Which Core requirement would this course meet?
- Is there a minimum grade, and does a pass grade count?
Partner colleges
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. If you are open to a BSN from outside Nevada, read their own nursing and transfer pages. If you want a UNR degree, UNR's written answer is the one that counts.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Nevada nursing programme in writing whether each course, once on a regionally accredited college's transcript, will meet its prerequisite 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 many credits does UNR give for my ADN?
UNR's RN to BSN page says students receive 30 semester credits for their prelicensure requirements through a credit-by-exam portfolio review. Your general education credits are evaluated separately against the University Core Curriculum.
Is UNR's RN to BSN online?
Yes. The Orvis School of Nursing describes it as 100% online learning for registered nurses. You first gain admission to the University of Nevada, Reno and then apply to the nursing school.
Do I need a GPA for UNR's RN to BSN?
UNR's page lists a 3.0 cumulative GPA for the concurrent enrolment option, for students still in an ADN programme. For licensed RNs, check the current admission rules with the Orvis School of Nursing.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
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 →
Principles of Philosophy
Self-paced online Principles of Philosophy course (Philosophy 200). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Get your programme's answer in writing first, then take Psychology, English or Statistics at your own pace.
Sources
- University of Nevada, Reno: RN to BSN program (official)100% online; current unencumbered RN licence; ADN from an accredited school of nursing; 30 semester credits for prelicensure requirements through a portfolio review; University Core Curriculum requirements apply. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- University of Nevada, Reno Orvis School of Nursing: BSN prerequisite checklist (official)A&P I and II (3 + 1 lab each), General Microbiology 4, Chemistry with lab 4, Nutrition 3, Lifespan Human Development 3, Statistics, Pathophysiology; admissions GPA 2.80; CHEM and BIOL within 10 years (7 recommended). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Nevada Administrative Code chapter 632 (Nursing) (official)Chapter 632 holds the Board's rules on programmes for the education of nurses, including approval and accreditation (NAC 632.640). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.