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Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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TESU's RN to BSN: 120 credits, up to 90 in transfer
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Thomas Edison State University's BSN for registered nurses needs at least 120 credits. Associate degree nursing graduates may apply up to 90 credits and diploma graduates up to 60. The rest is usually general education plus 28 upper-division nursing credits taken online at TESU, at $317 a credit from the August 2026 term.
How the 120 credits break down
TESU's 2026-2027 RN-BSN/MSN Student Handbook splits the degree into four blocks. Your associate degree normally fills the lower-division nursing block and much of the elective block.
| Block | Credits | Usually met by |
|---|---|---|
| General education | 45 | About 30 from your ADN; the rest open |
| Lower-division nursing | 20 | Your ADN or diploma programme |
| Upper-division nursing | 28 | TESU online courses |
| Electives | 27 | Extra ADN nursing credits and other courses |
Who can apply
TESU's programme page lists graduates of an RN diploma programme, graduates of a regionally accredited US college with an associate degree in nursing, and graduates of a recognised foreign institution with an associate degree in nursing. You need an active US RN licence and official transcripts from every college. The page also says up to 63 credits in course equivalencies may be applied when you pass the NCLEX-RN. Students in their senior year of nursing school or awaiting NCLEX results may start with a short list of courses, including statistics, information literacy and ethics.
The upper-division nursing courses are open only to RNs, so a student who has not yet passed the NCLEX-RN works on general education first. TESU gives students in its Student RN to BSN option one year from admission to obtain their licence.
Grades and time limits
TESU requires a C (73) or better in nursing courses and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 to graduate. Upper-division nursing credits earned more than ten years before you enrol cannot be applied to the upper-division requirement. If you take graduate nursing courses inside the BSN and want them to count toward the MSN, you need a B or better.
- C (73) or better in nursing courses
- 2.0 cumulative GPA to graduate
- Upper-division nursing credits older than 10 years cannot be used
- B or better for MSN credit
The approval step that protects your money
TESU's handbook says credits taken elsewhere, or by any method other than a TESU online nursing course, must be approved by the nursing academic advisor before you earn them, to make sure they meet programme requirements. TESU also asks students to make a plan of study with a nursing advisor before registering. Put both in writing: send the course list, ask which requirement each would meet, and save the reply.
The approval matters most for general education, because that is where students most often bring credit from other colleges, examinations or prior learning assessment. A course that does not fit an open area may still count as an elective, but if your associate degree has already filled the 27 elective credits, it adds nothing to your degree.
Cost at TESU
TESU lists BSN tuition at $317 a credit for both New Jersey and out-of-state residents, approved on 12 June 2026 and effective from the August 2026 term, plus a $50 application fee. At that rate the 28 upper-division nursing credits come to $8,876, and each 3-credit general education course taken at TESU costs $951.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. If the nursing advisor approves a course you take elsewhere, that general education credit may cost less, but only after the approval.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask a TESU nursing advisor in writing to approve each course before you take it; TESU's handbook says credit earned elsewhere must be approved before you earn it.
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 does TESU's RN to BSN take?
It depends on how many credits you bring and how many you take each term. Nursing and general education courses run in 16-week terms, and TESU says you must complete at least 3 credits at TESU in 12 months to stay active.
Does TESU's RN to BSN include graduate courses?
Yes. Four graduate courses are part of the upper-division nursing requirement, so BSN students can earn up to 12 credits toward TESU's MSN, with a B or better in each, as they finish the BSN.
Can I take statistics before I start at TESU?
Statistics is required before NUR-4190. You can take it at TESU, where HPS-2000 meets both the quantitative literacy area and that prerequisite, or elsewhere if the nursing advisor approves the course before you take it.
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.
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Self-paced online Principles of Philosophy course (Philosophy 200). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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Get TESU's nursing advisor to approve each course first, then finish your general education at your own pace.
Sources
- TESU RN-BSN/MSN Student Handbook 2026-2027 (official)120-credit minimum; up to 90 credits from an associate degree and 60 from a diploma programme; 45 general education, 48 nursing (20 lower, 28 upper division) and 27 elective credits; English composition, anatomy and physiology, statistics, ethics and microbiology required of all BSN students; ADN graduates usually have about 30 general education credits; credits taken elsewhere must be approved by the nursing advisor before they are earned. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- TESU: RN to BSN/MSN programme page (official)Requires a minimum of 120 credits; active US RN licence; official transcripts; up to 63 credits in course equivalencies after passing the NCLEX-RN. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- TESU: Nursing tuition (official)BSN tuition $317 a credit for New Jersey and out-of-state residents, approved 12 June 2026 and effective from the August 2026 term; $50 application fee. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.