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.
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RN to BSN in New York: which general education credits you can bring with you
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
An RN to BSN in New York pairs nursing courses with general education. Most schools let you bring in earlier college credit for general education, and some count credit for ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, but each sets its own limits. Get a transfer evaluation first, then ask in writing before you take any outside course.
What an RN to BSN contains
An RN to BSN builds on your associate degree or diploma and your RN licence. The nursing courses, including community health and a capstone with clinical work, are taught by the school. The rest of the degree is general education and electives, much of which you may already have from your ADN.
SUNY Empire's online RN to BSN, for example, totals 124 credits. It uses transfer credits and prior learning to shorten the programme, and its clinical courses come after the 300-level nursing work.
General education slots nurses often fill
Exact lists vary, but these areas appear in many RN to BSN plans. UPI Study's courses below carry ACE or NCCRS credit recommendations; whether your school counts any of them is its decision.
| Area | Often required | UPI Study course |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Yes, before nursing research | Principles of Statistics |
| Writing | Often a second course | English Composition 2 |
| Social science | Sociology or psychology | Introduction to Sociology |
| Humanities | Philosophy or ethics | Principles of Philosophy |
| Ethics | Some schools | Ethics in the Social Sciences |
What each school decides
Every RN to BSN school sets its own transfer rules. Some count credit for ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses toward general education; some cap how much outside credit a nursing degree can hold; some refuse it for science or research-linked subjects such as statistics. SUNY Empire states that it awards credit for ACE-recommended courses and is an NCCRS Cooperating College. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit.
Because rules differ by subject as well as by school, ask about each course, not just about outside credit in general.
- Which general education slots are open on my evaluation?
- Will you count credit for ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses in each slot?
- Is there a cap on outside credit in the nursing degree?
What you cannot bring
The BSN in 10 law asks for a degree in nursing, and NYSED says nursing classes without a degree do not meet it. Outside courses cannot replace the nursing courses or clinical work. UPI Study does not offer nursing courses, Microbiology, Nutrition, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology or Lifespan Development, so those come from a college.
Order of work
Choose your school, apply and request a transfer evaluation. List the open general education slots. Email the nursing adviser with the courses you plan to take and get the answer in writing. Take the confirmed courses before or alongside your nursing courses, so you reach the clinical courses with general education complete. Keep every written answer with your enrolment papers. If your evaluation changes after a catalogue update, ask again before you take the next course, because a slot that was open last year may be filled or renamed now.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Email your RN to BSN school and ask in writing whether it counts each course toward an open general education slot, and how much outside credit it allows, 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 is an RN to BSN in New York?
It depends on the school. SUNY Empire's online RN to BSN lists 124 credits, with transfer credits and prior learning used to shorten what you take there. Other schools set their own totals. Check your school's catalogue and transfer evaluation before planning courses.
Can I take statistics online before my RN to BSN?
Often, but ask first. Statistics is a common requirement and some nursing programmes limit where it can come from. Ask your school in writing whether it counts credit for an ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended statistics course before you enrol in one.
Does UPI Study offer nursing courses?
No. We offer general education courses such as statistics, composition, sociology, philosophy and ethics. Nursing courses and clinical work come from your RN to BSN school, and we do not offer Microbiology, Nutrition, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology or Lifespan Development either.
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 Sociology
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 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
Get your RN to BSN school's written answer first, then take only the general education courses it confirms, around your shifts.
Sources
- SUNY Empire: RN to BSN (official)RN to BSN 100% online, 124 credits, tuition $295 a credit, next term Spring 2027 (deadline 4 December); transfer credits and prior learning can shorten the programme. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- SUNY Empire: Professional Learning Evaluations (official)SUNY Empire awards credit for ACE-recommended courses and exams and is a Cooperating College with NCCRS; matriculated students with documentation can incorporate approved PLE credit; no charge for PLE credit. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- NYSED Office of the Professions: New York State BSN in 10 Law (official)Chapter 502 of 2017 as amended by Chapter 380 of 2018: RNs not exempt must achieve a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing within 10 years of NYS licensure; first cohort deadline at renewals on or after June 18, 2030. Exempt: licensed on or before June 18, 2020 (NYS, another state, territory or Canada), and students enrolled or applying by that date. Conditional registration: one year, extendable for good cause, if the RN agrees to finish within a year. Temporary educational exemption: single two-year period after two denials for lack of seats; only one of the two. Degree must be in nursing from a college registered by NYSED or accredited by a USDE/CHEA-recognised accreditor; nursing classes without a degree do not count; online out-of-state programmes count if accredited and authorised in NY. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.