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 →PennsylvaniaNursing
Do Pennsylvania hospitals require a BSN? What Magnet status means for RNs
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
The state does not require a BSN: Pennsylvania licenses RNs from approved diploma, associate and bachelor's programmes. Some hospitals, especially those with or seeking Magnet recognition, prefer or ask for a BSN or a plan to earn one. Ask your employer in writing what it expects and by when, then plan the degree around that date.
What the state actually requires
The Pennsylvania Department of State lists the RN licence requirements: completion of an approved diploma, associate or bachelor's nursing programme, a pass on the NCLEX-RN and 3 hours of approved child abuse recognition training. Renewal is every two years with 30 hours of continuing education, including 2 hours on child abuse recognition. A bachelor's degree is not on the list.
So when an RN in Pennsylvania hears that a BSN is required, the requirement comes from an employer, a job posting or a career goal, not from the licence.
What Magnet status means
Magnet is a recognition programme for hospitals run by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Hospitals that hold it, or are working toward it, often set goals for the share of nurses with a bachelor's degree and may ask new hires to hold a BSN or to earn one within a set time. Each hospital writes its own policy.
The practical step is to read your employer's policy rather than rely on what colleagues say. Ask human resources or your nurse manager whether a BSN is required for your role, by what date, and whether the hospital helps pay for it.
Questions to ask your employer
Get the answers by email so you have them when you plan.
- Is a BSN required for my current role, or only for new hires or promotions?
- If required, by what date must I enrol or finish?
- Is there tuition help, and does it cover general education courses or only the degree?
- Does the hospital have a preferred RN to BSN school or a discount?
- Does the tuition help require a grade or a work commitment?
Planning the degree around a deadline
If your employer gives you a date, work back from it. A degree completion programme such as Penn State World Campus's RN to BSN is 120 credits, with up to 33 credits through portfolio review for registered nurses and 36 of the last 60 credits taken at Penn State. The general education part is the piece you can often start early, if the school agrees.
Ask the school for a transcript evaluation first, then ask in writing whether it will review ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses for the open categories.
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Ask employer for policy in writing | Now |
| Get BSN school's transcript evaluation | Month 1 |
| Finish confirmed general education | Months 2-6 |
| Start the nursing core | After general education |
Where UPI Study fits
UPI Study offers ACE-recommended and NCCRS-recommended general education courses such as Principles of Statistics, English Composition and Introduction to Sociology, all on PRO at $99 a month. We are not accredited and not a college. Our courses help only if a college posts the credit and your BSN school reviews it, so the written answer from the school comes first. Nothing we offer changes your licence or counts as continuing education for renewal.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Before you enrol, ask your BSN school in writing which general education categories are open and whether it will review an ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended course sent via a college transcript for each one.
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
Will I lose my job without a BSN in Pennsylvania?
The state licence does not need one, so it depends on your employer's policy. Ask human resources in writing whether a BSN applies to your role and by what date, before you make a plan.
Do Magnet hospitals in Pennsylvania only hire BSN nurses?
Each hospital sets its own hiring rules. Some Magnet hospitals prefer BSN graduates or ask new hires to earn a BSN within a set time; others hire ADN nurses. Read the job posting and ask the hospital directly.
Do general education courses count as continuing education for my RN renewal?
Do not assume so. Pennsylvania asks for 30 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years. Check with the State Board of Nursing before counting any college course toward renewal.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
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 →
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 →Start when you have it in writing
Ask your BSN school in writing which categories are open, then take only those courses.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Department of State: Registered Nurses licensure requirements (official)An RN licence needs an approved diploma, associate or bachelor's programme plus the NCLEX-RN; renewal every two years with 30 hours of continuing education; no BSN requirement is listed. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Penn State World Campus: RN to BSN Nursing Bachelor of Science Degree (official)120 credits; 45 general education (20-22 inside the major); 42 prescribed core credits; transfer from another accredited institution; 36 of the last 60 credits from Penn State; up to 33 credits by portfolio review; 2026-27 tuition $644 per credit (59 or fewer credits completed) or $692 (60 or more). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.