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 →VirginiaNursing
RN to BSN in Virginia: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
For an RN to BSN in Virginia, the general education credits are set by the university. VCU's map for community college nurses lists ENG 111 and 112, statistics, PSY 200 and PSY 230, SOC 200, nutrition and microbiology, each with a C or better. Composition, statistics, psychology and sociology are where recommended credit is most often considered. Ask VCU in writing first.
What VCU's RN to BS map lists
Virginia Commonwealth University publishes a major map for nurses who hold an associate degree from the Virginia Community College System. It lists courses to finish before transfer, with a C or better in each, a 2.5 GPA and an RN licence at application. The bachelor's degree needs at least 121 credits.
| Course on VCU's map | Subject | UPI Study course to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 / ENG 112 | College composition | English Composition 1 / 2 |
| MTH 155 or MTH 245 | Statistics | Principles of Statistics |
| PSY 200 | General psychology | Introduction to Psychology |
| SOC 200 or SOC 211 | Sociology or anthropology | Introduction to Sociology |
| BIO 101 | General biology | Intro to Biology 1 |
| PSY 230 | Developmental psychology | Not offered |
| DIT 121 or HLT 230 | Nutrition | Not offered |
| BIO 150 | Microbiology | Not offered |
Why general education is the usual place for recommended credit
Nursing science courses carry clinical weight, so programmes are stricter about them. Composition, statistics and the social sciences are general education, and universities more often review ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit there. That is still the university's choice, course by course.
The transcript step
VCU reviews college transcripts. Credit from UPI Study reaches it via a college transcript: a college reviews the ACE or NCCRS recommendation and, if it agrees, posts the credit. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit, and Newlane is a partner college too. Ask VCU whether it would review credit that arrives that way before you study.
- Ask VCU: which listed course would this credit be compared with?
- Ask the college: would it post the credit, and at what fee?
- Keep both answers in writing.
Plan the three courses UPI Study does not offer
Microbiology, nutrition and developmental psychology appear on VCU's map and are not in our catalog. Take them at a community college, where they arrive on that college's transcript. Northern Virginia Community College lists $232.05 per credit hour in-state for 2026-27, so three 3- or 4-credit courses run about $2,100 to $2,800 there.
Take these early if you can. They often sit alongside the science courses on a community college schedule, and finishing them first leaves the general education credits as the flexible part of your plan.
Questions to put to VCU in writing
Send one short email to VCU's admissions office before you enrol in any course. Name the RN to BS completion programme, your community college and your expected entry term. Then list each course you plan to take, with its title, credits, its ACE or NCCRS recommendation and the college whose transcript it would arrive on. Ask which course on the major map it would be compared with, and whether a C or better on that transcript would count toward the 2.5 GPA.
Ask one more thing: whether the credit must be on your record before you apply or can arrive during your first term. Keep the reply with your application papers, and ask again if the major map changes for your entry year.
- Programme and entry term.
- Course title, credits and recommendation.
- The college transcript it would arrive on.
- The map course it would be compared with.
A simple order of work
Get your RN licence and the university's written answer first. Then take the courses it agreed to, one or two at a time, alongside work. Move each credit via a college transcript as you finish it, so the university can update your evaluation before you apply.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your nursing programme's admissions office in writing whether a named course, with an online lab, on a named college's transcript, would meet a named 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 is an RN to BSN at VCU?
VCU's major map says the bachelor's degree needs at least 121 credits, including credits transferred from the community college and credits completed at VCU. Upper-division nursing credits are awarded after NURS 308. Check the current map for your entry year.
Do I need an RN licence before I apply to an RN to BSN in Virginia?
For VCU's RN to BS completion, yes: the map asks for an RN licence from a U.S. state or territory at the time of application. Other universities set their own timing, so read their pages.
Can statistics for an RN to BSN be taken online?
Often, but the university decides. VCU's map lists MTH 155 or MTH 245. Ask whether Principles of Statistics, arriving via a college transcript, would be compared with either before you enrol.
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 →
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
A&P I and II with labs, Statistics and Psychology in one plan. Ask your programme in writing first.
Sources
- VCU Major Map: Nursing RN to BS completion, AAS pathway from the Virginia Community College System (official)Admission prerequisites include ENG 111 and 112, BIO 101, BIO 141 and 142, BIO 150, PSY 200, PSY 230, MTH 155 or 245, DIT 121 or HLT 230, SOC 200 or 211; C or better; 2.5 GPA; RN licence; 121 credits minimum for the degree. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Northern Virginia Community College: Tuition and costs (official)In-state total of $232.05 per credit hour for Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027, including tuition of $202.05 and the NOVA All Access fee of $22.50. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.