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 →WisconsinNursing
RN to BSN in Wisconsin: the general education credits you can finish online
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
RN to BSN general education in Wisconsin usually means statistics, composition, social science and humanities on top of your nursing credit. These are the courses where ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit is most often considered. Ask your BSN programme in writing which of its general education slots it will fill with credit from another college's transcript.
Where general education fits in an RN to BSN
An RN to BSN builds on your ADN and licence. The nursing courses are taken with the BSN programme, often at a UW campus or a private college. What is left is usually general education and electives the ADN did not cover. Technical college ADN general education does not always match a university's breadth requirements, so start with your BSN programme's plan of study.
General education courses RN to BSN students often need
These are common slots. Match them to your programme's own list.
- Statistics, often required before nursing research.
- English Composition 2, if the ADN included only one writing course.
- Sociology or another social science beyond psychology.
- A humanities course such as Philosophy, Art History or American Literature.
- Electives to reach the total credit count for the degree.
How a transcript review helps
Most BSN programmes will review your transcripts before or soon after you apply. The review lists which general education requirements your ADN and any earlier college work already cover, and which are still open. Ask for this review first. It stops you paying for a course you do not need, and it gives you the exact requirement names to use when you ask about a new course.
When the review comes back, match each open requirement to a course and ask the programme about each one by name. Some programmes also set a residency rule, meaning a minimum number of credits that must be taken with them, so ask how many transfer credits you can still bring in.
What to ask the BSN programme
Send a short email with the course names and ask each question separately.
- Which general education requirements do I still need?
- Do you consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit recorded via a college transcript for those requirements?
- Is there a limit on how many transfer credits I can bring?
- Do you need the credit before I start nursing courses, or can I finish it alongside them?
A sample plan
This only works once the programme confirms each course.
| Slot | Example course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Principles of Statistics | 3 |
| Composition | English Composition 2 | 3 |
| Social science | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Humanities | Principles of Philosophy | 3 |
Working nurses, pace and what we do not cover
Self-paced courses suit nurses on rotating shifts: study on days off, take the final when ready. Credit is recorded via a college transcript; TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Your BSN programme still decides what counts.
Some RN to BSN plans include Nutrition, Lifespan or Developmental Psychology, Microbiology or Pharmacology as support courses. UPI Study does not offer these, so plan them at a college. UPI Study is not accredited, so a written yes from your BSN programme is the step that protects your time and money. The full rule is on the page Wisconsin nursing prerequisites online: what to check with your programme first.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your nursing programme in writing whether it will count each course and its online lab 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
Do I need statistics for an RN to BSN in Wisconsin?
Most BSN plans include statistics, often before a nursing research course. Check your programme's plan of study, and ask whether a statistics course recorded via another college's transcript fills the slot before you enrol in one.
Will my technical college general education count at a UW campus?
Often some of it does, but each programme decides course by course. Ask the BSN programme for a transcript review, which shows which technical college courses it counts and which requirements are still open.
Can I do general education while working full time as a nurse?
Many nurses do, one course at a time. Self-paced online courses let you study around shifts. Confirm with your BSN programme in writing that it will count each course before you start, and keep the reply.
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
Take only the courses your programme confirms in writing.
Sources
- Wis. Stat. ch. 441: Board of Nursing (official)441.01(4): the board shall direct that schools that qualify be placed on a list of schools the board has approved, on application and proof of qualifications, for professional nurses, practical nurses and advanced practice nurses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- WTCS Tuition and Fee Guide FY 2026-27 (official)Resident program fee for 2026-27, approved 18 March 2026: $157.45 per credit for occupational (associate degree) courses and $196.05 per credit for Associate of Arts/Science courses. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.