Between lab requirements and the use of classroom equipment to conduct research, the hard sciences – biology, chemistry and physics, to name a few – may not initially seem suited for the online format. But some schools have found ways for students to explore these fields remotely.
North Dakota resident Desirae Schafer took an online biology course with a lab component at the University of North Dakota as a general education requirement for her online bachelor's degree in psychology. The 22-year-old – who has since transferred to the University of Mary, also in North Dakota – says the labs she completed were written, primarily consisting of questions that required students to create diagrams and charts on topics such as genetics.
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Schafer says she wouldn't suggest that students choose online science courses if they are majoring in one of those fields and want get a more hands-on experience. But expert views on the subject vary.
Not too many accredited online colleges and universities currently offer fully online degree programs in chemistry and biology, though such options do exist at the undergraduate and graduate levels. ASU Online at Arizona State University, for example, has an online bachelor's in biological sciences with a possible on-campus lab portion for those who don't fulfill the requirement through transfer credits.
Other institutions have standalone online science courses that fulfill either general education or major requirements for disciplines such as environmental science or health.
Experts say online courses in the hard sciences may also attract nondegree students taking classes for general interest or to fulfill prerequisites before transferring elsewhere. Whatever their goals may be, here are six questions experts recommend prospective or incoming students ask as they research online science courses and speak with their academic or enrollment advisers.
1. What does the lab requirement look like? Labs in online undergraduate and graduate science courses take different forms. Some online students receive lab kits in the mail with the supplies they need – including for dissections. Others complete labs virtually through simulations or written instructions.
Adam Selhorst, executive dean for the College of Liberal Arts at the online, for-profit Ashford University, says online science courses may also have labs where students use equipment they already own or can buy at a low cost – for example, to compare the quality of tap water versus different brands of bottled water.
Students should check if there are any fees associated with purchasing lab materials or receiving them via mail, experts say. In other cases, students may need to go to the school's campus.
2. How much time is required for coursework each week? This is a particularly important consideration for online students, who often juggle their education with full-time jobs, experts say. At Ashford, courses with labs are four credits rather than three, Selhorst says.
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"We often see students kind of get in over their heads their first semester where they sign up for a bunch of courses, and maybe that includes two lab sciences. And sometimes they can easily get overwhelmed," says Danny Welsch, interim dean for the school of science, technology, engineering and math at the online, for-profit American Public University System.
3. Will other universities accept online science course credits? Experts recommend that students who plan to ultimately further their education – especially at medical school – check whether universities of interest allow applicants to fulfill prerequisites online.
The medical school at Johns Hopkins University, for instance, states on its website that it won't accept online classes to satisfy prerequisites, though other medical schools may.
4. Are you better suited for in-person science classes? Some online students may prefer the face-to-face format for particularly challenging topics – perhaps by taking a class at a local community college. Many experts say the on-ground option also usually makes more sense for majors in the hard sciences.
Welsch from APUS says it would be very difficult to teach advanced chemistry courses online, for example. These can require very expensive technology and are very hands on, he says.
5. Are there prerequisites? Online students typically have some credits already completed from a previous education. Michael Lerner, a chemistry professor and department head at Oregon State University, says students should check with their advisers about what courses will transfer in and whether there are any more to finish before they start.
[Learn how to transfer academic credits to online programs.]
For its on-campus Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, OSU allows prospective students to finish some prerequisites in the biological sciences, biochemistry and other fields online.
6. Can online students conduct research with faculty? Experts say doing so may be more common among on-ground students. But there can still be research opportunities for those earning their degree online.
At APUS, an online space studies student is working with a faculty member to remotely examine stars and planets, Welsch says.
"They're separated by several thousand miles," he says. "But they can actually collaborate in real time using telescopes from their own homes."
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