Online Chemistry degree

August 14, 2006 2:03 AM

Is anyone aware of an American University that offers an online Chemistry Degree (BS or BA). Thanks

Online Chemistry degree

posted by Noodles to education (5 comments total)

Um, wouldn't you need to spend many hours in a real lab? Access to chemicals not available to the home shopper?
posted by The Jesse Helms at 2:07 AM on August 14, 2006

Yeah, that is exactly why online universities cannot offer degrees in Chemistry or most sciences. Need lab time.
posted by sophist at 3:10 AM on August 14, 2006

Well, it's not American, but the University of Waterloo in Ontario does offer distance education degrees in science, including chemistry.

Labs are overrated.
posted by greatgefilte at 6:42 AM on August 14, 2006

As someone with a degree in chemistry, I have to say "I should hope not!" As great as reading the books are, without lab experience you know nothing; I say that as someone who has transitioned over to molecular biology, having a biology minor but little in the way of practical (micro)biology experience and found out how little I know in the way of techniques.

Also, if you are looking to get the degree for the purposes of a job, having no lab experience is going to render that degree moot -- in my first industry job interview, the only real question asked of me was "So, you've had a couple of years of college chemistry labs, right? Okay, you're hired."
posted by The Bishop of Turkey at 6:45 AM on August 14, 2006

Learning hard science without lab experience is definitely sub-optimal, but your average BS in biology/chemistry student doesn't really get much out of the lab exercises anyway. Actual lab research experience is really important, but sadly not required of most bachelor's students.
posted by rxrfrx at 7:35 AM on August 14, 2006