Can You Do Labs Online for Science Degrees?

If you’ve been putting off a science degree because you assumed labs had to be done in person, you should know that’s no longer the case. Universities across the country now deliver rigorous online science lab experiences in chemistry, biology, physics, anatomy, and more — using a combination of virtual simulation platforms, mailed lab kits, and remote sensor tools.

Penn State World Campus, for example, offers online science courses with lab components across physics, chemistry, and engineering disciplines. Their approach uses portable lab tools with electronic sensors, video conferencing for demonstrations, and discussion boards for peer review of lab experiments — all designed so you study the same material, taught by the same instructors, as on-campus students.

Oregon State University’s Ecampus delivers more than 100 online science and math courses through its College of Science, including chemistry, biology, and physics sequences with lab components. Their online courses must meet the same learning outcomes as on-campus sections, and their instructional designers are specifically trained in online pedagogy. Oregon State uses a mix of virtual labs, simulations, at-home lab kits, and an award-winning in-house virtual chemistry lab platform.

The quality of your online lab experience depends heavily on the institution you choose. Look for programs where the same faculty teach both online and on-campus sections, where labs are developed with instructional designers, and where accreditation is current and verifiable.

Not all online labs work the same way. Understanding the differences will help you choose the format that best fits your learning style, schedule, and degree goals.

Virtual Lab Simulations let you conduct experiments entirely on screen. You manipulate variables, observe outcomes, and record data through interactive software. These range from simple animations to fully immersive 3D environments. The PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder, founded by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, provides free research-based simulations used across more than 200 countries. Many universities integrate tools like these into coursework for physics, chemistry, and biology. One key advantage of virtual labs is that you can observe phenomena normally invisible to the eye — such as molecular behavior or electromagnetic fields — that aren’t always possible in a physical lab.

At-Home Lab Kits are physical materials mailed to your door. You conduct actual experiments on your kitchen table using scientific-grade equipment. Mayville State University, for example, requires online science students to purchase or lease lab kits from the university bookstore to complete lab requirements. The University of New England’s Science Prerequisites for Health Professions program uses a blend of at-home lab kits and virtual platforms like Labflow for chemistry courses. These kits let you handle real chemicals and equipment hands-on.

Hybrid Residency Models require brief on-campus visits — sometimes just one week — for intensive lab work, while the rest of your coursework stays online. LSU Alexandria’s online biology degree, for instance, includes an optional one-week summer residency where you earn three lab credits. You can also transfer lab credits from a local college if the campus visit doesn’t work for you.

You have more options than you probably realize. Many accredited universities now offer fully or mostly online science degree programs with lab components. Here are the most common disciplines where online labs are available:

Biology and Health Sciences are among the most popular online science programs. Programs like LSU Alexandria’s online Bachelor of Science in Biology combine online coursework with flexible lab completion — either through a one-week summer residency or by transferring lab credits from a college near you. This allows you to earn a biology degree without relocating.

Chemistry is arguably the discipline that has advanced the most in online lab delivery. Oregon State University’s Ecampus offers general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry course sequences entirely online, with labs delivered through innovative simulation software built by its own faculty. Their virtual lab lets you drag tools across the screen, run experiments, and redo them as many times as needed — something you can’t do in a physical lab where reagents are used up.

Environmental Science and Natural Resources programs often lend themselves well to online delivery because fieldwork can happen wherever you live. You might collect water samples from a local stream or analyze soil composition in your backyard as part of your lab assignments.

General Education Science Requirements are the easiest to complete online. If you just need one or two lab science courses to satisfy your degree requirements — regardless of your major — many universities offer standalone online science courses with lab components that you can take as a non-degree student and transfer.

Here’s the honest truth: online labs don’t work for every situation. If you’re planning to apply to medical school, dental school, or certain graduate programs, you need to carefully verify whether virtual labs will be accepted.

The landscape has shifted significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to move labs online. According to Doane University’s Open Learning Academy, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported that most U.S. medical schools accepted online prerequisites taken during the pandemic and have continued to show flexibility. Some schools, like the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, accept online courses and labs from accredited institutions. However, other institutions still prefer in-person labs.

The reality is that medical school policies vary widely. Some programs evaluate online coursework on a case-by-case basis, while others have explicit policies requiring in-person lab components for prerequisite science courses. Arizona State University addressed this gap by creating a mostly online biochemistry degree in which students come to campus for a seven-day lab “bootcamp” to complete all hands-on lab assignments.

For nursing programs, accrediting bodies like ACEN and CCNE may have specific requirements about clinical and lab hours that affect whether virtual labs count. If you’re pursuing a healthcare career, contact both your degree program and your licensing board to confirm that online labs meet their standards.

Not all online labs are created equal. Some programs invest heavily in developing rigorous virtual lab experiences with dedicated instructional designers, while others simply record a professor doing an experiment on camera. Here’s how to tell the difference before you spend your money.

Check Regional Accreditation First. Your institution must be accredited by a recognized regional agency — this is non-negotiable. Without regional accreditation, your credits may not transfer, and your degree may not be recognized by employers or graduate programs. Oregon State University, for instance, is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and its Ecampus students receive the same transcript as on-campus students.

Ask Whether Online Labs Meet the Same Learning Outcomes as On-Campus Labs. At quality institutions, the answer is yes. Oregon State requires all online courses to meet identical learning outcomes as on-campus sections. Penn State World Campus emphasizes that its online science students study the same material, taught by the same instructors, as any other Penn State campus.

Look for Faculty-Designed Lab Content. The best online labs are developed through collaboration between subject-matter faculty and instructional designers trained in online pedagogy. Oregon State’s Ecampus reports that more than 60% of their online labs are written by Oregon State faculty, and all courses are designed through extensive faculty-instructional designer collaborations.

Investigate the Technology and Support. Quality programs use multiple tools — simulations, video demonstrations, sensor-based equipment, discussion boards, and exam proctoring — to replicate the breadth of a traditional lab experience. Penn State uses portable wireless lab tools with electronic sensors, video conferencing, and online proctoring to maintain academic integrity.

Completing science labs from home takes a different kind of discipline than showing up to a campus building at a set time. You don’t have a teaching assistant standing over your shoulder, and no one is going to remind you to clean up your workspace. But students who approach online labs with intention consistently succeed. Here’s how you can set yourself up.

Create a Dedicated Lab Space. If you’re using at-home lab kits, you need a clean, flat surface with good lighting where you can leave materials set up between sessions. Your kitchen table works, but make sure you can store chemicals and equipment safely — especially if you have children or pets.

Schedule Your Lab Time Like a Class. The biggest risk with asynchronous online labs is procrastination. Block out specific hours each week for lab work and treat that time as non-negotiable. Penn State World Campus students report spending approximately 8 to 12 hours per week on readings and assignments for a 3-credit course, with additional time for labs, projects, and exams.

Engage with Discussion Boards and Peer Review. Online science courses often use discussion forums as a substitute for the in-person lab partner experience. This is where you ask questions, share observations, and learn from others’ mistakes. Participation is usually graded and contributes meaningfully to your understanding.

Take Advantage of the Ability to Repeat Experiments. One genuine advantage of virtual labs is that you can run an experiment multiple times without using up materials. If you didn’t understand what happened the first time, do it again. This repetition can actually deepen your understanding more than a single-shot physical lab.

Use Your Instructor’s Office Hours. Just because you’re online doesn’t mean you’re alone. Most programs offer virtual office hours, email support, and sometimes live video sessions with instructors. Use them — especially when you’re stuck on a lab report or confused about unexpected results.