# Why is there a dearth of pure science degrees offered onlin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717 "2011-05-30T00:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/1 "2011-05-30T00:45:19Z")
I have an excellent career but for reasons of career opportunities I left college early and thus never competed my BS. I do not need to complete my BS for my career but I would like to for personal reasons, and I would also like to start donating more time towards generic science literacy among the public and I feel that requires a degree to be credible. However, being in the IT field my job does not allow me to commit to normal class schedule’s required by traditional classes. I thought that finding an online program in math or physics would be easy, but it appears that they are not offered at the undergraduate level from umm lets say “established brick and mortar” schools. I have worked through several of the science courses provided by MIT OpenCourseWare and I find it work well but while they are great to learn they do not offer a degree program. But the concept works. So I am asking , are my google skills just poor or is there a reason pure science degrees are not offered online at the BS level? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/2 "2011-05-30T00:47:19Z")
Pure science degrees require lab experience. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/3 "2011-05-30T00:50:55Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Pure science degrees require lab experience. That is what I was going to say. Is there any way you could take one class a semester? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/4 "2011-05-30T00:52:13Z")
It’s hard to do science labs over the interwebs. I’d recommend you investigate your local public colleges. Many of them will allow you to take a lot of classes online, and offer weekend/night classes for stuff that must be done in person, like labs and whatnot. I’m in a similar situation to you (full time career, no need for the BS but am doing it anyway) and I take 8-10 credits per semester, usually with only one class in-person and the rest online. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/5 "2011-05-30T00:56:46Z")
I just reread your post, and saw math. University of Illinois in Springfield seems to have an online degree program in math, but I don’t know if it is what you’re looking for. [URL="[http://www.online.uillinois.edu/catalog/ProgramDetail.asp?ProgramID=541](http://www.online.uillinois.edu/catalog/ProgramDetail.asp?ProgramID=541). I hope the link works. ---
**Author:** ![Ruminator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Ruminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruminator)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/6 "2011-05-30T00:56:47Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > So I am asking , are my google skills just poor or is there a reason pure science degrees are not offered online at the BS level? How would you get any lab work done? Also, the mentality at universities is that your degree _also_ reflects the fact that you were actually in class, _with_ your peers, interacting, recitations, group projects, etc. The whole “campus experience” enchilada. Some schools go so far as to require (or really encourage via their fee structure) that you live in campus dorms. So, watching some streaming videos of lectures and taking an exam isn’t the “whole picture” in their mind. Whether that “campus experience” is actually critical to an education is debatable but you can’t get around the fact that it’s currently ingrained into what a top-tier college education **is**. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/7 "2011-05-30T00:57:05Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Pure science degrees require lab experience. Yup. Science is not all academic, it’s applied. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/8 "2011-05-30T00:57:15Z")
ultrafilter, I am not sure that I would agree with that on math and physics, plus those lab functions should possible to complete from a remote setting, they should be repeatable. And with physics/math you would not be using chemicals that would require supervision. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/9 "2011-05-30T01:03:15Z")
Pai325: I have signed up for classes several times, but like I said my career often requires me to work odd hours or drop everything, I work in a very specialized area of the IT field and even when I was working for two of the top 10 internet sites I never had a peer, who could take over those responsibilities. Not because I am special, I am actually quite replaceable but people who do what I do tend to be expensive and thus we are typically under-staffed. I have plenty of time to do coursework, I do not have the ability to commit to being in class. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/10 "2011-05-30T01:04:24Z")
I can’t say about math, but physics has it’s own dangers like lasers, high voltage, x-rays and radioactivity. At least my undergraduate labs did. Off site? Where are you going to find that equipment? Do you have any idea how much a simple hood space rents for? I was once quoted 12,000 a month. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/11 "2011-05-30T01:08:29Z")
I will contact the U of I on their mathematics program, thank you. I am in my late 30’s so the “campus experience” is something I do not need to repeat 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/12 "2011-05-30T01:09:57Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > I have signed up for classes several times, but like I said my career often requires me to work odd hours or drop everything, I work in a very specialized area of the IT field and even when I was working for two of the top 10 internet sites I never had a peer, who could take over those responsibilities. Not because I am special, I am actually quite replaceable but people who do what I do tend to be expensive and thus we are typically under-staffed. Sometimes, you just can’t have it both ways. Maybe you need to make a decision about keeping your current job vs. committing to school. I’m sure you could find another position with better-defined hours that would make attending class easier. Maybe you’d have to take a pay cut. You need to figure out how much attaining the degree means to you. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/13 "2011-05-30T01:10:40Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > ultrafilter, > > I am not sure that I would agree with that on math and physics, plus those lab functions should possible to complete from a remote setting, they should be repeatable. > > And with physics/math you would not be using chemicals that would require supervision. I sincerely doubt you’ll find any actual physicists who agree with you. Pure math is a completely different beast. It might be possible to do a degree online, but I’m skeptical about the equivalence of the experience. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/14 "2011-05-30T01:13:15Z")
WarmNPrickly: Understood, I am probably not the typical person to ask on that one as I have a hood I acquired from the local University as surplus 🙂 I do not have any highly radioactive material and or x-ray machines though. (outside of some americium 241 in the fire alarms) ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/15 "2011-05-30T01:23:26Z")
I thought about finding a hood that way, but I’d still have to worry about chemical storage and disposal. This is not something an online school will want to encourage students to do. Also, since a properly functioning hood draws about 100 cuft/min, the place put the hood will either be really expensive to heat and cool, or just ambient temperature. I suppose you might be able to turn some hoods off, but many reactions I would do go 24 hours or more. ---
**Author:** ![DHMO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@DHMO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DHMO)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/16 "2011-05-30T01:25:31Z")
I can relate, my friend, I can certainly relate. I spent 13 years chasing a four-year degree, and never got the piece of paper. I, too, have been trying to find a “hard science” online degree in engineering, or related field, and they just ain’t there. The University was totally biased to on-campus students, and, although they heavily promoted their “commuter-friendly” campus, if you were not a dorm resident, you were not getting an engineering degree. I married young and had a child, and was working a full-time job while trying to get my degree, and every semester they would cancel some of the classes I had signed up for, and all the other sections of those classes were already full before I got the notice. They would cancel classes which were prerequisites or co-requisites for other classes, some I had already signed up for that sememster. They would cancel classes I had signed up for, which were only offered in the Fall Semester, so I could not take the other sections which used those as prerequisites in the Spring, and I had to wait over a year before I had the chance to take them again. The professors and advisors were totally useless to me when I requested help to get a schedule together. Recently, I have been looking to find an online resource which would allow me to finish my BS in Engineering, but, like you, I’m finding they are not there. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/17 "2011-05-30T01:40:58Z")
WarmNPrickly, Mine is only really used because my garage is below the house, I live in Seattle where it rains often. I have the hood vented to the outside this way I can do painting/fiberglass and solvent work without having the vapors enter the house. The outside venting cost more then the hood did at auction. DHMO, Exactly, the frustrating part is that I was less then 10 credits from graduation with a BS in CS, but due to course offerings that would have required over a year to acquire. Now I would have to establish residency to get a degree which is often 30 credits…I am close to being happy with just learning and not completing because to be honest I will gain nothing from it in my career, but I feel that would be breaking a personal commitment to do it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/18 "2011-05-30T01:50:18Z")
If CS is computer science, there are a lot of online programs for that. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/19 "2011-05-30T02:32:42Z")
ultrafilter, I have no desire to spend the to hours to obtain a CS degree at this point in my life, my resume trumps any college degree, any CS/IT/BA degree would just shove me into pure management. Most schools require about 45 hours to be at that school for their academic residency requirement, I would rather do that in another field. Thanks for the help though I appreciate everyones input. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717/20 "2011-05-30T10:28:28Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > ultrafilter, > > I am not sure that I would agree with that on math and physics, plus those lab functions should possible to complete from a remote setting, they should be repeatable. > > And with physics/math you would not be using chemicals that would require supervision. Physics still needs physical experiments (no, it’s not a play on words). UNED, the Spanish long-distance university, offers degrees in Math, Chemistry, Physics and several Engineering disciplines(1) but all of them require going to class for labwork one half-day/week, unlike most of their degrees (which can be studied completely at home). While you can do math exercises on your own, they view the in-person interaction with the tutors as absolutely necessary in order to make the jump from “doing exercises” (i.e., applying formulas/procedures you’ve been taught) to being able to come up with your own formulas and procedures. If you can’t do this second part, you’re not a scientist. (1) In Spain the university-level CS degree is more likely to be called Telecommunications Engineering (mostly focused on hardware) or Software Engineering than Computer Science, although there are degrees with this name too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-dearth-of-pure-science-degrees-offered-onlin/583717.md?page=2)