Chemistry 111 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE and NCCRS
Chemistry I
The lecture: atoms, bonding, reactions, gases, solutions and equilibrium, in 17 chapters.
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Lecture vs lab4 virtual labsNCCRS recommended
Lab vs non-lab science credit: what counts, and which courses have labs
A lab science requirement asks for laboratory work, often a lecture course paired with a lab course, while a non-lab science course is lecture only. UPI Study offers four lab courses, done online as virtual labs: Chemistry Lab and Physics Lab (1 semester hour each) and the two Anatomy and Physiology Labs (2 semester hours each), all with NCCRS recommendations. Intro to Biology 1 and 2 and Environmental Science are lecture courses with no lab, so ask your college whether your requirement needs a lab and whether it takes a virtual one.
CHEM 111L Β· 1 credit Β· NCCRS
Chemistry Lab
Its lab: 6 virtual lab simulations in your browser, each written up as a lab report.
- Lab courses
- Chemistry, Physics, A&P I and 2
- A lab on its own?
- Yes, without the lecture
- Lecture only
- Biology 1 and 2, Environmental Science
What you learn
From each syllabus and NCCRS's listing. Every lab is a set of virtual simulations done online.
With a matching lab
- Chemistry I + Chemistry Lab
- Physics I + Physics Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology I + its Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology 2 + its Lab
Lecture only
- Intro to Biology 1
- Intro to Biology 2
- Environmental Science
Side by side
| Lecture course | Lab course | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Lessons, quizzes, an assignment, a final | Virtual labs, each with a lab report |
| Credits (NCCRS) | 3 semester hours | 1 (Chemistry, Physics) or 2 (A&P) |
| Grading | Quizzes, assignment, final exam | Quizzes 30%, lab reports 70% |
| On its own? | Yes | Yes: a lab needs no lecture here |
| Meets a lab requirement? | Not on its own | It is the lab part; your college decides |
Every UPI Study course, lab or lecture, is self-paced and online. A lab course is $150, one payment. Colleges differ: Arizona State's natural-science courses include lab experiences, and Cal State Long Beach asks for a laboratory course paired with a science course.
Which should you take?
You need a lab science if
- Your requirement says laboratory, lab science, or lecture with lab
- Take a lecture and its lab, such as Chemistry I with Chemistry Lab
- Ask whether your college takes a virtual lab
A non-lab course is enough if
- Your requirement says science or natural science, with no lab
- Intro to Biology 1 or 2, or Environmental Science, fit
- Each carries an NCCRS recommendation for 3 semester hours
Questions, answered
Does an online science course count as a lab science?
Only if it includes lab work and your college accepts it. UPI Study's four lab courses are virtual labs done online; our other science courses are lecture only. Colleges differ: Arizona State's natural-science courses include lab experiences, and Cal State Long Beach asks for a laboratory course paired with a science course. Ask your registrar before you enroll.
Does Environmental Science count as a science credit?
It is a science lecture course with an NCCRS recommendation for 3 semester hours in Introduction to Environmental Science (ACE recommends 1 semester hour). Whether it meets your science requirement is your college's decision; it has no lab, so it will not meet a lab requirement on its own.
Can I take a lab without the lecture?
Yes. A UPI Study lab can be taken on its own, without the lecture course; each lab's syllabus names its companion lecture (Chemistry Lab goes with Chemistry I, for example). If you took the lecture elsewhere, ask your college whether it will pair our lab with it.
How much does a lab cost?
$150 each, one payment, for all four labs. A transcript is $20. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Where these credits can go
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Plus many more partner colleges and ACE and NCCRS cooperating colleges.
Find My College →Keep exploring
Physics Lab course page8 virtual labs
Anatomy and Physiology I Lab11 virtual labs
CLEP Natural Sciences vs a full courseExam or course?
Check your college first
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Sources (8)
- Arizona State University: General Studies requirements https://catalog.asu.edu/ug_gsr
- California State University, Long Beach: General Education requirements (fall 2025) https://www.csulb.edu/student-records/fall-2025-ge-requirements
- University of Maryland Global Campus: General education courses https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bachelors/general-education-courses
- NCCRS: UPI Study, Inc. (every course and its credit recommendation) https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
- UPI Study: Chemistry Lab syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/chemistry-lab.pdf
- UPI Study: Physics Lab syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/physics-lab.pdf
- UPI Study: Anatomy and Physiology I Lab syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/anatomy-and-physiology-1-lab.pdf
- UPI Study: Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/anatomy-and-physiology-2-lab.pdf
- NCCRS: UPI Study's credit recommendations https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
UPI Study facts are from our course catalog, syllabi and course rules.