Biology 100 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE + NCCRS
Intro to Biology 1
Covers the chemistry of life, cells and membranes, metabolism, respiration and photosynthesis, genetics, gene expression and evolution.
Courses › Science and labs
11 courses27 credits5 with ACE and NCCRS
Online Science and labs courses for college credit
Self-paced lecture courses in biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, physics and environmental science, and four online lab courses. Watch a trailer, open a course, start any day.
Biology 2 courses
Biology 200 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE + NCCRS
Intro to Biology 2
Covers viruses, microbes, fungi, plants and animals, how animal body systems work, reproduction, and ecology from populations to ecosystems.
Anatomy and physiology 2 courses
Biology 211 Β· 3 credits Β· NCCRS
Anatomy and Physiology I
Covers the human body from chemistry and cells to tissues, skin, bones, joints, muscles, the nervous system and the endocrine system.
Biology 212 Β· 3 credits Β· NCCRS
Anatomy and Physiology 2
Covers blood, the heart and circulation, immunity, breathing, digestion, metabolism, the kidneys, fluid balance and reproduction.
Chemistry and physics 2 courses
Chemistry 111 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE + NCCRS
Chemistry I
Covers atoms, bonding, stoichiometry, gases, solutions, reaction rates, equilibrium, acids and bases, thermodynamics and electrochemistry.
Physics 200 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE + NCCRS
Physics I
Covers units and vectors, motion in one and two dimensions, Newton's laws, work and energy, oscillations, sound, fluids and circuits.
Environmental science 1 course
ENV 121 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE + NCCRS
Environmental Science
Covers ecosystems, biodiversity, environmental health, water, food and farming, air and climate, energy, waste and sustainable cities.
Online labs 4 courses
CHEM 111L Β· 1 credit Β· NCCRS
Chemistry Lab
Teaches chemistry lab skills through virtual experiments on density, the mole, formulas, calorimetry, chromatography and titration.
PHYS 200L Β· 1 credit Β· NCCRS
Physics Lab
Teaches physics lab skills through virtual experiments on measurement, motion, friction, energy, oscillations, fluids and circuits.
Biology 211L Β· 2 credits Β· NCCRS
Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
Teaches anatomy and physiology lab skills through virtual labs on cells, skin, bones, joints, muscles, nerves and hormones.
Biology 212L Β· 2 credits Β· NCCRS
Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab
Teaches anatomy and physiology lab skills through virtual labs on blood, the heart, breathing, digestion, kidneys, fluids and reproduction.
All 11 science courses in one table
| Course | Topic | Credits | Chapters | Hours | ACE | NCCRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology 100 Intro to Biology 1 | Biology | 3 | 15 | 66 | UPIS-0009 | 3 semester hours |
| Biology 200 Intro to Biology 2 | Biology | 3 | 16 | 73 | UPIS-0027 | 3 semester hours |
| Biology 211 Anatomy and Physiology I | Anatomy and physiology | 3 | 17 | 58 | – | 3 semester hours |
| Biology 212 Anatomy and Physiology 2 | Anatomy and physiology | 3 | 10 | 42 | – | 3 semester hours |
| Chemistry 111 Chemistry I | Chemistry and physics | 3 | 17 | 76 | UPIS-0008 | 3 semester hours |
| Physics 200 Physics I | Chemistry and physics | 3 | 15 | 73 | UPIS-0007 | 3 semester hours |
| ENV 121 Environmental Science | Environmental science | 3 | 14 | 44 | UPIS-0025 | 3 semester hours |
| CHEM 111L Chemistry Lab | Online labs | 1 | 6 | 60 | – | 1 semester hours |
| PHYS 200L Physics Lab | Online labs | 1 | 8 | 55 | – | 1 semester hours |
| Biology 211L Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | Online labs | 2 | 11 | 55 | – | 2 semester hours |
| Biology 212L Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab | Online labs | 2 | 12 | 53 | – | 2 semester hours |
Not sure where to start?
Three ways to order the courses, by goal.
General biology
For a life science requirement.
Before nursing or health programs
For pre-nursing and allied health learners.
Physical science with labs
For a lab science requirement in chemistry or physics.
Compare courses
Two courses side by side: what each covers, which to take first. Every comparison
- CLEP Natural Sciences vs a full courseCLEP Natural Sciences or a full science course?
- Lab vs non-lab science creditDo I need a lab science, and which courses have labs?
- Biology 1 vs Biology 2What is the difference between Biology 1 and Biology 2?
- A&P 1 vs A&P 2What is the difference between A&P 1 and A&P 2?
Questions, answered
Do these science courses include labs?
Four lab courses do: Chemistry Lab, Physics Lab and the two Anatomy and Physiology Labs, done online as virtual labs. The other science courses are lecture courses. If your requirement asks for a lab science, take a lecture and its lab, and ask your college whether it takes a virtual lab.
How many science courses does UPI Study offer?
11 self-paced courses, worth 27 semester hours of NCCRS-recommended credit in all. 5 of them also carry an ACE recommendation.
Which science courses are on the ACE list?
Intro to Biology 1 (UPIS-0009), Intro to Biology 2 (UPIS-0027), Chemistry I (UPIS-0008), Physics I (UPIS-0007) and Environmental Science (UPIS-0025). They and every other science course here also carry an NCCRS recommendation.
Are any science courses upper division?
No: NCCRS recommends every science course here in the lower-division category.
Do any science courses need another course first?
Chemistry Lab: laboratory companion to Chemistry 111: Chemistry I (corequisite). Physics Lab: laboratory companion to Physics 200: Physics I (corequisite). Anatomy and Physiology I Lab: recommended to be taken concurrently with Biology 211: Anatomy and Physiology I (corequisite). Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab: recommended to be taken concurrently with Biology 212: Anatomy and Physiology II (corequisite). The others list none.
What do Intro to Biology 1 and Intro to Biology 2 cover?
Intro to Biology 1 covers the chemistry of life, cells and membranes, metabolism, respiration and photosynthesis, genetics, gene expression and evolution. Intro to Biology 2 covers viruses, microbes, fungi, plants and animals, how animal body systems work, reproduction, and ecology from populations to ecosystems.
What do Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology 2 cover?
Anatomy and Physiology I covers the human body from chemistry and cells to tissues, skin, bones, joints, muscles, the nervous system and the endocrine system. Anatomy and Physiology 2 covers blood, the heart and circulation, immunity, breathing, digestion, metabolism, the kidneys, fluid balance and reproduction.
What is the difference between Chemistry I and Physics I?
Chemistry I covers atoms, bonding, stoichiometry, gases, solutions, reaction rates, equilibrium, acids and bases, thermodynamics and electrochemistry. Physics I covers units and vectors, motion in one and two dimensions, Newton's laws, work and energy, oscillations, sound, fluids and circuits.
Which courses cover a lab science requirement in chemistry or physics, and in what order?
Start with Chemistry I, then Chemistry Lab, Physics I and Physics Lab, in that order. This is UPI Study's suggested order for physical science with labs; your program may set its own.
What should pre-nursing and allied health learners take, and in what order?
Start with Anatomy and Physiology I, then Anatomy and Physiology I Lab, Anatomy and Physiology 2 and Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab, in that order. This is UPI Study's suggested order for before nursing or health programs; your program may set its own.
Is there an Intro to Biology 2?
Yes: Intro to Biology 2 (Biology 200) follows Intro to Biology 1. Its syllabus lists no prerequisite.
How long are the science courses?
As long as you need: every course is self-paced, so you finish as fast or as slow as you want. By their syllabi they run from 42 instructional hours (Anatomy and Physiology 2) to 76 (Chemistry I).
How much does the final exam count in the science courses?
In most of them (5), 50% of the grade. Chemistry Lab, Physics Lab, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab and Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab: no final exam (lab reports 70%, quizzes 30%). Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology 2: 25% of the grade. Final exams are mostly multiple choice, and a pass in the course is 70 or more.
How do the online lab courses work?
Chemistry Lab, Physics Lab, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab and Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab are separate online courses of virtual labs. Each lab ends in a lab report (70% of the grade) and a 10-question quiz (30%), with no final exam. A lab can be taken on its own; its syllabus recommends taking it alongside its lecture.
Can these count toward a science degree?
Each school decides how transfer credit applies to its own degree: as a major course, general education or an elective. The NCCRS recommendations for these courses most often name Biological Science, Biology, Life Science and Integrated Science. Ask your school with the course syllabus in hand; every course page has its syllabus.
Is the final exam open-book in the science courses?
No, though quizzes and assignments are. A final such as Intro to Biology 1's runs under light proctoring (no camera) if you already have 70% before it, otherwise under full proctoring. The lab courses have no final exam.
Will my college accept UPI Study science courses?
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Search your school in Find My College, and ask your registrar which course each one would count as.
What does a science course cost?
$250 a course, paid once, with no proctoring or exam fees; each lab course is $150. Or take every course with a plan.
Check your school first
Every course page has its syllabus to send your registrar.
Facts from each course syllabus, the ACE listing and the NCCRS listing. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.