HES Gen Chem and Physics Online, and January Weeklong Labs

[Jonathan Whatley]

Starting in 2014-15, non-lab, "lecture" sections of these undergraduate credit courses from Harvard Extension School, offered in person "bricks and mortar," are set to be offered online too:

CHEM E-1ax General Chemistry I (Lecture)
CHEM E-1bx General Chemistry II (Lecture)

Physics I (Lecture): Mechanics, Elasticity, Fluids, Diffusion
Physics II (Lecture): Electromagnetism, Circuits, Waves, Optics

As for lab sections, these are not offered online, but will be offered in 4- or 5-day full-time January sessions (subject to enrollment capacity limitations, and note that there's no short-session Gen Chem II lab posted):

CHEM E-1axl General Chemistry I (Lab)
Intensive Laboratory for Physics I and II

Dr. Tucci who teaches the gen chem sequence, and Dr. McCarty who will teaching the HES physics sequence starting this year, also teach in their fields at Harvard College. Both are superlative instructors and course leaders.

For students ready to work hard to high standards, and who are proficient in algebra used in gen chem, and in algebra and trigonometry used in physics, I can think of no better way to study these subjects at these levels, by distance or short-residency, than these courses.

[rebel100]

Do you know if the week long residencies satisfy the On Campus requirement...I suspect they will and if so that is very cool indeed!

[Jonathan Whatley]

Do you know if the week long residencies satisfy the On Campus requirement...I suspect they will and if so that is very cool indeed!

My educated guess is that the lab sections would apply towards the On Campus requirement, but this would be limited by the number of credit hours the lab sections represent: the weeklong lab course for Gen Chem I is 1 semester hour, and for Physics I and II together, 2 semester hours. IIRC there's at least one other 2 semester hour January term course, so this could potentially be added to one of these science labs (if and only if the schedules don't overlap) to earn 3 or 4 sh of On Campus credit total in the J-term.

[bluebooger]

is the CHEM E-1ax General Chemistry I (Lecture) really only $950 ?

General Chemistry I (Lecture) | Harvard Extension School

that is ridiculously cheap

even if you include the lab it's only $1200

I think that's less than most online chemistry courses

[rebel100]

is the CHEM E-1ax General Chemistry I (Lecture) really only $950 ?

General Chemistry I (Lecture) | Harvard Extension School

that is ridiculously cheap

even if you include the lab it's only $1200

I think that's less than most online chemistry courses

That sounds about right, HES Tuition varies a little but generally around $250/credit fro Undergrad work.

[Jonathan Whatley]

It would be a compelling offer at five times the price (but don't tell them that!). It's a very well-taught and well-managed course.

[rebel100]

It would be a compelling offer at five times the price (but don't tell them that!). It's a very well-taught and well-managed course.

I haven't seen a HES Course that wasn't life enriching. The level of instruction tends to be rather extraordinary.

[clep3705]

"they are not intended for premedical students because many medical schools do not accept online courses and these courses do not included a laboratory"

[Jonathan Whatley]

"they are not intended for premedical students because many medical schools do not accept online courses and these courses do not included a laboratory"

Although the acceptability of taking a lecture section online but the full labs in person is an interesting question that seems to me to be open.

Of course, there's wide application for these courses besides medical school admissions, including other application in health. My on-campus HES science-course colleagues include people aiming to go on to programs in nursing, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, neuroscience, biotechnology…