Centre for Science - Chemistry labs

Chemistry labs
Course title Type of lab*
CHEM 217: Chemical Principles I Home Labs
(10 experiments)
CHEM 218: Chemical Principles II Supervised Labs (8/2)
CHEM 311: Analytical Chemistry I Supervised Labs (9/3)
CHEM 345: Organic Chemistry I and II (closed) Supervised Labs (17/8)
CHEM 350: Organic Chemistry I Supervised Labs (9/3-4)
CHEM 360: Organic Chemistry II Supervised Labs (8/4)

Lab schedules

CHEM 217 labs are offered as a home lab course. Currently home-lab kits cannot go outside of Canada. Students residing outside Canada need to either visit us for face-to-face labs or arrange for themselves an equivalent lab session at another institution to obtain a lab exemption.

CHEM 217 home lab kit request form is available online

Chemistry labs are usually offered as back-to-back lab sessions, where a student can take multiple lab components in one trip. Permission is required from the Chemistry Course Coordinator and Lab Development Specialist for back-to-back labs.

Submit a CHEM lab booking request form.

Lab exemptions

Laboratory fees (on-site labs, lab kits, and virtual labs) are mandatory and cannot be waived. These non-refundable fees also apply to students with lab exemptions.

CHEM217/218/350/360 lab exemptions at Athabasca University can be granted only if:

  1. an equivalent chemistry course has been taken ( check our growing list of lab equivalents*),
  2. the course was taken within the last 5 years, and
  3. the student obtained a clear pass (greater than 60%) on the lab component.

CHEM311/313 lab exemptions at Athabasca University can be granted only if:

  1. an equivalent course has been taken that includes a minimum of 35 hrs of lab instruction ( check our growing list of lab equivalents*), and
  2. the experiments cover an equivalent breadth of techniques (see below for details), and
  3. the lab grade was at least 75%. If you have a grade less than 75%, Course Coordinator approval is required.

    ^Equivalent to 311 must include titrations (acid/base, complexation and redox); gravimetric analysis; and use of a pH meter or other ISE. Optional: Molecular Spectroscopy (UV-VIS, Fluorescence, FTIR and/or Raman).

    ^Equivalent to 313 must include LC and GC; AAS and/or ICP; and Electrochemistry (2 or 3 of: Voltammetry, Coulometry, ISE). Optional: Molecular Spectroscopy (UV-VIS, Fluorescence, FTIR and/or Raman) and/or Mass Spectroscopy.

If you meet all three criteria, fill out the Lab Exemption Request Form.

To complete this form, you need to gather the following:

  1. If not listed in our current lab equivalents, the lab syllabus or a list of experiments of the lab you took, and
  2. proof of successful lab completion within the past 5 years.  This must include
    1. an official transcript that shows a separate grade for the laboratory component of the course, or
    2. an official letter or email from the lab instructor or course professor that includes
      1. your full name, and
      2. the name(s), code(s), and credits of the course(s) taken, and
      3. the date when you took the course(s), and
      4. your lab mark.

The external laboratory grade will not be imported. Your final mark will be determined by coursework done with Athabasca University.

Lab exemption information must be received BEFORE the student's course contract end date.

Once you are lab exempted there is a course mark redistribution so that your final mark is determined only by course work done with Athabasca University.

For more details on the course mark redistribution, please contact fst_success@athabascau.ca.

* Requires an AU login

Labs experiments list

Lab resources

Updated February 25, 2025 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)