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Students will be able to take science lab classes virtually.

University of Arizona is giving students the chance to take science lab classes without ever setting foot in a lab.

Classes being offered at UA Online Science Academy will include biology, chemistry, physiology, space, atmospheric and environmental sciences.

The academy has been in the works for the past two and a half years, said Vincent Del Casino, UA’s vice provost for digital learning and student engagement.

Advances in virtual reality, simulations and kits make science lab work possible, Del Casino said.

“There’s a lot you can do now,” he said. “The technology has really expanded to a high quality now.”

Academy classes will be offered in the second half of the 2017 spring semester.