Biology

Course summary

Biology is one of the most popular A Level subjects in the country, attracting students studying a wide range of other subjects. Many of these students enjoy the subject so much they eventually choose a biologically related degree course. Others go on to careers in law, computing, accounting or teaching. Whatever field students eventually choose to work in, they will find biology a very rewarding and challenging course which will develop many of the skills essential for a successful career. Biology involves the study of a wide range of exciting topics, ranging from molecular biology to the study of ecosystems, and from microorganisms to mammoths. Biology is never far from the headlines either; the human genome has been sequenced and we know the complete arrangement of the three thousand million bases that make up human DNA. In Kenya 350 people die every day from AIDS and in South East Asia the skies are dark with smoke as the last Bornean rainforests are burned to grow oil palms. Biology has strong links to all of these issues. They work in the fields of cell biology, medicine, food production and ecology, the work they do is vital to us all. The A Level course is comprised of 8 units examined at the end of the second year. Unit 1 Biological molecules. Unit 2 Cells. Unit 3 Organisms exchanging substances with their environment. Unit 4 Genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms. Unit 5 Energy transfers in and between organisms. Unit 6 Organisms responding to changes in their internal and external environments. Unit 7 Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems. Unit 8 The control of gene expression.