Biology

Global warming, antibiotic resistance, famine, recycling..... these are just a few of the problems facing mankind today. As we understand how living things work and how they interact with their environment, Biologists will be able to develop new ways of solving the problems we all face. We can already alter the genetics of living things to enable them to produce important drugs or cope with difficult environments. Imagine designing an organism to do a specific job. Biologists will be the engineers of the future.

It is a challenging and varied subject, covering everything from biochemistry through cells and systems, to how whole organisms interact with their environment. It will be hard work, but very rewarding.

Assessment is solely based on three 2 hour exams.

1. Paper one will examine the topics biological molecules, cells, organisms exchange substances with their environments and genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms.

2. Paper two will examine the topics energy transfers in and between organisms, organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environment, genetics, populations and evolution systems, control of gene expression and practical skills.

3. Paper three will examine all content and practical skills.

The papers are made up of a mixture of short and long answer questions, comprehension questions and an essay.

If you are interested in healthcare careers, (e.g. Midwifery, Medicine, Dentistry, Speech Therapy etc.), Pharmacology, Genetic Engineering or any other area of Biology, then this course will provide a firm foundation.