At AS the course emphasises the way in which biologists work and the contributions of biology to society.

Unit 1 will cover:

• How digestive and gas exchange systems may be affected by communicable and non-communicable diseases
• How a knowledge of basic biology allows us to understand the symptoms of disease and interpret data relating to risk factors

Unit 2 will cover:

• The influence of genetic and environmental factors on intraspecific variation
• How the variety of life is reflected in similarities and differences in its biochemical basis and cellular organisation
• How size and metabolic rate affect an organism’s requirements and give rise to adaptations

Unit 3 will cover:

• Practical work in the contexts of Units 1 and 2
• Assessment of implementing skills on practical work as a whole
• Assessment by AQA-set tasks

At A2, There are additional sections summarising biological principles and establishing contexts for How Science Works.

Unit 4 will cover:

• How living organisms form ecosystems through which energy is transferred and chemical elements cycled
• How human activity affect ecological balance in a variety of ways
• How genetic variation and isolation may lead to the formation of new species

Unit 5 will cover:

• Stimulus and responses - the biology of the nervous and endocrine systems
• Homeostasis and the maintenance of a constant internal environment
• Genes and genetic expression

Unit 6 will cover

• Practical work in the contexts of Units 4 and 5
• Assessment of implementing skills on practical work as a whole
• Assessment by AQA-set tasks