BIOLOGY
SCQF LEVEL 7 - Advanced Higher
This course has 3 units.
Unit 1 – Cells and Protein
This deals mainly with biochemistry. It starts with introducing students about common laboratory techniques such as chromatography, electrophoresis, immunoassays, microscopy, etc. It then deals about the importance of proteins in the structure and functioning of cells and organisms (their synthesis, structure and many functions).
Unit 2 – Organisms and Evolution
This unit deals with more discrete topics such as ecology (sampling, monitoring populations, taxonomy, etc), evolution, sexual reproduction, gamete formation (meiosis), mate selection and behaviour, sex determination and the importance of parasites in evolution and for our immune system.
Investigative Biology
A very important unit to give students a solid grounding in the principles and practice of investigative biology such as scientific ethics, risk assessments, experimental design (confounding variables, validity, reliability, correlations, sample sizes, etc) and evaluation and presentation of results using basic statistics.
QUALIFICATION
Advanced Higher
DURATION
1 Year full time
COURSEWORK
Project (25% of overall mark) of between 3000-3600 words
EXAM
2.5 hours
COST
Contribution to trips – approx. £10-£20
TEACHERS
Various
WHY TAKE THIS COURSE?
wHAT WILL YOU EXPERIENCE?
This course is designed for people with a keen interest in biology that will take them into either medicine, biochemistry, evolutionary biology, ecology, population studies, zoology, taxonomy, veterinary science, parasitology or general life sciences.
Advanced Higher will give the students a more in-depth knowledge of science and academia. The course will give people a strong taste of how biology and science is taught at university level. The course is academic and requires students to study, learn and understand concepts and processes in precise detail. The other major facet of the course is understanding scientific reasoning and experimental design, something that is not really taught anywhere else in school and extremely valuable. All this knowledge will be utilised when designing and executing their own project.
KEY FACTS
Everything you need to know before selecting this course
entry requirements
Candidates should have achieved the Higher Biology or Higher Human Biology course or equivalent qualifications and/or experience prior to starting this course.
what will you get?
he opportunity to develop the ability to think analytically, creatively and independently to make reasoned evaluations through a variety of approaches including practical activities, and to develop informed and ethical views of complex issues.
progress
Everything you need to know about future pathways from this course
EMPLOYMENT
The skills and knowledge you learn in Advanced Higher Biology are directly applicable to further studies and careers in the life sciences, medicine, healthcare, ecology, zoology, genetics and evolutionary biology.
my world of work
This link will take you to an excellent resource on MyWOW which looks at potential career routes when you select a combination of subjects.
STUDENT STORIES
Information from pupils who have studied this course as to how they feel it was.
Louise - S6
After taking Higher Biology last year, I wanted to further build upon my knowledge and gain a deeper understanding, taking this course will prepare me for a potential career in medicine. AH is a enjoyable course and links back to topics from previous years
Hannah - S6
Advanced Higher Biology is relevant to many university courses, and provides a good understanding of scientific processes that prepare you for first year of Uni. AH biology is a requirement for veterinary medicine, the course I have applied for, and is very enjoyable. Particularly interesting is how after we have learnt the theory of something we will also do an experiment to understand how it works in a real life concept.
