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A level biology
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm considering a level biology...but i'm not sure. Anyone done it? What kinda things to you cover? Whats the work like?
Post edited by JustV on
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I did the AQA biology B course (not the human biology course, which is A). We covered:
AS Module 1 - Core Principles (cells, molecules, enzymes, etc)
AS Module 2 - Genes and Genetic Engineering (DNA, reproduction, DNA technology)
AS Module 3 - Physiology and Transport (transport systems, breathing, heart, plant transport)
A2 Module 4 - Energy, Control and Continuity (energy, photosynthesis, respiration, nervous system, muscles, inheritance, variation)
A2 Module 5 - Environment (ecosystems, how they work, our impact on them, etc)
Module 7 Microbes and Disease (option) (bacteria, culturing bacteria, biotechnology, disease, viruses, antibiotics)
The courses are quite varied, so you should check with your school as to which course they do. Then you can check the specification online to see if it sounds attractive to you. I enjoyed the course on the most part. I'm now studying microbiology so it can't have put me off that much. But then, I like biology so it's up to you really
Also, a lot of uni courses seem to like biology - can't go wrong as it shows ability to retain info and think logically.
That's what I started. The plant stuff wasn't too bad (I left part through this module) but the stuff about the human body (mainly DNA replication & RNA) is extremely hard. There's alot of technical stuff to remember as well.
Compared to this, GCSE was boring.
I know i can do it and i'm good at it but i just don't enjoy it much. Bit of an arse...but i can't really judge it all on gcse courses.
If you want to study criminology I'd suggest taking Law at A Level if it's an option for you.
Wish my school did sociology, like yours
That's a pity. They didn't do it where I currently am, but was able to go to another school for 5 hours a week and study it there. Where I am, they sorted all the transport out as well. Can you not go to college and do it there?
Go for it!
Its quite interesting in relation to life in general, i remember looking at a goldfish and instead of thinking "ah look at its little gills flapping" i was like" ah, look at the little fishy instigating counter current flow to maintain the diffusioin barrier..." but then...im a geek.
if you go against biology eventually i would advise a language e.g. french. its liked my unis and even if not it opens so many doors in life for travel and part time work abroad somewhere warm.
Good all-round subject i think
We went on a fantastic field course, and because the second year builds on what you learnt in the first, I found it much easier to grasp. I enjoyed it so much I'm even considering doing it at degree, although I know I'd have to work damn hard. Came out with an E at AS, but got an A on one resit (that I failed first time - lack of revision really) and awaiting the results for the rest of it. TBH as long as you learn the stuff there's nothing bad about it.
The problem we found in our sets, was that we all like to over complicate things, and having managed to keep it more simple this year, I've done better. When asked why leaves lower down on the tree were darker than the ones above them, we launched into explanations about concentration of chlorophyll etc. Actually, they're just being blocked from the light by the ones above.
Poor guys
Ours was fantastic. Went down to Devon, and looked at a sandy shore, a rocky shore, woodland, moorland, a nice and smelly green lake, and so on. Didn't have to count woodlice, but we did count snails, and it turned into a competition to see who could catch the most.
Also got to see a crab shedding its skin, now that was pretty amazing.
God I sound like such a geek.