UniGeniusHigher Human Biology

Higher Human Biology

What is in Higher Human Biology

Higher Human Biology has three areas: Human cells, Physiology and health, and Neurobiology and immunology, with practical techniques and scientific skills throughout.

Weeks before your first paper
Hours a week for biology
Topic 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression
Topic 2: Mutations, genomics and metabolic pathways
Topic 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle
Topic 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening
Topic 5: Blood vessels and the heart
Topic 6: Cardiovascular disease, blood glucose and obesity
Topic 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses
Topic 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials

26 weeks, 104 hours in all

Start with Topic 1

Cells, DNA and gene expression: 14.4 of your hours. It is 3 of the 20 questions on each timed paper, 15%.

Hours per topic
TopicYour hoursShare of the checks
Topic 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression14.415%
Topic 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening14.415%
Topic 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses14.415%
Topic 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials14.415%
Topic 2: Mutations, genomics and metabolic pathways9.610%
Topic 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle9.610%
Topic 5: Blood vessels and the heart9.610%
Topic 6: Cardiovascular disease, blood glucose and obesity9.610%

Week by week

  1. Week 1Section 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression
  2. Week 2Section 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression
  3. Week 3Section 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression
  4. Week 4Section 1: Cells, DNA and gene expression, Section 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening
  5. Week 5Section 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening
  6. Week 6Section 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening
  7. Week 7Section 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening
  8. Week 8Section 4: Reproduction, fertility and screening, Section 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses
  9. Week 9Section 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses
  10. Week 10Section 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses
  11. Week 11Section 7: The nervous system, memory and synapses, Section 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials
  12. Week 12Section 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials
  13. Week 13Section 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials
  14. Week 14Section 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials
  15. Week 15Section 8: Defence against disease, immunisation and clinical trials, Section 2: Mutations, genomics and metabolic pathways
  16. Week 16Section 2: Mutations, genomics and metabolic pathways
  17. Week 17Section 2: Mutations, genomics and metabolic pathways, Section 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle
  18. Week 18Section 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle
  19. Week 19Section 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle
  20. Week 20Section 3: Cellular respiration and energy in muscle, Section 5: Blood vessels and the heart
  21. Week 21Section 5: Blood vessels and the heart
  22. Week 22Section 5: Blood vessels and the heart, Section 6: Cardiovascular disease, blood glucose and obesity
  23. Week 23Section 6: Cardiovascular disease, blood glucose and obesity
  24. Week 24Section 6: Cardiovascular disease, blood glucose and obesity
  25. Week 25A timed paper and two Section 2 style questions, then review every lost mark
  26. Week 26A timed paper and two Section 2 style questions, then review every lost mark

Check your topics with the free test

Question paper2 hours 30 minutes, 100 marks
Section 120 marks of multiple choice
Section 280 marks of written answers
Exam day 2027Wednesday 12 May, 09:00 to 11:30

The key areas

  • Human cells: division and differentiation, stem cells and cancer, the structure and replication of DNA, gene expression, mutations, human genomics, metabolic pathways, cellular respiration and energy systems in muscle cells.
  • Physiology and health: gamete production and fertilisation, the hormonal control of reproduction, controlling fertility, antenatal and postnatal screening, blood vessels, the heart, cardiovascular disease, and blood glucose and obesity.
  • Neurobiology and immunology: the divisions of the nervous system and neural pathways, the cerebral cortex, memory, neurons and neurotransmitters at synapses, non-specific and specific defences, immunisation, and clinical trials of vaccines and drugs.

The assignment

The course award also includes an assignment: a report on a human biology investigation, 20 marks scaled to 25, worth 20% of the award. It is carried out in school, and this course does not cover it.

How this course maps the key areas

The course groups the key areas into eight sections, each with two lessons, Section 1 style multiple choice and Section 2 style questions. Set the planner above with the weeks you have and how sure you are of each section, and it splits your hours.

Try 2 questions

Question 1Section 1 style
mRNA codons and what they code for: AUG Met (start), UUC Phe, GAA Glu, UAA stop, UAC Tyr, AAG Lys, CUU Leu, AUU Ile.
mRNA codonCodes for
AUGMet (start)
UUCPhe
GAAGlu
UAAstop
UACTyr
AAGLys
CUULeu
AUUIle
A DNA template strand has the base sequence TAC AAG CTT ATT. The table gives some mRNA codons and what they code for: AUG Met (start), UUC Phe, GAA Glu, UAA stop, UAC Tyr, AAG Lys, CUU Leu, AUU Ile. Which sequence of amino acids is produced?
Question 2Section 1 style
Which row correctly describes the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Next step

Take the free testTake the course tour

Questions people ask

How long is the Higher Human Biology exam?

From session 2026-27 there is one question paper of 2 hours 30 minutes, 100 marks: Section 1 is 20 marks of multiple choice and Section 2 is 80 marks of written questions.

Is there coursework in Higher Human Biology?

Yes, an assignment: a report of 20 marks, scaled to 25, worth 20% of the award. The question paper is the other 80%.

Does this course cover Higher Biology?

No. It is built for Higher Human Biology only, not Higher Biology, National 5 or Advanced Higher.