Question 1
| mRNA codon | Amino acid |
|---|---|
| UUU | Phe |
| UUC | Phe |
| CUU | Leu |
| UUA | Leu |
| UAU | Tyr |
A triplet on the template strand of a gene reads 3' AAA 5'. Using the codon table, which single base substitution in this triplet would leave the amino acid unchanged?
VCE Biology Units 3 and 4: the study design
Four areas of study and the key science skills, all examinable in one 120-mark examination.
26 weeks, 104 hours in all
Start with Section 1
Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools: 26.4 of your hours. It is 11 of the 40 questions on our practice papers, 28%.
| Section | Your hours | Share of the papers |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools | 26.4 | 28% |
| Section 2: Biochemical pathways | 21.6 | 23% |
| Section 3: Immunity and disease | 21.6 | 23% |
| Section 4: Change over time and relatedness | 19.2 | 20% |
| Section 5: Key science skills | 7.2 | 8% |
Week by week
- Week 1Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 2Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 3Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 4Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 5Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 6Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools
- Week 7Section 1: Nucleic acids, proteins and DNA tools, Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 8Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 9Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 10Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 11Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 12Section 2: Biochemical pathways
- Week 13Section 3: Immunity and disease
- Week 14Section 3: Immunity and disease
- Week 15Section 3: Immunity and disease
- Week 16Section 3: Immunity and disease
- Week 17Section 3: Immunity and disease
- Week 18Section 3: Immunity and disease, Section 4: Change over time and relatedness
- Week 19Section 4: Change over time and relatedness
- Week 20Section 4: Change over time and relatedness
- Week 21Section 4: Change over time and relatedness
- Week 22Section 4: Change over time and relatedness
- Week 23Section 4: Change over time and relatedness, Section 5: Key science skills
- Week 24Section 5: Key science skills
- Week 25A timed multiple-choice practice paper and two theory questions, then review every lost mark
- Week 26A timed multiple-choice practice paper and two theory questions, then review every lost mark
| Section A | 40 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each: 40 marks |
|---|---|
| Section B | Short-answer and extended-answer questions: 80 marks |
| Time | 15 minutes reading, 2 hours 30 minutes writing |
| Weight | The examination is 50% of the study score |
Unit 3: How do cells maintain life?
Nucleic acids and proteins, gene expression and its regulation, and DNA manipulation: CRISPR-Cas9, PCR, gel electrophoresis and recombinant plasmids. Then biochemical pathways: enzymes, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and their biotechnology.
Unit 4: How does life change and respond to challenges?
The immune response, acquiring immunity and disease challenges; then genetic change in populations, speciation, relatedness between species and human change over time.
The key science skills
Investigation design, data analysis, conclusions and bioethics run through every area of study and are examinable.
Try 2 questions
Question 2
| Day | Antibody concentration / arbitrary units |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 10 | 18 |
| 15 | 30 |
| 20 | 12 |
| 30 | 4 |
| 40 | 4 |
| 45 | 420 |
| 50 | 600 |
| 60 | 300 |
A volunteer is given a dose of a harmless antigen on day 0 and an identical dose of the same antigen on day 40. The table shows the hypothetical concentration of antibody against this antigen in her blood. Which statement is supported by the data and explains it correctly?
Next step
Questions people ask
Which study design do the 2026 and 2027 examinations follow?
The VCE Biology Study Design from 2022 (version 1.2, April 2026), the design VCAA lists as current.
How much of the study score is the examination?
50%. School-assessed Coursework for Units 3 and 4 makes up the other 50% and is set by your school.