CCEA Life and Health Sciences: complete guide to the units, the examined and portfolio assessments and how to study each topic

CCEA Life and Health Sciences (specification first taught 2016) is an Applied A-level set and moderated by CCEA in Northern Ireland. It applies biology, chemistry and physics to health and the life sciences and is built from units taken across AS and A2, mixing externally assessed written examinations with internally assessed practical portfolios. This page is the index: below is a map of the units, the two kinds of assessment, and how to study each one.

The CCEA Life and Health Sciences units

The qualification is modular. The units below are the Single Award Life and Health Sciences pathway; the Double Award doubles the number of units. Each examined unit has a specification-level overview with worked questions, dot-point pages and a quiz; each portfolio unit has a single overview that sets out how it is assessed.

AS 1 Experimental Techniques (internally assessed)

The AS practical-skills portfolio. It covers planning a fair test, identifying variables and risks, collecting and processing data with units, significant figures and uncertainty, presenting results, and evaluating reliability and validity. There is no written paper; the centre marks the portfolio and CCEA moderates it.

AS 2 Human Body Systems (externally assessed)

The AS biology core. It covers the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, respiration, homeostasis and monitoring, the musculoskeletal system, and nutrition and physical exercise. The unifying idea is how the body's systems deliver energy and maintain health.

AS 3 Aspects of Physical Chemistry in Industrial Processes (externally assessed)

The AS chemistry core. It covers rates of reaction and energetics, chemical equilibria, acids, bases and pH, the Haber and Contact processes, and redox and electrochemistry. The unifying idea is using physical-chemistry principles to explain real industrial processes.

A2 1 Investigative Project (internally assessed)

The A2 extended-investigation portfolio. It covers developing a research question and null hypothesis, planning and risk-assessing an investigation, statistically analysing data, drawing conclusions, evaluating critically and referencing sources. It is the more independent A2 counterpart of Experimental Techniques.

A2 2 Organic Chemistry (externally assessed)

The A2 chemistry core. It covers functional groups and nomenclature, the reactions of the organic families, isomerism, instrumental analysis (mass spectrometry, infrared and chromatography), and polymers. The unifying idea is the systematic chemistry of carbon compounds.

A2 5 Genetics, Gene Technology and Stem Cells (externally assessed)

The A2 biology core. It covers DNA, genes and protein synthesis, inheritance, gene technology, stem cells and cloning, and mutations and genetic disease. The unifying idea is how genetic information is stored, inherited, manipulated and how it can go wrong.

Examined units and portfolio units

CCEA Life and Health Sciences uses two kinds of assessment, and understanding the difference is important.

• Externally assessed (written examination): Human Body Systems, Aspects of Physical Chemistry in Industrial Processes, Organic Chemistry, and Genetics, Gene Technology and Stem Cells. These use structured short-answer questions, data and calculation questions, and extended writing.
• Internally assessed (practical portfolio): Experimental Techniques (AS) and the Investigative Project (A2). The centre marks a portfolio of practical or investigative work against CCEA criteria, and CCEA moderates a sample. There is no terminal written paper for these units.

The applied design means the practical and analytical skills built in the portfolio units also resurface in the data questions of the written papers, so the two kinds of assessment reinforce each other.

Practical and mathematical skills

Practical skills are central and are assessed directly in the portfolio units. Mathematical skills run throughout the examined units too: cardiac output and pulmonary ventilation rate, BMI, enthalpy changes, titration concentrations, the equilibrium constant Kc, the Rf value in chromatography, oxidation numbers, and genetic-cross ratios. Handling data, units, significant figures and uncertainty is expected everywhere, and a calculator is allowed in the written papers.

How to study CCEA Life and Health Sciences

The qualification rewards precise applied knowledge, confident calculation and strong practical write-ups.

1. Work from the specification. Each unit's content statements are a checklist; the examined papers are written from them.
2. Learn definitions and processes precisely. Name structures, reactions and stages exactly, from the cardiac cycle to transcription and translation.
3. Link the science to health and industry. The applied focus rewards connecting theory to real contexts such as disease, treatment and manufacturing.
4. Drill the recurring calculations. Cardiac output, ventilation rate, BMI, enthalpy, titration, Kc, Rf and genetic-cross ratios appear every year.
5. Master the investigation workflow. Variables, controls, risk, data processing, statistics and evaluation earn marks in the portfolios and in the written data questions alike.

The units, dot point by dot point

Each examined unit has a specification-level overview with worked questions and cross-links, plus dot-point pages and a quiz, and each portfolio unit has an overview explaining its assessment. Browse the full set at /ccea-a-level/life-and-health-sciences/syllabus.

For the official specification

CCEA publishes the full specification, specimen assessment materials and support at ccea.org.uk. Always revise from the current CCEA specification and CCEA's own assessment materials, because the units, question style and portfolio expectations are board-specific.