3BIO

NCEA Level 3 Biology

Course Selection for 2025 is now closed.

Course Description

Teacher in Charge: Ms H. Dixon.


What is Biology?

Biology is at the centre of all life and students explore the living world, its ecology, plant and animal life processes, evolution, and relationships between biology and technology. Through this study, students gain an understanding of themselves, the world, and how organisms survive and live together. They also develop essential scientific knowledge, methods and techniques. From here, ākonga are able to analyse scientific information effectively and discuss the wide range of implications science has on our world, including medical and environmental issues. Biology is a broad interest subject and is important for careers and in a variety of areas, from health to forestry and zoology.



The Level 3 Biology course enables students to gain an understanding of fundamental living world concepts to prepare them for further biological study at university.  Students will use scientific evidence and develop critical thinking skills to link these observations to theory. 

The course introduces the biological evidence and ideas that explain how an organism’s responses provide a selective survival advantage in its niche, the evolutionary processes that lead to speciation, and trends in human evolution. 

Students will plan, conduct and report on a practical investigation, and through research, explain how and why a mammal maintains a stable internal environment despite fluctuating environmental conditions.

Career Pathways

Credit Information

You will be assessed in this course through all or a selection of the standards listed below.

This course is approved for University Entrance.

Total Credits Available: 20
Internal Assessed Credits: 7
External Assessed Credits: 13
Assessment
Description
Level
Internal or
External
Credits
L1 Literacy Credits
UE Literacy Credits
Numeracy Credits
A.S. 91601 v2
NZQA Info

Biology 3.1 - Carry out a practical investigation in a biological context, with guidance


Level: 3
Internal or External: Internal
Credits: 4
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 0 *
Numeracy Credits: 0
A.S. 91603 v3
NZQA Info

Biology 3.3 - Demonstrate understanding of the responses of plants and animals to their external environment


Level: 3
Internal or External: External
Credits: 5
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 5r,5w *
Numeracy Credits: 0
A.S. 91604 v2
NZQA Info

Biology 3.4 - Demonstrate understanding of how an animal maintains a stable internal environment


Level: 3
Internal or External: Internal
Credits: 3
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 3r *
Numeracy Credits: 0
A.S. 91605 v2
NZQA Info

Biology 3.5 - Demonstrate understanding of evolutionary processes leading to speciation


Level: 3
Internal or External: External
Credits: 4
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 4r,4w *
Numeracy Credits: 0
A.S. 91606 v2
NZQA Info

Biology 3.6 - Demonstrate understanding of trends in human evolution


Level: 3
Internal or External: External
Credits: 4
Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
University Entrance Literacy Credits: 4r,4w *
Numeracy Credits: 0
Credit Summary
Total Credits: 20
Total Level 1 Literacy Credits: 0
Total University Entrance Literacy Credits: 16
Total Numeracy Credits: 0

Approved subject for University Entrance

Number of credits that can be used for overall endorsement: 20

Only students engaged in learning and achievement derived from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa are eligible to be awarded these subjects as part of the requirement for 14 credits in each of three subjects.