Not a Student?
Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.
About the Course
From the smallest units of life to how healthy ecosystems can be sustained, AP Biology explores the key principles of biology. While you learn about genetics and how it affects evolution, how energy flows through ecosystems and other fascinating topics, you’ll also learn how to think critically, solve problems, and communicate scientific ideas effectively.
Skills You'll Learn
Designing experiments and procedures to test a prediction or theory
Collecting and analyzing data
Interpreting data to draw conclusions
Developing and supporting a scientific claim with evidence
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College Course Equivalent
A two-semester college introductory biology course for biology majors
Recommended Prerequisites
High school courses in biology and chemistry
Exam Date
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life
You’ll learn about water’s role as the basis of life and the functions of macromolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Topics may include:
- Structure of water hydrogen bonding
- Elements of life
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Nucleic acids
- Proteins
On The Exam
8%–11% of exam score
Unit 2: Cells
You’ll study the makeup of cells and the structure and function of organelles and cellular components on the subcellular and cellular levels.
Topics may include:
- Cellular structure and functions
- Cell size
- Cellular interactions with its environment
- Plasma membrane and membrane transport
- Cell regulatory mechanisms (like osmosis and selective permeability)
- Cellular compartmentalization
On The Exam
10%–13% of exam score
Unit 3: Cellular Energetics
You’ll learn the concept of energy capture and usage, how cells interact with their environment, and how fundamental biological processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration work.
Topics may include:
- The structure and function of enzymes
- Cellular energy
- The processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration
On The Exam
12%–16% of exam score
Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle
You’ll learn how cells use energy and information transmission to communicate and replicate.
Topics may include:
- Cell communication
- Signal transduction pathways
- Feedback
- Cell cycle and regulation
On The Exam
10%–15% of exam score
Unit 5: Heredity
You’ll learn how traits are passed down from one generation to the next.
Topics may include:
- Meiosis and genetic diversity
- Mendelian genetics
- Non-mendelian Inheritance
- Environmental effects on phenotype
On The Exam
8%-11% of exam score
Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation
You’ll study structures of DNA and RNA, how hereditary information passes from parent to offspring and how those traits are expressed.
Topics may include:
- DNA and RNA structure
- DNA replication
- Transcription and RNA processing
- Translation
- Regulation of gene expression
- Gene expression and cell specialization
- Mutations
- Biotechnology
On The Exam
12%-16% of exam score
Unit 7: Natural Selection
You’ll learn about Darwin’s theory of natural selection, and the evidence for and against mechanisms of evolutionary change.
Topics may include:
- Natural and aritificial selection
- Population genetics
- Evidence of evolution and common ancestry
- Phylogeny
- Speciation and variations in populations
- Origin of life on Earth
On The Exam
13%-20% of exam score
Unit 8: Ecology
You’ll explore biological concepts at a broader organism level and analyze how populations interact within communities and ecosystems.
Topics may include:
- Responses to the environment
- Energy flow through ecosystems
- Population ecology and population density
- Community ecology
- Biodiversity
- Disruptions in ecosystems
On The Exam
10%-15% of exam score
Credit and Placement
Search AP Credit Policies
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.
Course Resources
See Where AP Can Take You
AP Biology can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors