- Course Type CLEP
- Subject Science and Mathematics
- Level Introductory
- Length 3 Modules
- Video Length 3h 43m
- Reading Pages 791
- Institution Modern States
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Biology surveys the material usually taught in a one-year college course, with emphasis on three major areas: molecular and cellular biology, organismal biology, and population biology, including evolution and ecology.
This is a free, self-paced Modern States course with no prerequisites. It is aligned to the CLEP® Biology exam and is designed to prepare you to succeed on the test and earn college credit at no cost.
Modern States originally developed this course in collaboration with Athena Anderson, Ph.D. Eric Cooper, Ph.D. supported course enhancements published in 2025.
Course Overview
Biology Course Overview - Modern States
| Module | Topic | Video Length | Total pages of required reading |
| Module 1: Molecular and Cellular Biology (33%) 01:31:01 total video length 224 total reading pages |
1: Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | 0:01:15 | – |
| 1.1: Chemical Composition of Organisms | 0:01:45 | – | |
| 1.1.1: Simple Chemical Reactions and Bonds | 0:08:49 | 13 | |
| 1.1.2: Properties of Water | 0:04:07 | 8 | |
| 1.1.3: Chemical Structure of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids | 0:05:52 | 30 | |
| 1.1.4: Origin of Life | 0:02:07 | – | |
| 1.2: Cells | 0:02:07 | – | |
| 1.2.1: Structure and Function of Cell Organelles | 0:08:41 | 9 | |
| 1.2.2: Properties of Cell Membranes | 0:07:44 | 30 | |
| 1.2.3: Comparison of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells | 0:04:10 | 12 | |
| 1.3: Enzymes | 0:01:28 | 7 | |
| 1.3.1: Enzyme-Substrate Complex | 0:03:29 | 7 | |
| 1.3.2: Roles of Coenzymes | 0:01:05 | 7 | |
| 1.3.3: Inorganic Cofactors | 0:01:07 | – | |
| 1.3.4: Inhibition and Regulation | 0:03:52 | – | |
| 1.4: Energy Transformations | 0:00:42 | – | |
| 1.4.1: Glycolysis, Respiration, Anaerobic Pathways | 0:04:51 | 7 | |
| 1.4.2: Photosynthesis | 0:03:04 | 22 | |
| 1.5: Cell Division | 0:00:47 | – | |
| 1.5.1: Structure of Chromosomes | 0:05:05 | 4 | |
| 1.5.2: Mitosis, Meiosis, and Cytokinesis in Plants and Animals | 0:03:56 | 7 | |
| 1.6: Chemical Nature of the Gene | 0:01:46 | – | |
| 1.6.1: Watson-Crick Model of Nucleic Acids | 0:02:36 | – | |
| 1.6.2: DNA Replication | 0:02:05 | 12 | |
| 1.6.3: Mutations | 0:01:20 | 5 | |
| 1.6.4: Control of Protein Synthesis: Transcription, Translation, Posttranscriptional Processing | 0:02:06 | 14 | |
| 1.6.5: Structural and Regulatory Genes | 0:01:02 | 18 | |
| 1.6.6: Transformation | 0:01:20 | 12 | |
| 1.6.7: Viruses | 0:02:43 | – | |
| 1: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 2: Organismal Biology (34%) 00:56:32 total video length 186 total reading pages |
2: Introduction to Organismal Biology | 0:01:35 | – |
| 2.1: Structure and Function in Plants with Emphasis on Angiosperms | 0:00:46 | – | |
| 2.1.1: Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, Seed, Fruit | 0:02:32 | 23 | |
| 2.1.2: Water and Mineral Absorption and Transport | 0:01:55 | 8 | |
| 2.1.3: Food Translocation and Storage | 0:01:43 | 8 | |
| 2.2: Plant Reproduction and Development | 0:01:18 | – | |
| 2.2.1: Alternation of Generations in Ferns, Conifers, and Flowering Plants | 0:02:11 | 11 | |
| 2.2.2: Gamete Formation and Fertilization | 0:02:18 | 11 | |
| 2.2.3: Growth and Development: Hormonal Control | 0:02:17 | 8 | |
| 2.2.4: Tropisms and Photoperiodicity | 0:03:27 | 8 | |
| 2.3: Structure and Function in Animals with Emphasis on Vertebrates | 0:01:06 | – | |
|
2.3.1: Major Systems (e.g., Digestive, Gas Exchange, Skeletal, Nervous, Circulatory, Excretory, Immune)
|
0:02:32 | 26 | |
| 2.3.2: Homeostatic Mechanisms | 0:03:36 | 5 | |
| 2.3.3: Hormonal Control in Homeostasis and Reproduction | 0:03:56 | 5 | |
| 2.4: Animal Reproduction and Development | 0:01:49 | – | |
| 2.4.1: Gamete Formation, Fertilization | 0:02:31 | 8 | |
| 2.4.2: Cleavage, Gastrulation, Germ Layer Formation, Differentiation of Organ Systems | 0:02:44 | 7 | |
| 2.4.3: Experimental Analysis of Vertebrate Development | 0:02:25 | – | |
| 2.4.4: Extraembryonic Membranes of Vertebrates | 0:01:54 | 7 | |
| 2.4.5: Formation and Function of the Mammalian Placenta | 0:00:55 | 4 | |
| 2.4.6: Blood Circulation in the Human Embryo | 0:01:10 | – | |
| 2.5: Principles of Heredity | 0:01:09 | – | |
| 2.5.1: Mendelian Inheritance (Dominance, Segregation, Independent Assortment) | 0:02:50 | 26 | |
| 2.5.2: Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance | 0:04:18 | 9 | |
| 2.5.3: Linkage, Including Sex-Linked | 0:02:41 | 12 | |
| 2.5.4: Polygenic Inheritance (Height, Skin Color) | 0:00:54 | – | |
| 2: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 3: Population Biology (33%) 01:14:40 total video length 381 total reading pages |
3: Introduction to Population Biology, Evolution, and Behavior | 0:01:21 | – |
| 3.1: Principles of Ecology | 0:01:53 | – | |
| 3.1.1: Energy Flow and Productivity in Ecosystems | 0:03:05 | 5 | |
| 3.1.2: Biogeochemical Cycles | 0:06:30 | 12 | |
|
3.1.3: Population Growth and Regulation (Natality, Mortality, Competition, Migration, Density, r- and K-selection)
|
0:03:12 | 33 | |
| 3.1.4: Community Structure, Growth, Regulation (Major Biomes and Succession) | 0:04:54 | 33 | |
| 3.1.5: Habitat (Biotic and Abiotic Factors) | 0:00:40 | – | |
| 3.1.6: Concept of Niche | 0:01:37 | – | |
| 3.1.7: Island Biogeography | 0:05:18 | 18 | |
| 3.1.8: Evolutionary Ecology (Life History Strategies, Altruism, Kin Selection) | 0:02:07 | 13 | |
| 3.2: Principles of Evolution | 0:02:15 | – | |
| 3.2.1: History of Evolutionary Concepts | 0:01:34 | 16 | |
|
3.2.2: Concepts of Natural Selection (Differential Reproduction, Mutation, Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, Speciation, Punctuated Equilibrium)
|
0:02:20 | 44 | |
| 3.2.3: Adaptive Radiation | 0:03:46 | 21 | |
| 3.2.4: Major Features of Plant and Animal Evolution | 0:04:16 | 62 | |
| 3.2.5: Concepts of Homology and Analogy | 0:02:47 | 16 | |
| 3.2.6: Convergence, Extinction, Balanced Polymorphism, Genetic Drift | 0:04:28 | 42 | |
| 3.2.7: Classification of Living Organisms | 0:04:16 | 13 | |
| 3.2.8: Evolutionary History of Humans | 0:02:08 | 8 | |
| 3.3: Principles of Behavior | 0:00:42 | – | |
| 3.3.1: Stereotyped, Learned, Social Behavior | 0:03:37 | 10 | |
| 3.3.2: Societies (Insects, Birds, Primates) | 0:01:53 | – | |
| 3.4: Social Biology | 0:00:55 | 5 | |
|
3.4.1: Human Population Growth (Age Composition, Birth and Fertility Rates, Theory of Demographic Transition)
|
0:03:00 | 30 | |
|
3.4.2: Human Intervention in the Natural World (Management of Resources, Environmental Pollution)
|
0:03:03 | – | |
| 3.4.3: Biomedical Progress (Control of Human Reproduction, Genetic Engineering) | 0:03:03 | – | |
| 3: Summary | – | – | |
| Course Conclusion | – | – |
