How you’d get this certificate
- Zavmo teaches you. You learn the units one-to-one with an AI tutor, on your own work.
- You register with an approved centre. That is a college, training provider or employer Cambridge OCR has approved to offer this qualification. Zavmo is not an approved centre, so you register with them, not with us.
- The centre assesses, and Cambridge OCR awards. A qualified assessor at the centre judges your evidence, and the certificate comes from Cambridge OCR.
At Level 3, the Cambridge Technical Certificate in Applied Science from OCR allows learners to gain scientific knowledge and practical laboratory skills. It is intended for those working, or intending to work, in the science sector.
These are the units Cambridge OCR registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated. Zavmo teaches towards them on your own work, and work done here is recognised as prior learning under the agreements we hold.
Zavmo is not an awarding body, is not an approved centre, and is not affiliated with Cambridge OCR. It does the teaching and the mapping. Cambridge OCR sets this qualification and awards it, and a qualified human assessor makes the assessment decision.
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What each unit actually teaches you to do
Cell biology Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the basic structure of cells
- Describe the functions of different cell organelles
- Explain the processes of cell division and differentiation
- Analyse the role of cells in different biological systems
- Understand the principles of cell signalling
- Investigate cell biology using appropriate techniques
Conservation of biodiversity Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Define biodiversity and its importance for ecosystem health and human well-being
- Describe the different levels of biodiversity, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity
- Explain the threats to biodiversity, such as habitat loss, pollution, and climate change
- Analyse the strategies for conserving biodiversity, including protected areas, habitat restoration, and sustainable resource management
- Understand the role of international agreements and organisations in biodiversity conservation
Control of hazards in the laboratory Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Identify potential hazards within a laboratory environment
- Implement control measures to minimise risks associated with laboratory hazards
- Understand relevant health and safety legislation and guidelines
- Respond appropriately to emergency situations in the laboratory
- Conduct risk assessments for laboratory activities
Crop production and soil science Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of crop production, including planting, irrigation, and harvesting techniques
- Describe the different types of crops and their nutritional value
- Explain the importance of soil science in crop production
- Analyse the factors that affect soil fertility and health
- Understand the methods for improving soil quality and managing soil erosion
Drug development Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the stages involved in drug development, from initial research to market release
- Describe the different types of drugs and their mechanisms of action
- Explain the importance of clinical trials in drug development
- Analyse the ethical considerations involved in drug development
- Understand the regulatory processes and requirements for drug approval
Environmental management Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of environmental management
- Identify key environmental management issues
- Analyse the impact of human activities on the environment
- Evaluate different environmental management strategies
- Understand environmental legislation and regulations
- Apply environmental management techniques in practical situations
Environmental surveying Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of environmental surveying
- Identify different environmental surveying techniques
- Apply environmental surveying techniques in practical situations
- Analyse data collected from environmental surveys
- Evaluate the accuracy and reliability of environmental survey data
- Understand relevant health and safety regulations for environmental surveying
Food technology Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of food technology
- Identify different food processing techniques
- Analyse the impact of food processing on nutritional value
- Evaluate different methods of food preservation
- Understand food safety regulations and standards
- Apply food technology techniques in practical situations
Genetics Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the basic principles of genetics
- Describe the structure and function of DNA and RNA
- Explain the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation
- Analyse patterns of inheritance
- Understand the role of genes in determining traits
- Discuss the ethical implications of genetic technologies
- Explain the concepts of mutation and genetic variation
Human nutrition Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of human nutrition
- Describe the major nutrients and their functions in the body
- Explain the processes of digestion, absorption, and metabolism
- Analyse the nutritional needs of different population groups
- Evaluate the impact of diet on health and disease
- Understand the principles of healthy eating
- Explain the role of nutrition in physical activity and performance
Human physiology Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Describe the structure and function of the human body systems
- Explain the physiological processes that occur within the human body
- Analyse the interrelationships between different body systems
- Evaluate the impact of lifestyle factors on human physiology
- Understand the mechanisms of homeostasis in the human body
- Describe common physiological disorders and their causes
Laboratory techniques Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Demonstrate proficiency in a range of common laboratory techniques
- Apply appropriate techniques for sample preparation and analysis
- Maintain accurate records of laboratory procedures and results
- Adhere to health and safety regulations within a laboratory environment
- Use laboratory equipment correctly and safely
Microbiology Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the basic principles of microbiology
- Demonstrate aseptic techniques in a laboratory setting
- Prepare and examine microbiological samples
- Identify different types of microorganisms
- Understand the importance of infection control
Product testing techniques Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of product testing
- Apply appropriate testing techniques to assess product quality
- Interpret test results and draw conclusions about product performance
- Identify factors that can affect product testing outcomes
- Maintain accurate records of product testing procedures and results
Science fundamentals Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Explain fundamental scientific concepts related to biology
- Explain fundamental scientific concepts related to chemistry
- Explain fundamental scientific concepts related to physics
- Apply scientific principles to solve practical problems
- Demonstrate safe laboratory practices and techniques
- Analyse and interpret scientific data
- Evaluate the validity and reliability of scientific information
Scientific analysis and reporting Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of scientific analysis
- Apply scientific analysis techniques to given scenarios
- Interpret data obtained from scientific analysis
- Evaluate the validity and reliability of scientific data
- Produce clear and concise scientific reports
- Present scientific findings in a professional manner
- Understand the ethical considerations in scientific analysis and reporting
- Apply quality control procedures in scientific analysis
Sustainability and renewable energy Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Define sustainability and its importance in the context of energy production
- Describe different types of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydro power
- Explain the environmental impacts of traditional energy sources and the benefits of renewable energy
- Analyse the economic and social factors that influence the adoption of renewable energy technologies
- Understand the policies and regulations that promote sustainability and renewable energy
Testing consumer products Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of testing consumer products
- Identify the relevant standards and regulations for testing consumer products
- Plan and conduct tests on consumer products
- Analyse the results of tests on consumer products
- Evaluate the safety and performance of consumer products
- Produce reports on the testing of consumer products
- Understand the legal and ethical considerations in testing consumer products
Waste management Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of waste management
- Identify different types of waste and their characteristics
- Analyse the environmental impact of waste disposal
- Evaluate different waste management strategies
- Understand waste management legislation and regulations
- Apply waste management techniques in practical situations
The national standards these units are built against
What the job actually needs, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.
- Standard
17_Analysing laboratory samples using light microscopy
- Standard
Analysing samples using light microscopy in life sciences and related industries
- Standard
Applying Basic Statistics to the Laboratory Measurement Process
- Standard
Identify individuals with, or at risk of, genetic conditions
- Standard
Principles of Human Biology and Food Conversion
- Standard
Principles of Human Food Nutrition
- Standard
Product Test Footwear and Leathergoods
- Standard
Write scientific or technical reports for workplace activities
The jobs these credits are mapped to
A qualification is never a dead end here. Each of these is a job record this qualification is a mapped route into.
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
- 1 record
Showing 6 roles, drawn from 42 job records mapped to this qualification. Near-identical records are folded together, and each row says how many it stands for.
Where this can lead
Associate Laboratory Technician
This role builds the fundamentals of lab work. From here, some move into more senior technician roles, others into research or lab management.
See the whole journeyThe credits, and who awards them
Level 3 credits are regulated, and they are awarded by Cambridge OCR rather than by Zavmo. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you have covered and what is next.
What you would be collecting
Cell biologyConservation of biodiversityControl of hazards in the laboratoryCrop production and soil scienceDrug developmentEnvironmental managementEnvironmental surveyingFood technology
Each one is a real unit registered against this qualification.
How you’d practise it
You don’t watch this. You do it.
You are not assessed on remembering this. You are assessed on applying it, analysing it, evaluating it and producing something. So that is what the practice is: projects, role play and your own live cases, with a tutor in the room.
- Draft the real one Create
You do “Scientific analysis and reporting” on a real document of your own. Zavmo works on the draft you have to send anyway, so the coursework and the job are the same piece of work.
- Lead it Apply
“Environmental management” is practised on the team you actually have. You talk through the call you are about to make, and Zavmo makes you say it the way you would say it to them.
What you leave holding
The standards this credential builds, in the shape the product keeps them
Nothing here is marked learned. There is no learner on a public page, so the map shows what the qualification covers rather than what anybody has done.
- 17_Analysing laboratory samples using light microscopy
- Analysing samples using light microscopy in life sciences and related industries
- Applying Basic Statistics to the Laboratory Measurement Process
- Identify individuals with, or at risk of, genetic conditions
- Principles of Human Biology and Food Conversion
- Principles of Human Food Nutrition
- Product Test Footwear and Leathergoods
- Write scientific or technical reports for workplace activities
How you would learn this
One to one, on the work you already do
A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.
A lesson from Cell biology, one of this qualification's own units.
Applied to your work in any of these jobs
This unit covers cell biology fundamentals, including cell structure, organelle functions, cell division, differentiation, and signalling. Learners will analyse cellular roles in biological systems and investigate cell biology using appropriate techniques.
- 1 Remember
- 2 Understand
- 3 Apply
- 4 Analyse
- 5 Evaluate
- 6 Create
It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time. Teaching towards this qualification begins when you subscribe.
Built for Cambridge OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Certificate in Applied Science
19 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Cambridge OCR.
- Cell biology
- Conservation of biodiversity
- Control of hazards in the laboratory
- Crop production and soil science
- Drug development
- Environmental management
and 13 more in the full unit list below.
Free tools
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Learned on your own work, taught one-to-one.
Everything you just read, learned one-to-one on the job you already do. Your free first module is Future Fluency, so you can see how the teaching works before you pay for anything.
Build my plan, freeNo card. See how this qualification maps onto your role and meet the tutors who’d teach it, free. The learning begins when you subscribe. It’s £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.
The title, level, credits, guided learning hours and unit learning outcomes on this page are taken from the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Where this data comes from.