The SQA publish detailed information for all of their courses, including guidance on Course Specifications, the requirements of course components (eg the Main Diet Exam and any folios, investigations or dissertations) and the length of the Main Diet Exam papers. For National 5, Higher & Advanced Higher, they also publish five years worth of Past Papers with full Marking Instructions.
The following table gives a breakdown of every AH/H/N5 Course with their components and the maximum mark for each component.
| Level Name | Course Name | Component Number | Component Name | Max Mark (or where applicable max mark after scaling) |
| Advanced Higher | Art and Design (Design) | 1 | Portfolio | 100 |
| Advanced Higher | Art and Design (Expressive) | 1 | Portfolio | 100 |
| Advanced Higher | Biology | 1 | Section 2 | 96 |
| Advanced Higher | Biology | 2 | Section 1 – Objective Test | 24 |
| Advanced Higher | Biology | 3 | Project | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Business Management | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| Advanced Higher | Business Management | 2 | Project | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Chemistry | 1 | Section 2 | 93 |
| Advanced Higher | Chemistry | 2 | Section 1 – Objective Test | 27 |
| Advanced Higher | Chemistry | 3 | Project | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Design and Manufacture | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| Advanced Higher | Design and Manufacture | 2 | Assignment | 120 |
| Advanced Higher | Engineering Science | 1 | Question Paper | 75 |
| Advanced Higher | Engineering Science | 2 | Project | 75 |
| Advanced Higher | English | 1 | Literary Study | 20 |
| Advanced Higher | English | 2 | Textual Analysis | 20 |
| Advanced Higher | English | 3 | Portfolio: Writing | 30 |
| Advanced Higher | English | 4 | Project: Dissertation | 30 |
| Advanced Higher | Geography | 1 | Question Paper | 50 |
| Advanced Higher | Geography | 2 | Project Folio: Section A | 60 |
| Advanced Higher | Geography | 3 | Project Folio: Section B | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Graphic Communication | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Advanced Higher | Graphic Communication | 2 | Project | 90 |
| Advanced Higher | History | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Advanced Higher | History | 2 | Project – Dissertation | 50 |
| Advanced Higher | Mathematics | 1 | Paper 1 (Non Calculator) | 35 |
| Advanced Higher | Mathematics | 2 | Paper 2 (Calculator) | 80 |
| Advanced Higher | Modern Studies | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Advanced Higher | Modern Studies | 2 | Project: Dissertation | 50 |
| Advanced Higher | Music | 1 | Question Paper | 35 |
| Advanced Higher | Music | 2 | Performance – Instrument 1 | 25 |
| Advanced Higher | Music | 3 | Performance – Instrument 2 | 25 |
| Advanced Higher | Music | 4 | Assignment | 15 |
| Advanced Higher | Music Technology | 1 | Project – Research | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Music Technology | 2 | Project – Production | 95 |
| Advanced Higher | Physical Education | 1 | Project | 70 |
| Advanced Higher | Physical Education | 2 | Performance | 30 |
| Advanced Higher | Physics | 1 | Question Paper | 120 |
| Advanced Higher | Physics | 2 | Project | 40 |
| Advanced Higher | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Advanced Higher | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 2 | Dissertation | 50 |
| Higher | Art and Design | 1 | Question Paper | 60 |
| Higher | Art and Design | 2 | Portfolio: Expressive | 100 |
| Higher | Art and Design | 3 | Portfolio: Design | 100 |
| Higher | Business Management | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Higher | Business Management | 2 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Chemistry | 1 | Paper 2 | 95 |
| Higher | Chemistry | 2 | Paper 1 (Multiple choice) | 25 |
| Higher | Chemistry | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Design and Manufacture | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| Higher | Design and Manufacture | 2 | Assignment | 90 |
| Higher | Drama | 1 | Question Paper | 40 |
| Higher | Drama | 2 | Performance | 60 |
| Higher | Engineering Science | 1 | Question Paper | 110 |
| Higher | Engineering Science | 2 | Assignment | 50 |
| Higher | English | 1 | Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation | 30 |
| Higher | English | 2 | Critical Reading | 40 |
| Higher | English | 3 | Portfolio: Writing | 30 |
| Higher | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 1 | Listening | 20 |
| Higher | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 2 | Reading | 25 |
| Higher | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 3 | Writing | 25 |
| Higher | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 4 | Performance | 30 |
| Higher | French | 1 | Reading | 30 |
| Higher | French | 2 | Directed Writing | 15 |
| Higher | French | 3 | Listening | 30 |
| Higher | French | 4 | Performance: Talking | 30 |
| Higher | French | 5 | Assignment – Writing | 15 |
| Higher | Geography | 1 | Physical and Human Environments | 50 |
| Higher | Geography | 2 | Global Issues and Geographical Skills | 30 |
| Higher | Geography | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Graphic Communication | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| Higher | Graphic Communication | 2 | Assignment | 50 |
| Higher | History | 1 | British, European and World History | 44 |
| Higher | History | 2 | Scottish History | 36 |
| Higher | History | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Human Biology | 1 | Paper 2 | 95 |
| Higher | Human Biology | 2 | Paper 1 (Multiple choice) | 25 |
| Higher | Human Biology | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Mathematics | 1 | Paper 1 (Non Calculator) | 55 |
| Higher | Mathematics | 2 | Paper 2 (Calculator) | 65 |
| Higher | Modern Studies | 1 | Paper 1 | 52 |
| Higher | Modern Studies | 2 | Paper 2 | 28 |
| Higher | Modern Studies | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Music | 1 | Question Paper | 35 |
| Higher | Music | 2 | Performance – Instrument 1 | 25 |
| Higher | Music | 3 | Performance – Instrument 2 | 25 |
| Higher | Music | 4 | Assignment | 15 |
| Higher | Music Technology | 1 | Question Paper | 30 |
| Higher | Music Technology | 2 | Assignment | 70 |
| Higher | Physical Education | 1 | Question Paper | 50 |
| Higher | Physical Education | 2 | Performance | 50 |
| Higher | Physics | 1 | Paper 2 | 95 |
| Higher | Physics | 2 | Paper 1 (Multiple choice) | 25 |
| Higher | Physics | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Psychology | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| Higher | Psychology | 2 | Assignment | 40 |
| Higher | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 1 | World Religion, Morality and Belief | 60 |
| Higher | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 2 | Religious and Philosophical Questions | 20 |
| Higher | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 3 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Sociology | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| Higher | Sociology | 2 | Assignment | 30 |
| Higher | Spanish | 1 | Reading | 30 |
| Higher | Spanish | 2 | Directed Writing | 15 |
| Higher | Spanish | 3 | Listening | 30 |
| Higher | Spanish | 4 | Performance: Talking | 30 |
| Higher | Spanish | 5 | Assignment – Writing | 15 |
| National 5 | Applications of Mathematics | 1 | Paper 1 (Non Calculator) | 35 |
| National 5 | Applications of Mathematics | 2 | Paper 2 (Calculator) | 55 |
| National 5 | Art and Design | 1 | Question Paper | 50 |
| National 5 | Art and Design | 2 | Portfolio: Expressive | 100 |
| National 5 | Art and Design | 3 | Portfolio: Design | 100 |
| National 5 | Biology | 1 | Section 2 | 75 |
| National 5 | Biology | 2 | Section 1 – Objective Test | 25 |
| National 5 | Biology | 3 | Assignment | 25 |
| National 5 | Business Management | 1 | Question Paper | 90 |
| National 5 | Business Management | 2 | Assignment | 30 |
| National 5 | Chemistry | 1 | Section 2 | 75 |
| National 5 | Chemistry | 2 | Section 1 – Objective Test | 25 |
| National 5 | Chemistry | 3 | Assignment | 25 |
| National 5 | Design and Manufacture | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | Design and Manufacture | 2 | Assignment: Design | 55 |
| National 5 | Design and Manufacture | 3 | Assignment: Practical | 45 |
| National 5 | Drama | 1 | Question Paper | 40 |
| National 5 | Drama | 2 | Performance | 60 |
| National 5 | Engineering Science | 1 | Question Paper | 110 |
| National 5 | Engineering Science | 2 | Assignment | 50 |
| National 5 | English | 1 | Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation | 30 |
| National 5 | English | 2 | Critical Reading | 40 |
| National 5 | English | 3 | Portfolio: Writing | 30 |
| National 5 | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 1 | Listening | 20 |
| National 5 | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 2 | Reading | 25 |
| National 5 | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 3 | Writing | 25 |
| National 5 | English for Speakers of Other Languages | 4 | Performance | 30 |
| National 5 | French | 1 | Reading | 30 |
| National 5 | French | 2 | Writing | 15 |
| National 5 | French | 3 | Listening | 30 |
| National 5 | French | 4 | Performance: Talking | 30 |
| National 5 | French | 5 | Assignment – Writing | 15 |
| National 5 | Geography | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | Geography | 2 | Assignment | 20 |
| National 5 | Graphic Communication | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | Graphic Communication | 2 | Assignment | 40 |
| National 5 | History | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | History | 2 | Assignment | 20 |
| National 5 | Mathematics | 1 | Paper 1 (Non Calculator) | 40 |
| National 5 | Mathematics | 2 | Paper 2 (Calculator) | 50 |
| National 5 | Modern Studies | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | Modern Studies | 2 | Assignment | 20 |
| National 5 | Music | 1 | Question Paper | 35 |
| National 5 | Music | 2 | Performance – Instrument 1 | 25 |
| National 5 | Music | 3 | Performance – Instrument 2 | 25 |
| National 5 | Music | 4 | Assignment | 15 |
| National 5 | Music Technology | 1 | Question Paper | 30 |
| National 5 | Music Technology | 2 | Assignment | 70 |
| National 5 | Physical Education | 1 | Portfolio | 60 |
| National 5 | Physical Education | 2 | Performance | 60 |
| National 5 | Physics | 1 | Section 2 | 75 |
| National 5 | Physics | 2 | Section 1 – Objective Test | 25 |
| National 5 | Physics | 3 | Assignment | 25 |
| National 5 | Practical Metalworking | 1 | Practical Activity | 70 |
| National 5 | Practical Metalworking | 2 | Question Paper | 30 |
| National 5 | Practical Woodworking | 1 | Practical Activity | 70 |
| National 5 | Practical Woodworking | 2 | Question Paper | 30 |
| National 5 | Psychology | 1 | Question Paper | 70 |
| National 5 | Psychology | 2 | Assignment | 30 |
| National 5 | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 1 | Question Paper | 80 |
| National 5 | Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies | 2 | Assignment | 20 |
| National 5 | Sociology | 1 | Question Paper | 70 |
| National 5 | Sociology | 2 | Assignment | 30 |
| National 5 | Spanish | 1 | Reading | 30 |
| National 5 | Spanish | 2 | Writing | 15 |
| National 5 | Spanish | 3 | Listening | 30 |
| National 5 | Spanish | 4 | Performance: Talking | 30 |
| National 5 | Spanish | 5 | Assignment – Writing | 15 |
To find out more detail on any Course Specification, try searching for any course from this page link: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45625.html
Once you have selected a Subject, choose the Level and then select “Course Specification”. The Course Specification document contains a detailed overview of all aspects of that course. Even greater detail can be found in the “Coursework” section.
Unfortunately it is not possible (or a good idea!) for us to publish specific course guidance here, as the SQA have been regularly updating it over the last five years.
