Course information
International GCSE History students will reflect on a number of key twentieth-century events. The course includes modules on the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, American history between the wars, the development of modern medicine and finally, the civil rights movement.
While studying each of the topics detailed above, students will be encouraged to assess a range of primary and secondary source material, empowering them to come to their own conclusions based on the evidence they find. This is a skill which gains greater importance by the day with the rise of fake news on social media.
Students will be encouraged to share their thoughts and views throughout the course via ten tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), two of which are mock exam papers.
The Oxford Home Schooling course is divided into four modules, as follows:
Module 1: Changes in Medicine, c1848–c1948
- Progress in the mid-19th Century; Nightingale, Chadwick, Snow and Simpson
- Medicine Discovery and Development, 1860–75; Lister and Pasteur
- Accelerating Change, 1875–1905; Ehrlich, Koch and Chemistry
- Government Action and War, 1905–20
- Advances in Medicine, Surgery and Public Health 1920–48; the NHS
Module 2: The USA, 1918–41
- The Roaring Twenties
- Increased Social Tensions in the 1920s8
- The USA in Depression, 1929–33
- Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1933–41
- The Opposition to the New Deal
Module 3: Germany: Development of Dictatorship, 1918–45
- The Establishment of the Weimar Republic and its Early Problems
- The Recovery of Germany, 1924–29
- The Rise of Hitler and the Nazis to January 1933
- Nazi Germany,1933–39
- The Impact of the Second World War on Germany
Module 4: A Divided Union: Civil Rights in the USA, 1945–74
- The Red Scare and McCarthyism
- Civil Rights in the 1950s
- The Impact of Civil Rights Protests, 1960–74
- Other Protest Movements: Students, Women, anti–Vietnam
- Nixon and Watergate
Oxford Home Schooling’s International GCSE History course is designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in History (4HI1) for exams in 2025 and beyond.
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history”
Martin Luther King. Apply now!
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Exams and Assessment
There is no coursework with the International GCSE History. Instead, students must sit two 90-minute exams at the end of the course.
Exams are available in summer or in November.
Course duration and study time
When you enrol with Oxford Home Schooling, we will agree on an intended examination date with you. The current default exam date is Summer 2026. Your support will last all the way up to this examination date, regardless of whether you decide to do the course in 12 months or 18. This is what your fee covers. If you wish to prolong the period of support and/or defer your examination date, new arrangements will need to be made.
The recommended number of study hours for this course is 200 hours.
Course price
Our International GCSE History course fee is £395.
You may pay using our interest-free easy payment scheme. Pay a £79 deposit followed by eight monthly instalments of £39.50.
Multiple courses attract a discount. See our pricing page for further details.
You will receive support from a fully-qualified tutor holding either a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a degree in education.
This support includes:
- marking all assignments for the course
- written answers to specific study problems
- telephone contact
- a mock exam paper
- the option to buy extra 1:1 tutor time if needed
When you begin this course, you will agree an examination date or dates with your Student Adviser. Your support period lasts up to this examination date.
Online Course or Paper Based? Additional Tuition? It’s your choice!
All of our GCSE students receive:
- Traditional printed learning materials
- Access to our online resources with on-the-go access to all your regular lessons
- The support of a fully qualified teacher online and by phone
- You will have the same tutor through your course which will enable you to build a good working relationship. They generally work some evenings and weekends as well as through the holidays.
- You also have the choice of purchasing extra one to one tutor time on an ad hoc basis for those few occasions when you may feel you need it.
Meet Our Tutors
History has always been a love of mine, having worked in various branches of the subject in museums and universities for more than thirty years. My specialist area is Modern British History and I completed my Ph.D, at University College London in 1991. In addition to my association with Oxford Open Learning, I tutor with the Open University and also examine A Level papers on behalf of Edexcel. I have also published five books.
We all have busy lives and many demands upon our time, and I know from my considerable experience in distance learning that so many students feel that they are unique in juggling the pressure of work commitments, family obligations and personal health. You are not alone; both Oxford Open Learning and I are here to offer support as you progress through your studies.
Stephen Bunker
What’s next?
Students who obtain a solid grade in their International GCSE History won’t be surprised to know that the skills learnt will stand them in good stead moving forward.
Having developed their critical writing skills to a consistently high standard, many students go on to study subjects such as Law, English, Journalism or Media at a higher level. Others, spurred on by their thirst for knowledge, choose to continue their study of history at A level, before heading off to university in order to obtain a degree, MA or even a Ph.D.
Whichever route students choose, the critical thinking skills developed throughout this course will enable students to interpret and question all manner of topics, from newspaper articles, internet news to reporting of global events that shape the world in which we live.
FAQs
Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling?
- Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational trust that prides itself on
- treating every student as an individual
- customer service
- course quality.
- We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
- We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
- We make it easy for you to home-educate your children with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.
- Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals.
- Oxford Home Schooling is part of a not-for-profit trust so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your child’s tuition or on improving our courses.
What is an International GCSE?
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) qualifications are comparable to the UK GCSE specifications, with appropriate international content and assessment that will enable successful progression for learners.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are studied in over 80 countries worldwide and in independent schools in the UK. Available in 37 subjects, they are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs and accepted by universities globally. Aimed at learners aged 14 to 16, they provide the skills and knowledge needed to progress to A Levels, International A Levels, onto university and into employment.
Full details of Pearson Edexcel’s International GCSEs can be found here
When can I enrol?
You can enrol and start any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam and to give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully. Our cut-off dates for enrolment can be found here.
Once you have enrolled, you will get access to your course online immediately and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.
When will I sit my exam?
The History IGCSE exams are held in the Summer or the Autumn examination series. The Summer series typically runs from mid-May to late June and the Autumn series is in November.
How and when do I book an exam?
The final date for booking summer exams with the exam board without incurring late entry fees is the 21st of February. You should book your place at an exam centre well in advance of this date. Start looking once the autumn term begins.
All the information you need to book an exam centre can be found in our Exams Hub. Here you will find
- detailed instructions on how to approach exam centres with no online booking system
- entry codes needed to book exams
- our map of examination centres where our students have taken exams in recent years.
Tutors & Exams offers discounts to Oxford Home Schooling students and has nine current exam venues across the UK: Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.
Our exam map also shows a wealth of other centres; some are pretty much guaranteed to help, some offer discounts and some may have changed exam officer and unfortunately deny all knowledge of ever helping private candidates.
Pearson Edexcel also publishes a list of exam centres that accept private candidates. This won’t cover every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.
How much does a History IGCSE examination cost?
Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They will vary depending on which centre you choose. Generally speaking, dedicated examination services will be more expensive than a local school or college. Prices range from £100 to £350 pounds.
Is it necessary to have studied History before?
No, but it is an advantage to have done so. It is easier to understand and interpret twentieth-century history if your prior learning has included study of earlier periods. This provides context. Even if your prior learning covers no more than a list of kings and queens of England, it will help you make sense of more recent history.
“We study history not to be clever in another time
but to be wise always” Cicero. Apply Now!
Need more Information? Enquire Now!
