Summary of Cambridge IGCSE History Course Content
Cambridge IGCSE History course provides international understanding for everyone! Gain a greater understanding of international relationships and choose to build analytical skills about important events that marked world history. You will have the opportunity to develop knowledge for identifying historical evidence or stimulate your interest in different societies’ aspects. Understanding the past will help you present arguments for the world we live in today. Start exploring the stories that shaped our world today.
This course aims to enable students to:
- stimulate an interest in and enthusiasm for learning about the past
- promote the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of individuals, people and societies in the past
- ensure that learners’ knowledge is rooted in an understanding of the nature and use of historical evidence
- promote an understanding of key historical concepts: cause and consequence, change and continuity, and similarity and difference
- provide a sound basis for further study and the pursuit of personal interest
- encourage international understanding
- encourage the development of historical skills, including investigation, analysis, evaluation and communication skills.
Areas of Study
All candidates study all the Core Cambridge IGCSE History Content in either:
- Option A The nineteenth century: the development of modern nation states, 1848–1914 or
- Option B The twentieth century: international relations since 1919
In addition, all candidates must also study at least one of the Depth Studies:
A. The First World War, 1914-18
B. Germany, 1918-45
C. Russia, 1905-41
D. The USA, 1919-41
E. China, c. 1930 – c. 1990
F. South Africa, c. 1940 – c. 1994
G. Israelis and Palestinians since 1945
How the course is assessed
You will be assessed using three components:
1
Paper 1
– Written paper
2
Paper 2
– Written paper
3
and either Paper 3 (Coursework) or Paper 4 (Alternative to Coursework).
Your teacher will tell you if you are doing coursework or not.
Guided Learning Hours
We design Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses based on learners having about 130 guided learning hours for each subject during the course but this is for guidance only. The number of hours a learner needs to achieve the qualification may vary according to local practice and their previous experience of the subject.
Required textbook
Cambridge IGCSE and O Level History Option B: the 20th Century Coursebook Second Edition, Paul Grey, Rosemarie Little, Robin Macpherson, John Etty, Graham Goodlad, Et al, ISBN 9781108439473. You can find the textbook here.
Course Code: 0470
