If you’re keen to gain a broad introduction to scientific thinking, our IGCSE Double Science online course is perfect. From studying the human circulatory system to explaining how a rainbow is made, through Double Science you’ll open up a fascinating world of discovery.

By choosing online distance learning, you’ll have the flexibility to fit study around your lifestyle, learning at your own pace as you work through a series of engaging topics.

Our Double Science IGCSE course is ideal if you:

• Are keen to gain a broad foundation in the key ideas and applications of biology, chemistry and physics.
• Want to learn more about how science is studied and applied.
• Would like to discover how scientific research impacts everyday life.
• Are interested in building your observational, analytical and problem-solving skills, to improve your employability.

Future opportunities

• Employers value candidates who can demonstrate science-based skills – such as enquiry, accuracy, initiative and inventiveness.
• Gaining a firm foundation in each subject will help you make an informed choice about pursuing science at A level.

Biology

Section 1: The nature and variety of living things

• Characteristics of living things
• Animals and plants
• Fungi and protoctists
• Bacteria and viruses

Section 2: Structure in living organisms

• From cells to systems
• Cell structure
• Biological molecules
• Biology Core Practical 1 Food tests
• Enzymes
• Biology Core Practical 2 Temperature and enzyme activity
• Movement of substances
• Biology Core Practical 3 Diffusion and osmosis

Section 3: Nutrition, respiration and gas exchange

• Plant nutrition and growth
• Biology Core Practical 4 Photosynthesis
• Human nutrition
• The human digestive system
• Respiration
• Biology Core Practical 5 Respiration
• Gas exchangein humans
• Core Practical 6 Human breathing

Section 4: Transport and excretion

• Transport systems
• Blood and immunity
• The heart and circulation
• Excretion

Section 5 Coordination and response

• Responding to the environment
• Responses to stimuli in plants
• The human nervous system
• Homeostasis
• Hormones

Section 6: Reproduction and inheritance

• Reproduction in plants
• Biology Core Practical 7 Seed germination
• Reproduction in humans
• DNA and inheritance
• Mitosis and meiosis
• Variation and natural selection

Section 7: Ecology and biological resources

• Organisms in the environment
• Biology Core Practical 8 Investigate population size
• Feeding relationships
• The carbon cycle
• Humans and the environment
• Increasing crop yields
• Microorganisms in food production
• Biology Core Practical 9 Anaerobic respiration in yeast
• Selective breeding and genetic modification

Chemistry

Section 1: Principles of chemistry 1

• States of matter
• Elements, compounds and mixtures
• Chromatography
• Chemistry Core Practical 1 Chromatography
• Atomic structure

Section 2: Principles of chemistry 2

• The Periodic Table
• Ions
• Ionically bonded substances
• Covalent bonding
• Covalently bonded substances

Section 3: Inorganic chemistry 1

• Chemical equations
• Alkali metals
• Gases in the atmosphere
• Chemistry Core Practical 2 Oxygen in air
• Carbon dioxide
• Halogens
• The reactivity series
• Chemistry Core Practical 3 Reacting acids and metals

Section 4: Inorganic chemistry 2

• Rusting
• Oxidation and reduction
• Acids and alkalis
• Solubility
• Acids and bases
• Chemistry Core Practical 4 Prepare copper (II) sulfate
• Chemical tests 1
• Chemical tests 2

Section 5: Quantitative chemistry

• Formula masses and moles
• Reacting masses
• Calculating chemical formulae
• Chemistry Core Practical 5 Formula of a metal oxide
• Empirical and molecular formulae

Section 6: Physical chemistry

• Energy in reactions
• Measuring energy changes
• Chemistry Core Practical 6 Temperature change in reactions
• Rates of reaction
• Chemistry Core Practical 7 Rates of reaction
• Chemistry Core Practical 8 Catalysis
• Reversible reactions

Section 7 Organic chemistry

• Hydrocarbons
• Naming organic compounds
• Classifying organic reactions
• Crude oil
• Fuels and cracking
• Alkanes 1
• Alkenes 2
• Synthetic polymers

Physics

Section 1: Forces and motion

• Distance and speed
• Speed and acceleration
• Forces
• Weight and force
• Physics Core Practical 1 Motion
• Hooke’s law
• Physics Core Practical 2 Hooke’s law
• Maths help 1

Section 2: Electricity and magnetism

• Mains electricity
• Circuits
• Resistance and Ohm’s law
• Charge and current
• Energy and voltage
• Magnetism
• Physics Core Practical 3 Magnetic field patterns
• Electromagnetism
• Electromagnetic induction

Section 3: Waves

• Waves and energy transfer
• Properties of waves
• The electromagnetic spectrum
• Reflection of light 1
• Refraction of light 2
• Total internal reflection
• Physics Core Practical 4 Refraction of light
• Physics Core Practical 5 Refractive index
• Sound waves

Section 4: Energy resources and energy transfers

• Energy transfer
• Thermal energy
• Physics Core Practical 6 Thermal energy transfer
• Work and energy
• Gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy
• Power

Section 5: Solids, liquids and gases

• Density
• Physics Core Practical 7 Density
• Pressure
• Ideal gases
• Gas laws

Section 6: Radioactivity and particles

• Atomic structure and radiation
• Nuclear equations
• Physics Core Practical 8 Radiation penetration
• Radioactive substances
• Uses and dangers
• Nuclear fission

Section 7: Astrophysics

• Nuclear fusion
• Our universe and solar system
• Gravity
• Stellar evolution

Study IGCSE Double Science with us and benefit from:

• Flexible learning
• Support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
• Any time enrolment
• Our exam booking service
• Assignments with tutor feedback
• Ongoing support from Student Support
• Forums to discuss your course with other students

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 learning platform.

This easy-to-use learning platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you evaluate your progress.

You’ll have access to support from a personal tutor. All NEC tutors are subject experts, with experience of supporting online learners.

Meet Julie who is just one of our first-class double science tutors:

“I love learning and I love inspiring other people to learn. I’ve worked with students from primary to undergraduate level as I have taught in schools and universities. Now, I specialise in home education and distance learning, teaching people in the UK and overseas. I have a degree in physics with astrophysics and a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) in physics, science and maths, both from the University of Birmingham, and an LLM in Law from the University of Leeds. A senior examiner for several exam boards, I am also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.”

Exam board

• Pearson Edexcel 

Format

• Online learning with support from a personal tutor

Hours

• Complete at your own pace
• Approx. 240-280* hours plus time for completing assignments

*The specification suggests that 240 hours is needed. You’ll also need time to complete assignments and prepare yourself for exams. Everyone is different so it’s impossible to say with certainty how long a course will take you, but you should expect it to take you approximately 300 hours. Taken across the length of time we recommend, this equates to approximately 4 hours per week. This will increase if you choose to take it over a shorter time frame.

Assignments

• 21 assignments (one introductory) – these do not contribute towards your final grade

Resources

• No additional set texts required

Requirements 

• Internet access
• Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec

Our course fees are clear and transparent to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

• 24/7 access to learn@nec platform and resources
• Expertly designed online course materials (including ebook versions of textbooks where specified) that you need to complete the course and written to cover the carefully selected awarding body specification
• Support from our Student Services team
• Structured assignments to help you track your progress throughout your course
• Guidance from your tutor for up to 18 months from your date of enrolment
• Constructive feedback on your assignments from your tutor, to help you improve and prepare for exams
• Guaranteed exam place
• NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
• Time planner template to help you plan your study timetable
• Information on how to apply for exams

Your course fee does not cover:

• Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments
• Centre Assessment Grades (CAG) in the event of exam cancellation
• Recommended textbooks for additional reading or set texts
• Equipment for core practicals

If you need more support, you can purchase:

• Online tutorials – if you need help with a specific topic you can arrange a 30 minute or 1 hour tutorial
• Additional past paper marking – to help with your exam preparation
• Revision tutorial –  to plan your revision and explore revision techniques
• Help with your UCAS application service

For further information on additional/optional support you can purchase, please visit our additional services page.

Assessment is by examination only: there is no coursework

Exams (three):

• Biology Paper 1 – (2 hours)
• Chemistry Paper 1 –  (2 hours)
• Physics Paper 1 – (2 hour)

There is no non-exam assessment (NEA) for this course

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies. In our experience learning online works best when either a parent or guardian are involved. This is why NEC has developed our unique Progress Tracker to help you to support your child.

NEC’s Progress Tracker will allow you to easily track your child’s progress across their subjects and gain insight to how well they are doing through access to their assignment grades and tutor feedback.  

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!