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Studying an external GCSE while in university

Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, I didn't know where it would best be posted.

I want to study an external, home taught GCSE while at my first year of university this year. I felt that first year would be a better option to start than any because of how hectic I've seen third years get.

I know there's a risk of overwhelming but the GCSE is taken completely at my own pace (I can take 2/3 years to complete it if I wanted) and I am just studying a 'base' university course - Forensic Investigation with no added extras. So I feel it can be manageable for me.

So what I wanted to ask is - is there any reason this is an absolutely bad idea and I should reconsider? Is it too difficult to juggle an external qualification while at university?
Also, will there be issues around exam time? The GCSE course comprises of both supervised coursework and a 2 hour final exam. The supervised coursework can be arranged for any time so I have no problem with that, but I'm worried about the exam. The person I spoke to said it'll only be on one date and one time. Am I at a high risk of clashing with university final deadlines or final lectures or is it even possible?
Is it worth speaking to the university about this when I start or will that be pointless?

Anyway sorry for the question spam, I like to just put everything down as I think of it :redface:
Original post by ChargingStag
Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, I didn't know where it would best be posted.

I want to study an external, home taught GCSE while at my first year of university this year. I felt that first year would be a better option to start than any because of how hectic I've seen third years get.

I know there's a risk of overwhelming but the GCSE is taken completely at my own pace (I can take 2/3 years to complete it if I wanted) and I am just studying a 'base' university course - Forensic Investigation with no added extras. So I feel it can be manageable for me.

So what I wanted to ask is - is there any reason this is an absolutely bad idea and I should reconsider? Is it too difficult to juggle an external qualification while at university?
Also, will there be issues around exam time? The GCSE course comprises of both supervised coursework and a 2 hour final exam. The supervised coursework can be arranged for any time so I have no problem with that, but I'm worried about the exam. The person I spoke to said it'll only be on one date and one time. Am I at a high risk of clashing with university final deadlines or final lectures or is it even possible?
Is it worth speaking to the university about this when I start or will that be pointless?

Anyway sorry for the question spam, I like to just put everything down as I think of it :redface:

Maybe a dumb question.. But what exactly is the GCSE course?

Juggling external qualifications (Especially at GCSE) is no problem provided you manage your time well and don't waste it.
Original post by Binary Freak
Maybe a dumb question.. But what exactly is the GCSE course?

Juggling external qualifications (Especially at GCSE) is no problem provided you manage your time well and don't waste it.


Edexcel Astronomy, so not really related to my uni course but I'm not doing any kind of minor so I'm not too worried.
That's good to know at least! Just concerned about the exam timing now.

Thanks :smile:
Original post by ChargingStag
Edexcel Astronomy, so not really related to my uni course but I'm not doing any kind of minor so I'm not too worried.
That's good to know at least! Just concerned about the exam timing now.

Thanks :smile:


Sorry if my question is not helping but which centre are you doing it through? I can't find any online learning providers that offer GCSE Astronomy
Original post by ChargingStag
Edexcel Astronomy, so not really related to my uni course but I'm not doing any kind of minor so I'm not too worried.
That's good to know at least! Just concerned about the exam timing now.

Thanks :smile:

Exploring it as an area of interest I take it? If that assumption is correct perhaps just buy a book and read it in your leisurely time.
I know The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide (Terence Dickinson), and Turn Left At Orion (Dan M. Davis) are good reads! :smile:

Good luck with the timing if you take it up as a qualification! :smile:
Edexcel will be the awarding body:
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/astronomy-2009.html

And the course material/home learning provider for me would be Planet Earth Education:
http://www.planeteartheducation.co.uk/gcse-astronomy.html

I just checked with them today and it is the Edexcel GCSE they will be providing. I think there are a couple of places that do the Astronomy home learning courses but this one came recommended to me by a friend :smile:
Original post by ChargingStag
Edexcel will be the awarding body:
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/astronomy-2009.html

And the course material/home learning provider for me would be Planet Earth Education:
http://www.planeteartheducation.co.uk/gcse-astronomy.html

I just checked with them today and it is the Edexcel GCSE they will be providing. I think there are a couple of places that do the Astronomy home learning courses but this one came recommended to me by a friend :smile:


Oh sweet! I might consider it in my second year, how much?
Original post by Binary Freak
Exploring it as an area of interest I take it? If that assumption is correct perhaps just buy a book and read it in your leisurely time.
I know The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide (Terence Dickinson), and Turn Left At Orion (Dan M. Davis) are good reads! :smile:

Good luck with the timing if you take it up as a qualification! :smile:


Thanks for the recommendations, I'll have a look into them for sure :biggrin:
It's £150 for the whole thing + around £10 for the recommended textbook, and with that you can take however long you like to complete the course. It looks like a fun course to do if you have a little bit of spare £ on the side, I've always wanted something to show for my love of astronomy
Original post by ChargingStag
It's £150 for the whole thing + around £10 for the recommended textbook, and with that you can take however long you like to complete the course. It looks like a fun course to do if you have a little bit of spare £ on the side, I've always wanted something to show for my love of astronomy


That's so cheap for a GCSE, most online providers charge about £300-400 for one
Oh wow, I didn't know that! That makes me feel a lot better about the price now
Why not just do something on coursera like https://www.coursera.org/learn/astro?
Reply 12
Your problem with taking 2-3 years to complete a GCSE, is that the syllabus is likely to change over that time. Your exam and later assessed coursework may cover topics which you haven't been taught. I tried doing an archaeology GCSE by distance learning part-time, and that was the trap I got caught in. The teaching, marking and online elements were great, but the syllabus changed at the end of my first year. To have actually taken the exams in the following year to get the qualification, I would have had to re-start the course.
Original post by ChargingStag
Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, I didn't know where it would best be posted.

I want to study an external, home taught GCSE while at my first year of university this year. I felt that first year would be a better option to start than any because of how hectic I've seen third years get.

I know there's a risk of overwhelming but the GCSE is taken completely at my own pace (I can take 2/3 years to complete it if I wanted) and I am just studying a 'base' university course - Forensic Investigation with no added extras. So I feel it can be manageable for me.

So what I wanted to ask is - is there any reason this is an absolutely bad idea and I should reconsider? Is it too difficult to juggle an external qualification while at university?
Also, will there be issues around exam time? The GCSE course comprises of both supervised coursework and a 2 hour final exam. The supervised coursework can be arranged for any time so I have no problem with that, but I'm worried about the exam. The person I spoke to said it'll only be on one date and one time. Am I at a high risk of clashing with university final deadlines or final lectures or is it even possible?
Is it worth speaking to the university about this when I start or will that be pointless?

Anyway sorry for the question spam, I like to just put everything down as I think of it :redface:


Did you do GCSE Physics or A-level Physics? If so, usually in 1st year, you are allowed to pick one or more modules outside your degree program because 1st year doesn't count for most degrees. But of course if all your modules are compulsory you might not have this opportunity.
Original post by Helloworld_95
Why not just do something on coursera like https://www.coursera.org/learn/astro?


After all that learning I would prefer to have a qualification that is nationally recognised and official - anything else would just seem a little pointless :redface:

Original post by Klix88
Your problem with taking 2-3 years to complete a GCSE, is that the syllabus is likely to change over that time. Your exam and later assessed coursework may cover topics which you haven't been taught. I tried doing an archaeology GCSE by distance learning part-time, and that was the trap I got caught in. The teaching, marking and online elements were great, but the syllabus changed at the end of my first year. To have actually taken the exams in the following year to get the qualification, I would have had to re-start the course.


That is very true. Saying that the textbook they have asked me to buy is from 2009 so it looks like this course hasn't changed much over the years!

Original post by The Empire Odyssey
Did you do GCSE Physics or A-level Physics? If so, usually in 1st year, you are allowed to pick one or more modules outside your degree program because 1st year doesn't count for most degrees. But of course if all your modules are compulsory you might not have this opportunity.


I did Double Award science for GCSE but nothing specific, and no science A-Levels. I'll ask about it when I start uni though
I've been thinking of doing this in my first or second year of uni, but everyone I've spoken to about it so far thinks I'm crazy. I think the only thing that will be difficult is fitting the gcse exams around uni exams and lectures...have you got any further in your research of this? :smile:

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