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Cambridge IGCSE World History

World History for Cambridge IGCSE (syllabus 0470) — what the qualification covers, and the study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
0470
Board
Cambridge
Qualification
IGCSE

At a glance

Qualification
Cambridge IGCSE World History
Spec code
0470
Does Marlbridge teach it?
Yes
Are resources available?
Yes — 6 published
Is enrolment open?
Enquire to join — no online enrolment yet
Where was this verified?
2026-08-19, official Cambridge specification

Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official Cambridge specification on 2026-08-19.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.

The qualification

Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)

Cambridge IGCSE History looks at some of the major international issues of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as covering the history of particular regions in more depth. — Cambridge, official syllabus page

All candidates study Core content in either Option A (The nineteenth century: development of modern nation states, 1848-1914, six key questions) or Option B (The twentieth century: international relations since 1919, six key questions), plus at least one of five named Depth studies (A: The First World War 1914-18; B: Germany 1918-45; C: Russia 1905-41; D: The United States 1919-41; E: The Second World War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific 1939-c.1945). Assessed via Paper 1 (Structured Questions), Paper 2 (Document Questions), and either Component 3 Coursework or Paper 4.

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the Cambridge syllabus page for your examination year.

Assessment structure

Component-based qualification

Assessment components for Cambridge World History 0470
Component Duration Marks Weighting Type
Paper 1: Structured Questions 2h 60 40% Written exam
Paper 2: Document Questions 1h 45m 40 30% Written exam
Component 3: Coursework — 40 30% * Coursework
Paper 4: Alternative to Coursework 1h 40 30% * Alternative to practical

* Candidates sit one of the components marked with an asterisk, not all of them.

Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27. Directly confirmed against the official PDF (Assessment overview, p.9): all candidates take Paper 1 Structured Questions (2h, 60 marks, 40%, two Core-content questions plus one Depth-study question) and Paper 2 Document Questions (1h45, 40 marks, 30%), plus EITHER Component 3 Coursework (one piece of extended writing, 40 marks, 30%, internally assessed and externally moderated) OR Paper 4 Alternative to Coursework (1h, 40 marks, 30%, externally assessed) -- modeled via alternativeGroup, same coursework-choice pattern as Geography 0460. Cambridge has since published a later 2027-2028 edition (721455) not modeled here; this record is the current one for the 2026 series. Examination-series window 2024-2026 (June, November, and March-in-India series); no separate first-teaching date published.

Assessment FAQs

How is Cambridge World History (0470) assessed?

Cambridge World History (0470) is assessed through: Paper 1 (Structured Questions) — 2h, 60 marks, 40% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Document Questions) — 1h 45m, 40 marks, 30% of the qualification; Component 3 (Coursework) — no fixed duration, 40 marks, 30% of the qualification; Paper 4 (Alternative to Coursework) — 1h, 40 marks, 30% of the qualification. It is a component based qualification. Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27.

The subject

World History teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All World History at Marlbridge

Syllabus topics

The 3 topics below are the official subject content of Cambridge IGCSE History (0470), for the 2024-2026 examination series, reproduced from the Cambridge syllabus document.

A topic listed here is part of the syllabus. It does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it — topics with resources are marked. Marlbridge currently has resources for 2 of 3 topics.

  1. 1 Core Content – Option A: The Nineteenth Century, 1848–1914

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Were the Revolutions of 1848 Important? · How Was Italy Unified? · How Was Germany Unified? · Why Was There a Civil War in the United States and What Were Its Results? · Why, and With What Effects, Did Nations Gain and Expand Their Overseas Empires? · What Caused the First World War?

  2. 2 Core Content – Option B: The Twentieth Century, 1919–1989

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Was the Treaty of Versailles Fair? · To What Extent Was the League of Nations a Success? · How Far Was Hitler’s Foreign Policy to Blame for the Outbreak of War in 1939? · Who Was to Blame for the Cold War? · How Effectively Did the United States Contain the Spread of Communism? · How Secure Was the USSR’s Control Over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?

  3. 3 Depth Studies

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Depth Study A: The First World War, 1914–18 · Depth Study B: Germany, 1918–45 · Depth Study C: Russia, 1905–41 · Depth Study D: The United States, 1919–41 · Depth Study E: The Second World War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, 1939–c.1945

Source: Cambridge Assessment International Education — official syllabus PDF — 2024-2026 series. Verified 2026-08-19. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

Study resources

Revision material

Exam preparation

World History at other qualifications

These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.

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