To do chemistry GCSE as an adult

[MiltonBook]

I know nothing about chemistry. At school we only had to do one science GCSE (many years ago) and I did physics.

It feels like a real gap in my understanding of the world so I’m thinking of doing the GCSE (with exam). I can buy a textbook and my husband has chemistry A level so could presumably help if I get stuck.

I have a PhD and work in an academic-adjacent profession so am confident I can still study. I’d be grateful for any views on this, how viable it is and how long I should give myself for the course (aiming for a 9). Thank you!

If you want to do chemiastey GCSE there is definitely a practical element. If you look on line you can find courses where they send you the kit and you can do the practical side too. Open Study College do it for example https://www.openstudycollege.com/courses/gcse-chemistry-higher-tier

Chemistry graduate here. You won’t get full benefit of learning chemistry without practicals. The point about science is doing experiments to back up theories. A lot of people don’t get that chemistry required an element of physical engagement and not just book learning.
only exception is theoretical physics really, and maths.

I'm not sure I totally agree. Of course the experimental basis is crucial to the field but I'm not convinced my grasp of the field was much enhanced by all the hours in the undergrad labs, especially organic synthesis. Unless you're planning on a career involving practical lab work, reading, understanding and doing the calculations (especially stats) are likely to be far more valuable.
Then again, my PhD was crystallography (experimental but limited practical skill required, mostly number-crunching) and my career in chemistry software development so I've got a different perspective

My son did Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry as there no practicals. You can buy the textbook and self study along with online resources. That spec can be sat in the summer and autumn, exam centres such as Tutors & Exams accept adults.
https://he-exams.fandom.com/wiki/Chemistry
https://he-exams.fandom.com/wiki/Finding_an_exam_centre

I think it’s recommended that there should be approximately 130 hours of teaching per GCSE so I guess, in theory, you could do it in less than a month if you had nothing else to do! TBH, I would expect someone educated to PhD level (depending on the field) could possibly do it in a lot less than 130 hours. Based on my experience, and my DC’s experience, undergraduates often learn statistics from scratch to a higher level than GCSE statistics in about 30 hours teaching.

Couldn’t you just read some books/ watch some videos? I bet you could learn most of the concepts in a few hours as an adult.

I really like Nile Red on YouTube he does lots of interesting experiments

I did a combined Chemistry and physics course at our local college. I was one of the oldest students there but we were all adults. It was two hours a week and an hour or so homework.
The practicals were great fun and made me glad I took a course rather than home study.

Instead of a GCSE do the first unit with the OU S111 as it covers GCSE and some A level Biology, physics and chemistry. You don't need to do practicals as it's designed to be done from home.

I work in FE. We offer Science GCSE as an evening class. It's two evenings per week (as opposed to Maths & English, which are one evening).
It's a popular course.

@Marshbird it's really not the case with GCSE level though, most reasonably clever adults don't need to do experiments to understand the eight required practicals thought experiments and YouTube's videos are fine, and in most cases you can carry them out at home anyway with a few adaptations ie Rates of reaction with bath bombs, water and vinegar etc

Making salts
Temperature changes
Rates of reaction
Chromatography
Water purification
Electrolysis
Neutralisation
Identifying ions

Also my son did on-line physics gcse at about 22 and was given a 0900 slot in Birmingham for his exam which meant travelling overnight. The closest other exam site was on the outskirts of London, which would have also been a less problematic overnight but would cost £250 on top of the course.
So it’s worth asking where the exam will be before signing up for a course.

I did a maths A Level in my mid 20s. I really enjoyed it! I was lucky enough to have a friend who was a maths teacher who tutored me.

I don't know about Chemistry, but I have studied an academic subject to GCSE and then A level as an older adult, and it is very motivating and satisfying. I enjoyed the discipline it requires. I sat the exam through a private college in London which was able to make the entry for me and provide the exam accommodation (the exam board may be able to suggest somewhere for you). Good luck!

Good luck, OP, if you find a course, please report back, I'd love to do A level chemistry, having got an A at GCSE eons ago, and regretting not taking the subject further back then.