IB

WHAT IS AN IB EDUCATION?

An IB education fosters creativity and imagination. It offers students opportunities for considering the nature of human thought and for developing the skills and commitments necessary not only to remember, but also to analyse one’s own thinking and effort—as well as the products and performances that grow from them.

Through inquiry, action and reflection, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes aim to develop a range of competencies and dispositions that include skills for thinking, working with others, communicating, self-management and research. As IB learners students strive to be: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced, and Reflective.

The International Baccalaureate’s constructivist approach leads towards open, democratic classrooms through the interaction of asking, doing and thinking. An IB education empowers young people for a lifetime of learning, independently and in collaboration with others. It prepares a community of learners to engage with global challenges through inquiry, action and reflection.

An IB education provides opportunities to develop both disciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding that meet rigorous standards set by institutions of higher learning around the world. The IB’s programmes offer curriculum frameworks and courses that are broad and balanced, conceptual and connected.

Within the IB programmes, assessment is ongoing, varied and integral to the curriculum. Assessment may be formal or informal, formative or summative, internal or external; students also benefit by learning how to assess their own work and the work of others.

Assessment forms an integral aspect of teaching and learning. They call for critical and creative thinking. Assessment in the DP aims to balance valid measurement with reliable results, providing an internationally recognized university entrance qualification whose results are based on both coursework and external examinations.

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is for students aged 16-19. Students choose courses from the following subject groups: studies in language and literature; language acquisition; individuals and societies; sciences; mathematics; and the arts. Each student takes at least three (but not more than four) subjects at higher level, and the remaining at standard level. In addition to these subjects, all students complete three core requirements that are included to challenge and to broaden the educational experience: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, Creativity, Action & Service. The Diploma Programme prepares students for success in higher education and to be active participants in a global society.

Description of IB DP

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities. The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they:

develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from six subject groups
develop the skills and a positive attitude towards learning that will prepare them for higher education
study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course
undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay
enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service.

The Diploma Programme core

The Diploma programme core contains 3 essential elements of the IB DP underlining the programme philosophy. All DP students are expected to fulfill the requirements of each of the core elements listed below:

The extended essay asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying.
Theory of knowledge develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction.
Creativity, action, service (CAS) involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies throughout the Diploma Programme. Creativity encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. Action seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service with the community offers a vehicle for new learning with academic value. The three strands of CAS enhance students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery.

Choices and completion criteria

Students must study six subjects, 3 at SL and 3 at HL plus complete the Theory of Knowledge requirements, submit a passing EE and fulfill the requirement of the CAS programme. They must accumulate no fewer than 24 points from assessment in these subjects in addition to grade stipulations
Subjects are chosen from Group 1-6, however Group 6 subject can be replaced by another additional subject from Group 1,2,3 or 4
Group 2 subject can be replaced by another Group 1 subject
They must meet all of the additional requirements listed above
They must do so within a maximum of three examination sessions (May, November)
Candidates who successfully meet these conditions will be awarded the diploma
Candidates who take the diploma in multiple Group 1 languages may be eligible for a bilingual diploma

The additional requirements are the following:

CAS requirements have been met
There is no “N” awarded for TOK, the EE or for a contributing subject
There is no grade E awarded for TOK and/or the EE
There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level
There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL)
There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL)
The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects (for candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count)
The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects (candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL)
The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the Final Award Committee

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