Why the IB Diploma Programme?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is an internationally recognized 2-year diploma program students can apply to take in their junior and senior year of high school. Diploma Programme (DP) students not only are required to take high level, in depth, rigorous courses, they also have the opportunity to contribute to the the local community (through the Creativity, Activity, Service requirement) as well as construct a college level research paper (through the Extended Essay). The DP programme promotes well rounded students, not just academically, but socially as well.   

• Acceptance rates are up to 22% higher for students with an IB Diploma and up to 13% higher for IVY League Schools
• College graduation rates are higher within the IB Diploma than without. For public colleges, the 4-year graduation rate is about 33%, with an IB Diploma that jumps to 84%
• Certain schools offer more credit for an IB Diploma (UCs give 20 semester units for successful completion of the diploma and a score of greater than 30)
• IB courses count for college credit (depending on course score, university, and major)

All IB DP candidates must: 

Take six (6) IB courses: one from each "group" - Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and one (1) Arts/Electives OR another Group 1-5 course:

• Successfully complete a combination of 4 Higher Level (HL) courses AND 2 Standard Level (SL) courses across the 6 groups, or
• Successfully complete a combination of 3 Higher Level (HL) courses AND 3 Standard Level (SL) courses across the 6 groups

	Subject Group:	Course:	Level(s):
Group 1	Language A:	Language and Literature	HL
	Language & Literature
Group 2	Language Acquisition:	Spanish (SL/HL)	SL/HL
	Language B	Japanese (SL)
	or Language ab initio	French ab initio (SL)
Group 3	Individuals and Societies	History of the Americas	HL
Group 4	The Sciences	Biology (HL)	SL/HL
		Chemistry (HL)
		Environmental Systems & Societies (SL)
		Physics (SL)
Group 5	Mathematics	Analysis and Approaches (HL)	SL/HL
		Applications and Interpretations (SL)
Group 6	The Arts	The Arts:	SL/HL
	or	Music (HL)
	Group 1-5 Elective	Theatre (HL)
		Visual Arts (SL)
		Group 1-5 Elective:
		Psychology (HL), Individuals and Societies
		Computer Science (SL), The Sciences

DP Core Requirements

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) a course that integrates the 6 subject groups through common inquiry and reflection on the nature of truth and worldwide cultural shifts   Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) take part in experiences and a project to develop self-confidence and to become more well-rounded   Extended Essay (EE) an independent, self-directed (up to 4,000 word) academic research paper on topic of interest in an approved DP subject area

 

2. Students must NOT have any academic misconduct such as cheating, plagiarism, etc.

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Group 1 - Language and Literature

 

Language A: Literature 

First assessments for SL and HL - 2021

Course aims - students will

• Engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles and cultures
• Develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing
• Develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation
• Develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open multiple meanings
• Develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues
• Develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines
• Communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way
• Foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature

Assessment at a glance

 

Language A: Language and Literature

First assessments for SL and HL - 2021

Course aims - students will

• Engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles and cultures
• Develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing
• Develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation
• Develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open multiple meanings
• Develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues
• Develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines
• Communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way
• Foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature

Assessment at a glance

 

Group 2 - Language Acquisition

 

Language ab initio

(French & Japanese)

SL only - First assessment 2020

Course aims - students will

• Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues of global significance
• Communicate in the language studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes
• Develop, through the study of texts and social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures
• Develop an understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar
• Develop an awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
• Gain opportunities for intellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills through language learning and inquiry
• Build a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language
• Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning

Assessment at a glance

External assessment totals 75% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 25%.

 

Language B

(Spanish)

SL and HL - First assessment 2020

Course aims - students will

• Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues of global significance
• Communicate in the language studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes
• Develop, through the study of texts and social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures
• Develop an understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar
• Develop an awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge
• Gain opportunities for intellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills through language learning and inquiry
• Build a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language
• Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning

At HL, students additionally study two literary works originally written in the target language and are expected to extend the range and complexity of language they use and understand.

Assessment at a glance

External assessment totals 75% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 25%. SL and HL weightings are identical - it is the nature and complexity of the tasks that differs between levels.

 

Group 3 - Individuals and Societies 

 

History SL

First assessments 2017

Course aims - students will

• Develop an understanding of, and continuing interest in, the past
• Engage with multiple perspectives and appreciate the complex nature of historical concepts, issues, events and developments
• Promote international-mindedness through the study of history from more than one region of the world
• Develop an understanding of history as a discipline, including a sense of chronology, context and different historical perspectives
• Develop key historical skills, including engaging effectively with sources
• Increase understanding of themselves and of contemporary society by reflecting on the past

Six key concepts run throughout the course: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance and perspectives.

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the historical investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 75% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 25%.

 

History HL
First assessments 2017

Course aims - students will

• Develop an understanding of, and continuing interest in, the past
• Engage with multiple perspectives and appreciate the complex nature of historical concepts, issues, events and developments
• Promote international-mindedness through the study of history from more than one region of the world
• Develop an understanding of history as a discipline, including a sense of chronology, context and different historical perspectives
• Develop key historical skills, including engaging effectively with sources
• Increase understanding of themselves and of contemporary society by reflecting on the past

Six key concepts run throughout the course: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance and perspectives.

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the historical investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 80% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 20%.

Psychology
SL and HL - First assessment 2019

Course aims - students will

• Develop an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour
• Apply an understanding of these factors to at least one applied area of study
• Understand diverse methods of inquiry
• Understand the importance of ethical practice in psychological research and observe ethical practice in their own inquiries
• Ensure that ethical practices are upheld in all psychological inquiry and discussion
• Develop an awareness of how psychological research can be applied to address real-world problems and promote positive change
• Provide a basis for further study, work and leisure
• Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of learning

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the experimental study, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 75% (SL) / 80% (HL); internal assessment totals 25% (SL) / 20% (HL).

 

Environmental Systems and Societies SL

SL only - First assessments 2017

Course aims - students will

• Acquire the knowledge and understandings of environmental systems and issues at a variety of scales
• Apply knowledge, methodologies and skills to analyse environmental systems and issues at a variety of scales
• Appreciate the dynamic interconnectedness between environmental systems and societies
• Value the combination of personal, local and global perspectives in making informed decisions and taking responsible actions
• Be critically aware that resources are finite and may be inequitably distributed and exploited, and that managing these inequities is key to sustainability
• Develop awareness of the diversity of environmental value systems
• Develop critical awareness that environmental problems are caused and solved by decisions based on different areas of knowledge
• Engage with the controversies that surround a variety of environmental issues
• Create innovative solutions to environmental issues by engaging actively in local and global contexts

ESS is offered only at SL and can satisfy either the individuals and societies or the sciences subject group requirement - or both simultaneously.

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the individual investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 75% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 25%.

 

Group 4 - Science

 

Biology SL and HL

First assessment 2025

Course aims - students will

• Develop conceptual understanding that allows connections between different areas of the subject, and to other DP sciences subjects
• Acquire and apply a body of knowledge, methods, tools and techniques that characterize science
• Develop the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information and claims
• Develop the ability to approach unfamiliar situations with creativity and resilience
• Design and model solutions to local and global problems in a scientific context
• Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science
• Develop technology skills in a scientific context
• Develop the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively
• Develop awareness of the ethical, environmental, economic, cultural and social impact of science

The course is built on three pillars: approaches to learning, nature of science, and skills in the study of biology (tools: experimental techniques, technology, mathematics; inquiry process: exploring/designing, collecting/processing data, concluding/evaluating).

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the scientific investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 80% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 20% (same weighting at SL and HL - only the time allocations differ).

 

Chemistry SL and HL

First assessment 2025

Course aims - students will

• Develop conceptual understanding that allows connections between different areas of the subject, and to other DP sciences subjects
• Acquire and apply a body of knowledge, methods, tools and techniques that characterize science
• Develop the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information and claims
• Develop the ability to approach unfamiliar situations with creativity and resilience
• Design and model solutions to local and global problems in a scientific context
• Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science
• Develop technology skills in a scientific context
• Develop the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively
• Develop awareness of the ethical, environmental, economic, cultural and social impact of science

The course is built on three pillars: approaches to learning, nature of science, and skills in the study of chemistry (tools: experimental techniques, technology, mathematics; inquiry process: exploring/designing, collecting/processing data, concluding/evaluating).

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the scientific investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 80% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 20% (same weighting at SL and HL - only the time allocations differ).

 

Physics SL and HL

First assessment 2025

Course aims - students will

• Develop conceptual understanding that allows connections between different areas of the subject, and to other DP sciences subjects
• Acquire and apply a body of knowledge, methods, tools and techniques that characterize science
• Develop the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information and claims
• Develop the ability to approach unfamiliar situations with creativity and resilience
• Design and model solutions to local and global problems in a scientific context
• Develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science
• Develop technology skills in a scientific context
• Develop the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively
• Develop awareness of the ethical, environmental, economic, cultural and social impact of science

The course is built on three pillars: approaches to learning, nature of science, and skills in the study of physics (tools: experimental techniques, technology, mathematics; inquiry process: exploring/designing, collecting/processing data, concluding/evaluating).

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the scientific investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 80% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 20% (same weighting at SL and HL - only the time allocations differ).

 

Environmental Systems and Societies SL

SL only - First assessments 2017

Course aims - students will

• Acquire the knowledge and understandings of environmental systems and issues at a variety of scales
• Apply knowledge, methodologies and skills to analyse environmental systems and issues at a variety of scales
• Appreciate the dynamic interconnectedness between environmental systems and societies
• Value the combination of personal, local and global perspectives in making informed decisions and taking responsible actions
• Be critically aware that resources are finite and may be inequitably distributed and exploited, and that managing these inequities is key to sustainability
• Develop awareness of the diversity of environmental value systems
• Develop critical awareness that environmental problems are caused and solved by decisions based on different areas of knowledge
• Engage with the controversies that surround a variety of environmental issues
• Create innovative solutions to environmental issues by engaging actively in local and global contexts

ESS is offered only at SL and can satisfy either the individuals and societies or the sciences subject group requirement - or both simultaneously.

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the individual investigation, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 75% of the final grade; internal assessment totals 25%.

 

Group 5 - Mathematics

 

Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL and HL

SL and HL - First assessments 2021

Course aims - students will

• Develop a curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciate its elegance and power
• Develop an understanding of the concepts, principles and nature of mathematics
• Communicate mathematics clearly, concisely and confidently in a variety of contexts
• Develop logical and creative thinking, and patience and persistence in problem solving
• Employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization
• Apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, other areas of knowledge and future developments
• Appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics influence each other
• Appreciate the moral, social and ethical questions arising from the work of mathematicians
• Appreciate the universality of mathematics and its multicultural, international and historical perspectives
• Appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines and as an area of knowledge in TOK
• Develop the ability to reflect critically upon their own work and the work of others
• Independently and collaboratively extend their understanding of mathematics

This course targets students who want to pursue mathematical analysis in depth, with a strong emphasis on constructing, communicating and justifying rigorous mathematical arguments. It shares 60 hours of common SL content with Mathematics: applications and interpretation.

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the exploration, not an exam duration. The exploration is compulsory for both SL and HL. External assessment totals 80% (SL) / 80% (HL); internal assessment (the exploration) totals 20% at both levels.

 

Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL and HL

SL and HL - First assessments 2021

Course aims - students will

• Develop a curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciate its elegance and power
• Develop an understanding of the concepts, principles and nature of mathematics
• Communicate mathematics clearly, concisely and confidently in a variety of contexts
• Develop logical and creative thinking, and patience and persistence in problem solving
• Employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization
• Apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, other areas of knowledge and future developments
• Appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics influence each other
• Appreciate the moral, social and ethical questions arising from the work of mathematicians
• Appreciate the universality of mathematics and its multicultural, international and historical perspectives
• Appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines and as an area of knowledge in TOK
• Develop the ability to reflect critically upon their own work and the work of others
• Independently and collaboratively extend their understanding of mathematics

This course targets students who want to focus on the meaning of mathematics in real-world context, with an emphasis on modelling and technology - all external assessments involve the use of technology. It shares 60 hours of common content with Mathematics: analysis and approaches.
Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the exploration, not an exam duration. The exploration is compulsory for both SL and HL. External assessment totals 80% (SL) / 80% (HL); internal assessment (the exploration) totals 20% at both levels.

 

Group 6 - Electives

 

Visual Arts HL 

Higher level - First assessments 2016

Course aims - students will

General arts aims

• Enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts
• Become informed, reflective and critical practitioners in the arts
• Understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts
• Explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place and cultures
• Express ideas with confidence and competence
• Develop perceptual and analytical skills

Visual arts-specific aims

• Make artwork that is influenced by personal and cultural contexts
• Become informed and critical observers and makers of visual culture and media
• Develop skills, techniques and processes in order to communicate concepts and ideas

Assessment at a glance

External assessment (comparative study + process portfolio) totals 60% of the final grade; internal assessment (exhibition) totals 40%.

 

Theatre SL and HL

First assessment 2024

Course aims - students will

General arts aims (shared across dance, film, music, theatre, visual arts, and literature and performance)

• Explore the diversity of the arts across time, cultures and contexts
• Develop as imaginative and skilled creators and collaborators
• Express ideas creatively and with competence in forms appropriate to the artistic discipline
• Critically reflect on the process of creating and experiencing the arts
• Develop as informed, perceptive and analytical practitioners
• Enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts

Theatre-specific aims

• Inquire into theatre and its contexts
• Develop and practically apply theatre performance and production skills and elements, led by intentions
• Create, present and evaluate theatre work both independently and collaboratively
• Acquire the perspectives and intentions of an internationally-minded theatre-maker
• Understand, appreciate and explore the relationship between theory and performance (HL only)

Assessment at a glance

All components are assessed at both SL and HL except the solo theatre piece, which is HL only. Weightings are otherwise redistributed at HL to accommodate this additional component.

 

Music SL and HL

First assessment 2022

Course aims - students will

• Explore a range of musical contexts and make links to, and between, different musical practices, conventions and forms of expression
• Acquire, develop and experiment with musical competencies through a range of musical practices, conventions and forms of expression, both individually and in collaboration with others
• Evaluate and develop critical perspectives on their own music and the work of others

Musical material is explored through four areas of inquiry - music for sociocultural and political expression; music for listening and performance; music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment; and music technology in the electronic and digital age - engaged with across personal, local and global contexts.

Assessment at a glance

The contemporary music-maker is an additional HL-only component. All percentages sum to 100% at each level.

 

Psychology
SL and HL - First assessment 2019

Course aims - students will

• Develop an understanding of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors affecting mental processes and behaviour
• Apply an understanding of these factors to at least one applied area of study
• Understand diverse methods of inquiry
• Understand the importance of ethical practice in psychological research and observe ethical practice in their own inquiries
• Ensure that ethical practices are upheld in all psychological inquiry and discussion
• Develop an awareness of how psychological research can be applied to address real-world problems and promote positive change
• Provide a basis for further study, work and leisure
• Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of learning

Assessment at a glance

*Recommended teaching hours for the experimental study, not an exam duration. External assessment totals 75% (SL) / 80% (HL); internal assessment totals 25% (SL) / 20% (HL).