IB Syllabus

About the International Baccalaureate (IB)

 Created in 1968, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is a worldwide educational foundation. The IB provides four programs  based on  academic growth and the age of the students:

For 15-18-year-old students, there is the IB Diploma Programme (DP) and the IB Career-related Programme (CP). Whereas there is the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students of age 11 to 14, and the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for 3 to 12-year-old students.

 IB Assessment

The IB assessments are marked on the basis of how well a student demonstrates the objective of each programme course. The students are not assessed against one another but are assessed on their own performance. The process of IB assessment includes the internal assessments, as conducted by the teachers, and the external assessments that are designed by IB examiners.

External Assessment:
Like most typical assessments, the evaluation for IB subjects is also in the form of an examination. These typically include:

1. Essay writing
2. Problem-solving exercises
3. Short-answer responses
4. Questions based on data analysis
5. Interpretation of texts
6. Case study-based questions
7. Multiple-choice questions (though these are seldom used)

Internal Assessment:
Teacher-led assessments are used widely across various subjects and involve:

1. Spoken assessments in language courses
2. Geographic fieldwork projects
3. Scientific lab experiments
4. Mathematical research tasks
5. Creative and performance-based assignments in the arts

IB Exam Syllabus Overview

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) comprises three core components and six subject groups. All students must choose one subject from each subject group, with a combination of Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) courses. At HL, students are required to take at least three subjects and can choose to take a maximum of four. While both HL and SL differ in coverage and depth of subject matter, the assessment is conducted under the same grade criteria. 

The DP core consists of three key components:

1. Theory of Knowledge (TOK): The goal of TOK is to help students dig deeper into the how behind every idea and every piece of knowledge they claim to know.  
2.  Extended Essay (EE): An independent research project of 4,000 words on a topic of the student’s choice; will help students develop independent research, writing, and analytical skills. 
3.  Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS): CAS encourages students to engage in extracurricular experiences. Beyond the strong academic foundation, CAS helps in overall development.

The six subject groups are:

Studies in Language and Literature

It is a requirement that students take at least one course from this subject group. If students wish to take two courses in this subject group and in two different languages, they will qualify to receive the bilingual diploma. Students are encouraged to take a language where they have more academic success. This subject group is made up of three courses to choose from

• Language A: Literature – Offered in 55 languages and available in additional languages upon special request if there is sufficient written literature.
• Language A: Language and Literature – Available in 17 languages.
• Literature and Performance – Available in English, and upon special request, in Spanish and French.

Language Acquisition

As part of the IB Diploma Programme, students are required to take at least one course from the Language Acquisition group. This group offers three options to suit different levels of language proficiency and student interests:

• Language ab initio – Designed for beginners with little to no prior experience in the chosen language. These courses are only offered at the standard level.
• Language B – Aimed at students with some background in the language. These courses can be taken at either the standard or higher level.
• Latin or Classical Greek – Allows students to explore the language, literature, and cultural heritage of ancient Rome or Greece.

Individuals and Societies

Due to the fact that students are required to choose one subject from each IB group, they must choose one course from the Individuals and Societies group. The Individuals and Societies group examines human behaviour and societies. The subjects are as follows:

• Business Management
• Economics
• Geography
• Global Politics
• History
• Information Technology in a Global Society
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• World Religions (offered only at Standard Level)

Sciences

Science is a subject area that helps students understand the real-world problems and how everything is happening around them with an understanding of scientific concepts. By working or learning theoretically and practically, students develop their analytical and problem-solving skills. The subjects offered in this subject group are:

• Computer Science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Design Technology
• Physics
• Sports, Exercise, and Health Science
• Environmental Systems and Societies

Mathematics

The mathematics component is designed to develop mathematical understanding, logical reasoning,critical thinking and analytical skills in students. The core focus of the subject is to help students understand real-world problems and prepare them to approach them with their strong skills. There are four course options within this subject group:

• Mathematical Studies (Standard Level)
• Mathematics SL (Standard Level)
• Mathematics HL (Higher Level)
• Further Mathematics HL (Higher Level)

The Arts

This subject group allows students to master their cultural passions and interests. Students can choose from five arts subjects, available at both standard and higher levels:

• Dance
• Music
• Film
• Theatre
• Visual Arts