What is the IB Diploma Programme?
The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) is a two year programme to prepare students aged 16 to 19 for prestigious universities around the world. The IB aims to develop “inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” (Source : www.ibo.org)
Why study the IBDP?
Top universities around the world offer university credit to those students who score high on IB exams. Successful IBDP candidates may complete university studies in less time than their peers
who have studied an alternate university curriculum. Students who have completed the full IB Diploma
are eligible for a higher scholarship from many universities in the US,UK and Canada.
How does the curriculum work?
Students will choose one subject from each of the following six ‘Subject Groups’:
• Group 1: Studies in language and literature (English)
• Group 2: Language acquisition (French B / ab initio, Spanish B / ab initio, Hindi B, etc)
• Group3: Individuals and Societies (History, Economics, Business and Management, Psychology ,ITGS etc)
• Group 4: Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Systems)
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: the Arts (either Visual Arts,Music ,Dance or a second subject from Groups 3, 4 or 5)
Note : Interdisciplinary subject, Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS), SL can be taken as an alternative to any Group 3 or Group 4 subjects.
In addition to the above
• All students must write a 4000-word Extended Essay (EE) based on a topic of student’s personal interest thus preparing students for university-level research and writing.
• They will also follow the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, which teaches them
to reflect on the nature of knowledge by examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason,intuition,imagination,) and different areas of knowledge ( ethics, natural sciences, human sciences, history ,math etc. )
• Participate in Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) by actively learning from the experience of doing creative projects or service activities outside of the classroom.
How are the students assessed in the IBDP?
There are two kinds of assessment – Internal and External. Internal assessments include oral work in languages, fieldwork in geography, laboratory work in the sciences, investigations in mathematics, artistic performances, research project in business management etc. External assessments include essays, structured problems, short-response questions, data-response questions, text-response questions, case-study questions and multiple-choice questions (limited use of these).
They are also assessed on theory of knowledge essays, extended essays and world literature. These are completed with teacher supervision and then marked by external examiners.
How are the students in IBDP graded?
Each of the six subjects offered is graded on the following scale:
Grade 7 = Excellent
Grade 6 = Very good
Grade 5 = Good
Grade 4 = Satisfactory
Grade 3 = Mediocre
Grade 2 = Poor
Grade 1 = Very poor
Up to three bonus points can be awarded to students based on the overall performance in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. The maximum score for the Diploma is 45 points.
