NationMaster - Encyclopedia: IB Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) is an educational program examined in one of three languages (English, French or Spanish) and is a leading university entrance course. It is taught in 2,075 schools, often in international schools, in 125 countries all around the world (as of 2007). More than half of the schools offering the Diploma Program are state funded schools. The program, administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization, is the most widely recognized pre-university educational program. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an international profit educational foundation, founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. ... The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is an educational programme managed by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) for students aged 3 to 12. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an international profit educational foundation, founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This is a list of notable people affiliated with the International Baccalaureate, including IBO directors-general, presidents of the IBO Council of Foundation, and notable graduates of one or more of the three IB programmes. ... A total of 1924 schools (as of February 2007) offer one or more of the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; the majority of these offer the IB Diploma Programme. ... A total of 1924 schools (as of February 2007) offer one or more of the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; the majority of these offer the IB Diploma Programme. ... A total of 1924 schools (as of February 2007) offer one or more of the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; the majority of these offer the IB Diploma Programme. ... A total of 1924 schools (as of February 2007) offer one or more of the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; the majority of these offer the IB Diploma Programme. ... The Group One of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled language A1, refers to the native language or otherwise best language of the student - thus, language A1. ... The Group Two of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled second language, refers to the one or more foreign languages that each Diploma candidate is required to study. ... It has been suggested that IB Psychology SL be merged into this article or section. ... The Group Four of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled experimental sciences, consists of biology, chemistry, physics, Design Technology, and environmental systems. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wikibooks has a book on the topic of International Baccalaureate The Group Six of IB Diploma Programme subjects is subtitled the arts and electives. In group six, students can take any of the subjects offered in the other five groups. ... The Extended Essay (EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ... Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here A total of 1469 schools (as of September 2005) offer one or more of the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes; the majority of these offer the IB Diploma Programme. ... International schools are private schools that cater mainly to children who are not nationals of the host country, often the children of the staff of international businesses, international organizations, embassies, missions, or missionary programs. ... The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an international profit educational foundation, founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. ...

Curriculum

The Diploma Program (DP) curriculum consists of six subjects (see below), an extended essay (EE), of up to 4,000 words, participation in the Theory of Knowledge (ToK), and a requirement of at least 50 hours in each area of CAS (Creative, Action, Service). Marks are awarded from 1 to 7 in each subject with 7 being the highest, and up to three additional points may be awarded depending on the results of the EE and ToK essays. The maximum possible point total in the Diploma Program is 45. In order to receive an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates must receive a minimum of 24 points. There are a number of failing conditions which will prevent a student from being awarded a Diploma regardless of the points they received (such as non-completion of CAS, plagiarism, no EE etc). The Extended Essay (EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Candidates that successfully pass examinations in two language A1 , or one language A1 and one language A2 courses and meet all the other criteria for successful completion of the Diploma Program are eligible to receive a Bilingual Diploma.

Students may also take a limited number of subjects or opt out of some activities (such as ToK). These students do not receive the Diploma, but instead receive certificates for each subject passed.

Subject areas

Students that pursue the diploma take six subjects; one each from Groups 1 - 5 (below) with an additional subject from 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6. A minimum of three subjects must be taken at higher level (HL) and the rest at standard level (SL). There must be no more than 4 subjects taken at a Higher Level. Higher level subjects require approximately 240 hours of teaching time, and standard level subjects about 150.

The Group One of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled language A1, refers to the native language or otherwise best language of the student - thus, language A1. ... The Group Two of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled second language, refers to the one or more foreign languages that each Diploma candidate is required to study. ... It has been suggested that IB Psychology SL be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... Face-to-face trading interactions on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor. ... In economics, a business (also called firm or enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers or corporate entities such as governments, charities or other businesses. ... For other uses, see Management (disambiguation). ... Psychological science redirects here. ... Social anthropology is the branch of anthropology that studies how currently living human beings behave in social groups. ... ITGS (an abbreviation for Information Technology in a Global Society) is a high school course intended for the IB (International Baccalaureate)program. ... For other uses, see History (disambiguation). ... The Islamic world is the world-wide community of those who identify with Islam, known as Muslims, and who number approximately one-and-a-half billion people. ... The Group Four of IB Diploma Programme subjects, subtitled experimental sciences, consists of biology, chemistry, physics, Design Technology, and environmental systems. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Biology (disambiguation). ... Devils Punchbowl Waterfall, New Zealand. ... Design Technology is an IB course focusing on design, materials, and manufacturing processes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Computer science, or computing science, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems. ... Wikibooks has a book on the topic of International Baccalaureate The Group Six of IB Diploma Programme subjects is subtitled the arts and electives. In group six, students can take any of the subjects offered in the other five groups. ... The Mona Lisa is one of the most recognizable artistic paintings in the Western world. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Dance (disambiguation). ... For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed... Computer science, or computing science, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems. ...

Extended Essay

Students must write an essay of up to 4,000 words in any chosen subject (not necessarily one taken for the final exam, although it is highly suggested that the student have some familiarity with the topic) but not across subjects. All subjects have specific guidelines that must be followed in order for the Extended Essay to be considered. The topic may be any that the student feels is researchable. This task involves teacher guided independent research and requires producing a written thesis. Each student is paired with a supervisor who provides insight and orients his or her work. The Extended Essay must be submitted in order to receive the IB Diploma. The Extended Essay (EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. ...

CAS

CAS is the acronym for Creativity, Action, Service. This extracurricular aspect of the IB Diploma involves student engagement in social work or community service (Service), participation in sports (Action), and initiative in creative activity (Creativity). The purpose of CAS is to encourage students to go beyond academic pursuits and experience life outside school. Each Diploma candidate completes 150 hours of CAS related activities over the period of the IB course, where 50 hours each are contributed towards Creativity, Service and Action. Students may increase and decrease hours in the three categories provided no category exceeds 70 hours, no category has less than 40 hours and the student still reaches 150 hours.The hours of work completed are documented by the school using official forms (CAS/AEF Forms) which are submitted to the IBO by January of the final year of the IB course. The IB Diploma is awarded only upon successful completion of CAS. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Theory of Knowledge

Each student must complete the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course of at least 100 hours, which aims to encourage students to be critical thinkers and to teach students basic epistemology. To complete requirements for TOK, diploma candidates must write a TOK essay of 1200-1600 words on a set title (from a choice of ten issued by the IBO), and present a TOK issue to their class on their choice of topic. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Theory of knowledge redirects here: for other uses, see theory of knowledge (disambiguation) Epistemology (from Greek ÎµÏ€Î¹ÏƒÏ„Î®Î¼Î· - episteme, knowledge + Î»ÏŒÎ³Î¿Ï‚, logos) or theory of knowledge is a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge. ...

The grades that the student receives from the TOK essay and presentation are compared with the grade for the Extended Essay by way of a matrix designed by the IBO, which may result in the awarding of 'extra' points for the candidate's Diploma. The candidate may get up to three extra points if both works are of a sufficient standard.

Assessment

All subjects are assessed using both internal and external assessment, including final exams given worldwide in May (usually for Northern Hemisphere schools) and in November (usually for Southern Hemisphere schools). Each exam usually consists of two or three papers, generally written on the same or successive days ^[1]. The different papers may have different forms of questions, or they may focus on different areas of the subject syllabus. For example, chemistry Paper 1 has multiple choice questions, Paper 2 has extended response questions, and Paper 3 focuses on the 'option' topics which can vary according to the student's (or school's) preference. Re-sits for each paper (sat in the next exam session - November or May) are possible for a maximum of three times. In education, certification, counselling, and many other fields, a test or exam (short for examination) is a tool or technique intended to measure students expression of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... Multiple choice (MCQ) questions or items are a form of assessment item for which respondents are asked to select one or more of the choices from a list. ...

Each individual paper can take anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours, but usually they are between one and two hours in duration. Because of the large number of subjects being examined in one examination session (of less than a month in length), students often must write multiple papers in one day. The external assessment is judged by examiners appointed by the IBO.

The nature of the internal assessment (IA) varies by subject. There may be oral presentations (used in languages), practical work (in experimental sciences), or written works to be done at home. Internal assessment accounts for 20 to 50 percent of the mark awarded for each subject and is marked by a teacher in the school. A sample of at least five per subject at each level will also be graded by a moderator appointed by the IBO, in a process called external moderation of internal assessment.

The marks collected from the internal and external moderators are again standardized annually on a world-wide scale. The results from each year determine the grade-boundaries of that year. Therefore, the effect of variation in difficulty of exams is taken into account.

Awards

There are two types of award available in the IB Diploma Program. A student can be awarded the full Diploma or Certificates of Merit in individual subjects. The usual pass rate for the IB Diploma Program is approximately 70% internationally.

Diploma conditions

In order to be awarded the full IB Diploma the following requirements must have been met:

Community service refers to service that a person performs for the benefit of his or her local community. ...

Certificates

A candidate may also choose not to take the whole Diploma, but to aim for a Certificate in a particular subject. Candidates doing certificates do not have to take part in the extra requirements of the Diploma (the Extended Essay, TOK and CAS). However, if taking World History (social studies certificate), the student is required to complete the Theory of Knowledge. Those candidates who complete extra courses in addition to a Diploma will also receive a Certificate.

Recognition

In Canada and the United States, some IBDP courses are recognised as equivalent to university/college-level courses, and universities and colleges may award entering students with first-year credit depending on their points totals. In this regard it is similar to the Advanced Placement Program. Advanced Placement (AP) is the term used to describe high school classes that are taught at a college level. ...

In the United Kingdom, most universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, accept the IB Diploma as an alternative to A-levels. UCAS has created a tariff for IB points which will be in use from 2008 university entry onwards. The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ... The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, usually taken by students during the optional final two years of secondary school (Years 12 & 13 (usually ages 16-18), commonly called the Sixth Form except for Scotland), or at... This page is about the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. ...

In some countries, such as Turkey or Peru, the IB Diploma is not considered equivalent to the national end-of-school examination scheme, usually because the IB Diploma is not as specialised, or because certain subjects are not offered. However, in Peru, various universities allow direct entrance to students who successfully completed the IB.

Other countries, such as Germany, set certain conditions for the IB Diploma to be convalidated (a foreign language at minimum A2 Standard Level, Mathematics standard level minimum, and at least one Science or Mathematics at Higher Level). Some universities, on the other hand, prefer the IB to the certificate which the students usually get in their own country. A list of universities admitting IB Diploma holders can be found on the IBO web site.^[2]

In Australia, all universities accept results in the IB Diploma. Students with high scores in HL subjects may claim credit in their first year of university. Also, the University of Adelaide typically awards almost all IBDP graduates with at least four bonus SATAC points (two for completion of a foreign language, two for the completion of SL Maths or four for HL Maths, in line with students taking LOTE and Maths Studies or/and Specialist Maths in the local SACE program). The University of Adelaide (colloquially Adelaide University or Adelaide Uni) is a public university located in Adelaide. ... SACE can refer to South Australian Certificate of Education Servizi Assicurativi del Commercio Estero (SACE SpA) - Italian Export Credit Agency Category: ...

In Russia the IB diploma is accepted in most Universities (like MGU and MGMO), but conditions are set very high. For example, to study economics in MGU the IB student as to achieve an overall score of at least 36 points, including 6's in high-level subjects.

United Kingdom

The UCAS tariff suggests that a modest score of 30 IB points (419 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 3 A-grades at A Level and 1 A-grade at AS Level (420 UCAS points), whereas the maximum score of 45 IB points (768 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 6 A-grades at A Level and 1 B-grade at AS Level (770 UCAS points)^[3]. This page is about the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. ...

As IB students offer a broader and well rounded education, British universities often prefer them over A-level students. IB students complete 6 subjects, whereas A-level students usually do 3 or 4 subjects. Higher Level subjects in the IB are more challenging than full A-levels - for example, the difficulty and amount of content of Higher Level Mathematics is held equivalent to be between a full A-level Mathematics and Further Mathematics. This is largly due to the fact that the British government has control and influence of A-levels, whereas the IB is an independent organization. The Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS offered by IB students are also features not offered by A-levels, favoured by many universities. 36-37 Points in the IB is held equal to AAB at A levels by UK universities, though requirements for similar courses with similar A level requirements can vary widely.

The increasing attention being directed at the IB Diploma by universities has led many independent schools to offer it in place of A-levels (due to the perennial national debate over A-level standards), though the political impossibility of placing elements of education policy in the hands of an outside body makes it unlikely that the IB would replace UK-based qualifications in the majority of schools; instead, there has been talk of creating an equivalent British baccalaureate program (see the Welsh Baccalaureate, and the Tomlinson Report, which recommended a new baccalaureate system to replace A-levels). Due to its challenging nature, the IB is often taught in high performing independent schools and many state schools who held trials in the past have abolished it due to its difficulty. The Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (WBQ or Welsh Bac) is a pre-university qualification which may in the future be offered in schools and colleges in Wales in place of A-levels. ... Sir Mike Tomlinson CBE is the chair of the Working Group for 14–19 Reform which has been commissioned by the British Government to look into reform of the syllabus and qualifications structure for 14–19 year-olds in the English education system. ...

United States

In the US, the IB Diploma Program is used to set students at an international standard level. Many colleges recognize participation in (and the passing of) IB examinations as college credits. The national average of candidates who receive their diploma is about 50%.^{[citation needed]}

Many US colleges will only give college credit to students for taking higher level courses. The score required often depends on the competitiveness of the college. Most require a score of 5, 6, or 7, while others will accept a 4 and some only give credit for a 6 or 7. Other schools, like Binghamton University, offer up to a year's credit for students who achieve a certain total score on the IB Diploma and will accept high SL scores for students who achieve the diploma. Comparisons are also made with the AP program. However, it is difficult to compare the two systems because IB is scored out of 7 and AP out of 5, and the stated purpose of AP is to earn university-level credit, while the IB is designed as a baccalaureate. Overlooking center of campus. ...

The state of Colorado enacted a law in 2003 that requires most public universities in the state to give a minimum of 24 college credits to any local diploma recipient. ^[4] The state of Texas adopted a similar law for the 2006-2007 year, requiring all public schools in the state to grant credit for successful completion. ^[5]

The IB program has been cited as a crucial component of the US Competitiveness Initiative. The initiative calls for more teachers to be trained in the IB program. It proposes offering incentives to teachers who teach IB courses and teachers who increase the number of students passing the IB exams^[6].

Many school systems in the United States have begun to use IB programs in order to draw the county's best students to schools in less affluent neighborhoods. The goal of many school systems is to use IB programs as a way to elevate the educational standards of schools that are struggling to meet the No Child Left Behind Act guidelines and local/state requirements. IB also offers a doorway for less affluent students to gain the credentials required for today's competitive entrance requirements to selective national colleges and universities. Also, by drawing many of the county's best students to the program, the school may be able to escape the plight of annual failing grades. President Bush signing the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act at Hamilton H.S. in Hamilton, Ohio. ...

Australia

In Australia, the IB Diploma Program is taught in a growing but still minority group of schools with approximately 2,800 secondary schools^[7] teaching under their state's educational systems compared with only 50 schools teaching the IB Diploma Program^[8]. Although every university in Australia recognizes the IB Diploma, entry criteria often differs between universities, with some universities accepting students on their IB score alone, while others require the score to be converted using a conversion scale. In most states, this conversion scale is based on the Equivalent National Tertiary Entry Rank or 'ENTER'^[9]. High School also refers to the highest form of classical riding, High School Dressage. ...

France

According to the "Décret du Ministère de l'Education Nationale" (23 August 1985), the IB Programme is one of foreign diplomas which allows students access into French universities. ^[10]

India

In India, the IB Diploma is often seen as a 'passport' for the rich to gain entry into universities abroad. The schools which are allowed to take on this program are the international schools, which are privately funded and as a result are very expensive. In spite of this parents are willing to spend a lot on their child's education, hence the mushrooming of schools which offer the Diploma Program. This is leading to an increase in the number of Indian Diploma students. ^[11] There currently are 18 schools in India offering the IB program. ^[12]

Iran

Only one school in Iran, the Tehran International School, is authorized to offer the IB diploma program^[13]. Iran's program for each subject area has three levels. These levels are numerically represented as level 1, 2 or 3. (1) is equivalent to an SL (Standard level) course which is considered an honor course. (2) is equivalent to HL (Higher level) courses which provide college credit with a score of 7, and (3) is called Olympiad course.

IB courses are included in overall calculation of GPA for the student and since they are honor courses they have a significant impact on GPA.

Singapore

In the 2008-2009 prospectus, the National University of Singapore (NUS) recognises IB as a high school qualification for applying to its undergraduate courses ^[14].

References

^ http://www.ibo.org/students/documents/MayandNovember2008examinationschedulesEnglish.pdf 2008 IBO Examination Schedule
^ University recognition directory
^ The UCAS Tariff
^ State of Colorado House Bill 03-1108
^ Section 51.968(b) of the Texas Education Code states: Each institution of higher education that offers freshman-level courses shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have successfully completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, who have achieved required scores on one or more examinations in the Advanced Placement Program or the College-Level Examination Program, or who have successfully completed one or more courses offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education.
^ American Competitiveness Initiative
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics - School Statistics Accessed 30 March 2008
^ IBO Australia Accessed 30 March 2008
^ VTAC Notional Enter Conversion Table Accessed 30 March 30, 2008
^ texte du décret n° 85-906 du 23 août 1985 (in french)PDF
^ Do you want an IB education for your child?
^ IB - International Baccalaureate Education In India
^ List of IB school in Iran
^ NUS Prospectus 2008-2009

Contents

Curriculum

Subject areas

Extended Essay

CAS

Theory of Knowledge

Assessment

Awards

Diploma conditions

Certificates

Recognition

United Kingdom

United States

Australia

France

India

Iran

Singapore

References

See also

External links

Articles

Contents

Curriculum GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Subject areas

Extended Essay

CAS

Theory of Knowledge

Assessment

Awards

Diploma conditions

Certificates

Recognition

United Kingdom

United States

Australia

France

India

Iran

Singapore

References

See also

External links

Articles

Curriculum