More about the IB Diploma

The International Baccalaureate Organization was founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland as a non-profit educational foundation. It was started by a group of teachers in several schools including the United Nations School New York and the International School of Geneva. It is independent and not controlled by any national government (though has strong links to many). The main purpose was to facilitate the international mobility of students preparing for university by providing schools with a curriculum and a diploma recognised by universities around the world. There is a common set of external examinations for students throughout the world. This truly international education was designed to encourage understanding of others as well as ourselves and the IB Diploma model is still going very strong 40 years after it was devised.
Initially, the IBO was funded by UNESCO and the Ford Foundation until 1976. Seven schools participated in trial examinations in 1968, including Atlantic College, Wales, and North Manchester High School for Girls.

The IB is now funded by IB world schools, of which there are some 2500 around the world.

Today slightly over 50% of all diploma schools are funded by national governments and charge no tuition fees.

The IB diploma is a prestigious international pre-university qualification and is recognised by universities and governments throughout the world. It has been in existence for forty years and the IB programmes are now offered in 2,456 IB World Schools in 131 countries to approximately 500,000 students (Dec 08 figures).

IB students study for the IB Diploma in the last two years of secondary school. All Diploma students take six subjects and maintain the study of a breadth of disciplines as well as studying in depth. Usually, students take a literature course in their own language, another modern or classical language, a science and a maths course, a humanities and an arts course. Students take three subjects at Higher Level and three at Standard Level and a wide choice of subjects is offered. In addition, all students take the Diploma core in which they complete a research paper on a topic of their choice (extended essay), take a course in theory of knowledge (ToK) and complete a programme of creativity, action and service (CAS). The award of the Diploma is recognition that students have completed all parts of the programme and marks a high level of achievement.

Some students may not take the full Diploma but decide to take a number of certificates within the Diploma programme. They may do so because they want to specialise and focus on fewer subjects or they may take a few IB certificate subjects and qualifications from another source such as UK A levels. 'Certificate' candidates may or may not take the Diploma core, depending on their school requirements.

Learning how to learn and to evaluate information critically is an important part of the IB Diploma programme. Students also achieve a depth of study within the broad curriculum in which subjects are studied concurrently and in a coherent manner. Flexibility of choice allows students to follow their interests and the complete nature of the Diploma maintains breadth of study. This deliberate combination of breadth and depth equips students with the skills and attitudes they require for higher education or employment and engenders international understanding and responsible citizenship.

An international education does not replace a national one but refocuses it and adds to it.

The IB Diploma is a complete package. Students usually take six subjects.

English or your mother tongue
Another modern language or a classical language
A social science eg. geography, history, economics, philosophy
A science course
A maths course
And an arts course

And

Take a course in Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
Write a research paper - the Extended Essay (EE)
Complete the CAS programme - creativity, action and service

It is possible to replace an arts subject in Group 6 with one from Groups 1-5 and so specialise e.g. by taking two science subjects or two modern languages.

What others say:

Fiona Leney in the TES, 20 Jan 2006, summarises the IB Diploma and its strengths
https://tslwspr02.www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2184071.

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6005763 In this article 'What makes the grade? A-levels used to be the gold standard of post- 16 qualifications. Now they face their toughest competition' Published in TES Magazine on 28 November, 2008 | By: Michael Shaw and Warwick Mansell, the authors discuss four competing exams in the UK at sixth-form level.

http://www.ibo.org/events/dplond109/ Ibicus offers DP workshops in cooperation with the IB since September 2008 and has run DP workshops since 2004. Ibicus workshops are listed on the IB website events calendar.

What universities say about the IB

http://www.acs-england.co.uk/brochures/acs_reports.htm These three are three downloadable reports on university recognition of the IB Diploma and other issues. ACS surveyed some UK university admissions tutors each year and publish their useful findings here.

http://www.ibo.org/diploma/recognition/scholarships/index.cfm part of the IB website listing universities worldwide that offer scholarships of varying amounts to IB Diploma students

http://www.ibo.org/diploma/recognition/ lists university recognition policies for the IB Diploma

In a recent inquiry into the perception of the IB diploma at UK universities http://www.ibo.org/diploma/recognition/perceptions.cfm , it became clear, that most admissions tutors prefer IB over A-level, because:

Thinking skills are intrinsic to the Diploma
Depth of knowledge is now higher than in A-level
Maths HL is a better preparation that A-level Maths
Students have literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, joined up thinking and essay writing skills
IB graduates do not appear on failure drop-out lists and are usually in the top half of degree results tables
Medical schools are particularly in favour of the good IB candidate
IB has no grade inflation

Exams

These take place after five terms or four semesters of teaching in May or November each year. IB Diploma exams are terminal, not modular and there is coursework in all subjects of 20-100%. The IB Diploma exams are criterion-based referencing exams. This means that there are written criteria for each subject from grades 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Both HL and SL courses are marked from 1-7, giving a maximum of 42 points plus up to 3 core points for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. The maximum point score which it is possible to gain in an IB Diploma is 45.

See the IB website for more information on the Diploma and on the other IB programmes - middle years and primary years.

Rare Design

More about the IB Diploma

What others say:

Other links

What universities say about the IB

Exams