The IB Diploma Programme

The IB Diploma Programme

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is a challenging two-year pre-university curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. It leads to a qualification (the IB diploma) that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities.

What does the DP consist of?

The curriculum contains six subject groups, together with the DP core: creativity, activity, service (CAS); the extended essay (EE); and theory of knowledge (TOK).

Subject Groups

1. Studies in language and literature
2. Language acquisition
3. Individuals and societies
4. Sciences
5. Mathematics
6. The arts

Core Components

1. Extended essay
2. Theory of knowledge
3. Creativity, activity, service

Mainstream subjects

Students in the DP study six subjects selected from the subject groups, one subject from each group. Normally, three of these are studied at higher level (HL) and three are studied at standard level (SL).

• HL courses represent 240 teaching hours.
• SL courses represent 150 teaching hours.

Group 1(Studies in Language & Literature)	Group  2 (Language Acquisition)	Group 3(Individual & Societies)	Group 4 (Sciences)	Group 5 (Mathematics)	Group 6 (Not offered)
English Language & Literature (HL & SL)	Hindi B (HL & SL)	Business & Management (HL & SL)	Physics (HL & SL)	Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (HL & SL)
Urdu literature (SL)	English B (HL & SL)	Economics (HL & SL)	Chemistry (HL & SL)	Mathematics Application and Interpretation SL
Hindi Literature (SL)	Urdu B	Digital Society (HL & SL)	Biology (HL & SL)
		ESS (SL)	ESS (SL)
		Psychology (HL & SL)	Computer Science (HL & SL)

Core elements

All three core elements must be studied; these are central to the philosophy of the DP.

The three core elements are as follows.

The extended essay (EE) offers students the opportunity to research and investigate a topic that interests them, using the independent research and writing skills they will need at college or university.

A diploma candidate must complete and submit an extended essay (EE), which is a substantial piece of independent research of up to 4,000 words. Work on the EE is expected to occupy approximately 40 hours.

A diploma candidate must follow a theory of knowledge (TOK) course.

TOK is an independent course of at least 100 teaching hours evenly distributed over the two-year period of study, and the course must meet the TOK assessment requirements that include:

1. creating an exhibition to explore how TOK manifests in the world around us

2. submitting an essay on one of the six prescribed titles for the examination session.

The creativity, activity, service (CAS) programme fosters students’ awareness and appreciation of life beyond the academic arena.

A diploma candidate must take part in creativity, activity, service (CAS) experiences. The CAS programme formally begins at the start of the DP and continues regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity, and service.

Assessments

At the end of the two-year programme, candidates are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated curriculum and assessment objectives for each subject.

Examples of internal assessment include:

1. oral exercises in language subjects
2. projects
3. student portfolios
4. reports
5. class presentations
6. practical laboratory work
7. mathematical investigations
8. artistic performances.

Some assessment tasks are conducted and overseen by teachers, but are then marked externally by examiners. Examples include:

1. written assignments or tasks for studies in language and literature, and language acquisition subjects
2. the essay for TOK
3. the EE.

The grading system is criterion-related (results are determined by performance against set standards, and not in relation to the performance of other students). Validity, reliability, and fairness are principles of the DP’s assessment strategy.

Award of Diploma

Core requirements

• Students must study six subjects, plus the three core subjects—EE, TOK and CAS. They must accumulate no fewer than 24 points from assessment in these subjects, in addition to grade stipulations.
• They must meet all of the additional requirements.
• They must meet all of the requirements within a maximum of three examination sessions.
• Candidates who successfully meet these conditions will be awarded the diploma.
• Candidates who take the diploma in multiple languages may be eligible for a bilingual diploma.

The IB diploma is awarded based on performance across all parts of the DP.

• Each subject is graded 1–7, with 7 being the highest grade.
• These grades are also used as points (that is, 7 points for a grade 7, 6 points for a grade 6, and so on) in determining if the diploma can be awarded.
• TOK and the EE are graded A–E, with A being the highest grade. These two grades are then combined in the diploma points matrix to contribute between 0 and 3 points to the total.
• CAS is not assessed but must be completed in order to pass the diploma. See section A2.2.2.
• The overall maximum points from subject grades, TOK and the EE is therefore 45: ((6 × 7) + 3).
• The minimum threshold for the award of the diploma is 24 points. If a candidate scores less than 24 points, the diploma is not awarded.

Other Requirements

CAS requirements have been met.

• There is no “N” awarded for TOK, the EE or for a contributing subject.
• There is no grade E awarded for TOK and/or the EE.
• There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
• There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).
• There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).
• The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects. (For candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count.)
• The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects. (Candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL.)
• The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the final award committee.

Bilingual Diploma

A bilingual diploma will be awarded to a successful candidate who fulfills one or more of the following criteria.

• Completion of two languages selected from the studies in language and literature subject group with the award of a grade 3 or higher in both languages.
• Completion of one of the subjects from the individuals and societies, or sciences subject groups in a language that is not the same as the candidate’s nominated studies in language and literature language.
• Attainment of a grade 3 or higher in both the studies in language and literature language and the subject from individuals and societies, or sciences subject groups.