All you need to know about the IB Diploma Program

Parents and children are observing a global trend toward a particular form of education, such as the Advanced Placement Program or the IB Diploma, comparable to the A Level award.

There is broad agreement regarding the advantages of participating in the IB program, particularly given that colleges may credit students for IBDP Past Paper or Coursebook. Additionally, the curriculum can be seen as encouraging a liberal and open-minded learning style because it has a predominantly student-centric approach to education.

The IB Diploma Program is now much more well-known in India than when Mahindra United World College in Pune began offering it in 1997. There are IB-accredited schools in every city in India, and 154 will offer the Diploma program by 2022.

The IB Diploma Program stands out from other high school education programs because of the idea of “international mindedness.” While preparing pupils for their higher studies, this idea also provides IB its scope.

What exactly is the IB Diploma Program?

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), a non-profit educational organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, established the IB Diploma Programme, offered to students between the ages of 16 and 19.

Exam scores and other coursework, including oral presentations, practical work, and writing assignments, are used to grade students. The classroom teacher will internally grade these pieces before having an IB moderator outside verify them.

The IB Diploma Curriculum is vast, and students select six subjects from each subject area based on their preferences. After the diploma program, students are rated using a 45-point scale. The student will earn their Diploma if they receive 24 or more total points.

How does IB’s point system operate?

Each topic has seven points. There are 6 subjects, for a total of 42 points. With the IB Core topics, which include Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and CAS (Community, Activity, and Service), students can earn three additional points. There are 45 points altogether. Students must participate in CAS, which is not evaluated, to engage in various activities and achieve eight learning outcomes.

The Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, which total 0 points out of 3, must both be graded at least a D for a student to qualify for the Diploma. The IB Core grade must be a D or higher to qualify for the diploma award. Additionally, as noted, students must earn 24 points throughout their six disciplines to be eligible for the Diploma award.

What do IB Subject Groups stand for?

There are a total of six subject groups. You can study at a standard level (SL) or a higher level (HL) for each subject. The minimum instruction time for SL subjects is 150 hours, and the IB recommends a minimum of 240 hours for HL subjects. Because the HL curriculum is more comprehensive, HL subjects require additional skills (criteria) from you or would have other exams to accomplish. Students can take the balance of their subjects at the standard level, but they must choose three to four higher-level issues in a given year.

The following subject categories are from which students select their courses:

Language and literature studies, language learning, people and societies, science, math, and the arts. Students can select their six subjects from any of the six subject groupings. As an alternative, students may choose not to select a topic from the Arts subject group but instead select a second subject from the Sciences, People and Society, or Languages subject groups.

 What exactly are the Core Components?

EE: The Extended Essay

You must conduct independent study and analysis on a topic of your choice from the coursework for this Core Component and compose an essay of up to 4,000 words.

Don’t wait until the last minute, and be sure to choose a topic you are passionate about. You will receive direct supervision from an instructor relevant to your research subject and are encouraged to spend about 40 hours on the EE.

The Course on Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

This Core Component, which is also required, teaches students how to think philosophically about their subjects and related ideas. It encourages students to examine the nature of knowledge in diverse areas and to think objectively about any subject.

IB advises that you receive at least 100 teaching hours spread out over two years for you to gain the knowledge required to pass the two TOK examinations, which are:

A 1600-word essay (TOK Essay) and an oral presentation (TOK Exhibition).

Activity, Service, and Creativity (CAS)

By supporting your enrollment in a suitable CAS program that suits you, this Core Component seeks to expand your awareness outside of an academic perspective and cultivate an active attitude toward life.

Your school will set up the CAS program you choose, which will typically begin when your IB Diploma Program begins. After that, it will continue regularly, typically once weekly, for at least 16 to 18 months to ensure you have met your CAS criteria.

Begin your journey with Tribetopper:

Tribe Topper is an online learning platform that will help you to learn and grow. Using their website, you may access the free study materials, MCQs, formulas, sample papers, previous years’ question papers, IBDP Mock papers, etc. By giving students access to most information at once and creating a better learning environment, we consistently raise the standard for educational excellence.