The IB Curriculum Explained

November 13, 2019

• Topical

 The IB Diploma is a globally recognised qualification run by the International Baccalaureate Organisation based in Switzerland. The IB curriculum is designed to give students a broad and well-rounded education, as well as better preparing them for the kind of independent thinking expected by universities. 

The IB curriculum can be very rewarding for the right student, but it is also a demanding course with a heavy workload. The decision to take the IB should not be taken lightly, so it is important to have a good understanding of what the course entails. Here is a rundown of what to expect from the IB curriculum. 

A student will need to choose one full-time subject from each of the below areas:

1. Studies in language and literature (this will be the study of language and literature in the student’s native tongue)
2. Language acquisition (the study of a second, non-native language)
3. Experimental sciences (biology, chemistry, physics etc)
4. Individuals and societies (history, psychology, geography etc)
5. Maths and computer science 
6. The arts (art, drama music etc) 
   • N.B. an arts subject can be swapped for a subject from a different area

The student will choose three subjects to be studied at Higher Level (HL) and three subjects to be studied at Standard Level (SL). So whilst there is some degree of choice over which subjects are studied in greater depth, it is very different to A-levels where a student is more free to specialise and could study all humanities or all science subjects depending on their preference.

In addition to the above, there are two further examined components of the IB curriculum that contribute to the final grade:

1. TOK (Theory of Knowledge) Theory of Knowledge is a philosophical class designed to delve into how students critically examine knowledge. It is examined with a presentation and a 1,600 word essay
2. EE (Extended Essay) As it sounds really, the Extended Essay is a 4,000 word long essay which closely resembles University standard work

The final component of the IB curriculum is CAS (creative, action, service). These are ungraded, but supervised, activities outside of the classroom with the goal of building life skills. Examples of CAS are learning an instrument, playing a sport, or doing community service.

If that all sounds like a lot, that’s because it is!  The IB curriculum is a much heavier workload than an A-level curriculum and is only suited to academic all-rounders who are able to study independently and are willing to put in the hard hours. 

Written by: Marcus White