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This article is part of the
International Baccalaureate
series. This article refers to the organisation based in Geneva Switzerland

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. The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP is an Educational program managed by the International Baccalaureate (IB for students aged 3 to 12 The International Baccalaureate (IB Middle Years Programme (MYP is an Educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 (grades 6-10 in International This article refers to the organisation based in Geneva Switzerland The United World Colleges (UWC are a group of twelve international schools This is a list of notable people affiliated with the International Baccalaureate, including IBO directors-general, presidents of the IBO Council of Foundation 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 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 The Group Three of IB Diploma Programme subjects subtitled individuals and societies, consists of the Humanities and Social sciences. The Group Four of IB Diploma Programme subjects subtitled experimental sciences, consists of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Design The Group Five of IB Diploma Programme subjects subtitled mathematics and computer science consists of four levels of Mathematics courses and an elective The Group Six of IB Diploma Programme subjects is subtitled ' The arts and electives' The Extended Essay ( EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. Theory of Knowledge ( ToK) is a course taken by all International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students Creativity Action Service (usually referred to as just CAS) is a component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, with the aim of providing a 'counterbalance' Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects It is taught in 2,075 schools, often in international schools, in 125 countries all around the world (as of 2007). 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 An International school is loosely defined as a School that does not require their students to learn the national or local language of the country the school is located in 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. This article refers to the organisation based in Geneva Switzerland

Contents

Curriculum

IB Hexagon Model
IB Hexagon Model

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). The Extended Essay ( EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. Theory of Knowledge ( ToK) is a course taken by all International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students 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).

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.

Extended Essay

Main article: 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. The Extended Essay ( EE) is one of the requirements of the IB Diploma Programme. 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.

CAS

Main article: Creativity, Action, Service

CAS is the acronym for Creativity, Action, Service. Creativity Action Service (usually referred to as just CAS) is a component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, with the aim of providing a 'counterbalance' 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.

Theory of Knowledge

Main article: Theory of Knowledge (IB course)

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. Theory of Knowledge ( ToK) is a course taken by all International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme students Epistemology (from Greek επιστήμη - episteme, "knowledge" + λόγος, " Logos " or theory of knowledge 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.

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). A test or an examination (or "exam" is an Assessment, often administered on paper or on the computer, intended to measure the test-takers' or 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. Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties For the 1974 John Wayne Crime drama movie see McQ. Multiple choice is a form of Assessment in which respondents Re-sits for each paper (sat in the next exam session - November or May) are possible for a maximum of three times.

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:

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. The Advanced Placement Program is a program that offers college level courses at High schools across the United States and Canada.

In the United Kingdom, most universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, accept the IB Diploma as an alternative to A-levels. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, UCAS has created a tariff for IB points which will be in use from 2008 university entry onwards. UCAS ( Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, pronounced " ʏwk{{sc||A}}s " 'juːkæs is a Clearing house for applications to almost

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. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. 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. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 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, South Australia

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]. UCAS ( Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, pronounced " ʏwk{{sc||A}}s " 'juːkæs is a Clearing house for applications to almost

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). The Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification, also known as WBQ or Welsh Bac, is a pre-university qualification which will be offered in the future to schools and colleges 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 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.

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%.

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. The State University of New York at Binghamton (SUNY Binghamton or Binghamton University is one of the four university centers in New York State’s system of 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.

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 American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI is a Federal assistance program intended to help America maintain its competitiveness through investment in research and development 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. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110 often abbreviated in print as NCLB and sometimes shortened in pronunciation to "nickelbee" is a controversial 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.

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]. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes 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. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In most states, this conversion scale is based on the Equivalent National Tertiary Entry Rank or 'ENTER'[9].

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. [10] There currently are 18 schools in India offering the IB program. [11]

Iran

Only one school in Iran, the Tehran International School, is authorized to offer the IB diploma program[12]. 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.

References

  1. ^ http://www.ibo.org/students/documents/MayandNovember2008examinationschedulesEnglish.pdf 2008 IBO Examination Schedule
  2. ^ University recognition directory
  3. ^ The UCAS Tariff
  4. ^ State of Colorado House Bill 03-1108
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ American Competitiveness Initiative
  7. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics - School Statistics Accessed 30 March 2008
  8. ^ IBO Australia Accessed 30 March 2008
  9. ^ VTAC Notional Enter Conversion Table Accessed 30 March 30, 2008
  10. ^ Do you want an IB education for your child?
  11. ^ IB - International Baccalaureate Education In India
  12. ^ List of IB school in Iran

See also

External links

Articles

The European Baccalaureate (" Bac " is awarded to students who successfully managed to complete a European School. The baccalauréat (bakaloʁeˈa often known in France colloquially as le bac or le bachôt, is an academic qualification which The Advanced Placement Program is a program that offers college level courses at High schools across the United States and Canada.
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