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IB Diploma Programme

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International Baccalaureate




The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19 that aims to provide an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education[1] and is recognised by many universities worldwide.[2] The Diploma Programme, administered by the International Baccalaureate, is taught in one of three languages (English, French or Spanish). In order to participate in the IBDP, students must attend an IB school.[3] IBDP students must complete assessments in six subjects and satisfy three core requirements.[4]

History

Early development

In 1948 the "Conference of Internationally-minded Schools" asked the International School of Geneva (Ecolint) to create an international schools program.[5][6] When he became director of Ecolint's English division, Desmond Cole-Baker began to develop the idea; and in 1962 his colleague Robert Leach organised a conference in Geneva, at which the term "International Baccalaureate" was first mentioned.[7][8] An American social studies teacher, Leach organized the conference—with a $2500 grant from UNESCO—which was attended by observers from European schools and UNESCO. Writing about the genesis of the International Baccalaureate in Schools Across Frontiers, Alec Peterson credits Leach as "the original promoter of the International Baccalaureate."[9] At the end of the conference UNESCO funded the international school association with an additional $10,000 which was inadequate to do more than produce a few papers, or bring teachers together for meetings.[10]

Chateau at Ecolint where IB was developed.

The first step toward implementation of the new curriculum was the founding of the International Schools Examination Syndicate (ISES) in 1964 under the leadership of John Goormaghtigh, Georges Panchaud, and Jean Siotis,[11] and based on the work of international educators, such as Alec Peterson (Director of the Department of Education at Oxford University), Desmond Cole (Director of United Nations International School in New York) Desmond Cole-Baker (Head of the International School of Geneva) and Harlan Hanson (Director of the College Board Advanced Placement Program).[12][13][14] In 1964 ISES received $75,000 in a grant from the Twentieth Century Fund,[15] and $300,000 from the Ford Foundation (granted to Alec Peterson and Harlan (Harpo) Hanson in an hour-long meeting) which made possible the planning and implementation, and expansion of the curriculum.[16]

Peterson believed "the breakthrough in the history of the IB" came in 1965 with a grant from the Twentieth Century Fund who commissioned Martin Mayer, author of The Schools, to produce a report on the feasibility of establishing a common curriculum and examination for international schools, which would be acceptable for entry to universities world–wide.[17] This led to conferences that involved Ecolint, the United World College of the Atlantic (Atlantic College), and others in the spring and fall of 1965, at which details about the curriculum for the Diploma Programme were discussed and agreed upon.[18]

The Ford Foundation grant funded Peterson's study at Oxford University which focused on three issues: a comparative analysis of "secondary educational programmes in European countries...in cooperation with the Council of Europe"; university expectations for secondary students intending to enter university; and a "statistical comparison of IB pilot examination results with...national school leaving examinations such as British A Levels and US College Board (AP) Tests."[19][20] As a result of the study and the curriculum model developed at Atlantic College, Peterson initiated the pattern of combining "general education with specialization", which melded with the curriculum of the United States and Canada, and became the "curriculum framework" proposed at the UNESCO conference in Geneva in 1967.[21] Late in 1967, ISES was restructured, renamed the IB Council of Foundation, and John Goormaghtigh became the first President in January of 1968[22] In 1967 the group, that by then included Ralph Tyler, identified eight schools to be used for the experimentation of the curriculum.[23]

Establishment and implementation

In 1968, the IB headquarters were officially established in Geneva, Switzerland for the development and maintenance of the IBDP. Alec Peterson became IBO's first Director General, and in 1968 twelve schools in twelve countries participated in the IBDP, including Atlantic College and UNIS of New York.[24][25][26][27] The aim of the IB was to "provide an internationally acceptable university admissions qualification suitable for the growing mobile population of young people whose parents were part of the world of diplomacy, international and multi-national organizations." [28]

The first six years the IB offered the IB Diploma Programme is referred to as the "experimental period".[29] The experimental period was designed to extend for six years and to include a limited population of students. Each school was to be inspected by ISES or IBO and had be school approved by their government.[30] The first official guide to the programme containing its syllabus and official assessment information, was published in 1970 and included the theory of knowledge course. The extended essay was introduced in 1978, but creativity, action, service (CAS), although mentioned in guides beforehand, was not specifically identified in the guide until 1989.[31][32]

In 1980, responding to criticism that the "internationalism" was perceived as "Eurocentric", the IB hosted a seminar in Singapore with the goal of incorporating Asian culture and education into the IB curriculum. In 1982 the Standing Conference of Heads of IB Schools took steps to modify the eurocentrism in the curriculum. The same year the Japanese government also hosted a science conference for IBO "as a token of Japanese interest in the various dimensions of the IB."[33]

Languages

From the start, all subjects of the IB Diploma Programme were available in English and French; and it was mandatory for all students to study both a first and a second language.[34] In 1974, bilingual diplomas were introduced, that allowed students to take one or more of their humanities or science subjects in a language other than their first. The IB Diploma Programme subjects became available in Spanish in 1983.[35]

Core requirements

Main articles: Extended essay, Theory of knowledge (IB course), and Creativity, action, service

To be awarded an IB Diploma, a candidate must fulfill three "core requirements," in addition to passing his or her subject examinations:

  • Extended essay (EE). Candidates must write an independent research essay of up to 4,000 words[36] in a subject from the list of approved EE subjects.[37] The candidate may choose to investigate a topic within a subject they are currently studying, although this is not required.[38] The EE may not be written on an interdisciplinary topic.[37]
  • Theory of knowledge (TOK). This is a course that aims to encourage students to be critical thinkers and to teach them basic epistemology. It is claimed to be a "flagship element" of the Diploma Programme, and is the one course that all diploma candidates are required to take. TOK requires 100 hours of instruction, the completion of an externally assessed essay of 1,200–1,600 words (from a choice of ten titles prescribed by the IB), and an internally assessed presentation on the candidate's chosen topic.[39]
  • Creativity, action, service (CAS). CAS aims to provide students with opportunities for personal growth, self-reflection, intellectual, physical and creative challenges, and awareness of themselves as responsible members of their communities[40] through participation in social or community work (service), athletics or other physical activities (action), and creative activities (creativity). The guideline for the minimum amount of CAS activity over the two-year Diploma programme is approximately 3–4 hours per week, though "hour counting” is not encouraged.[40]

Subject groups

Diploma Programme core and subject groups

Students who pursue the IB Diploma must take six subjects, one from each of subject groups 1–5,[37] and either one from group 6 or a permitted substitute from one of the other groups, as described below.[41] Either three or four subjects must be taken at Higher level (HL) and the rest at Standard level (SL).[37] The IB recommends a minimum of 240 hours of instructional time for HL courses and 150 hours for SL courses.[37]

While the IB encourages students to pursue the full IB diploma, it has been described as "demanding"[42][43][44][45] and students may instead choose to register for one or more individual IB subjects, without the core requirements. Such students are called IB certificate candidates and are considered part of an unofficial "Certificate Programme" offered by many IBDP schools.[46][43][47][48][49][50]

The six IBDP subject groups and course offerings are summarised below. More information about the subject groups and individual courses can be found at the respective subject group articles:

  • Group 1: Language A1. Taken at either SL or HL, this is generally the student's native language, with over 80 different languages available.[51] Students may choose to take a second language A1 in lieu of studying a second language as a Group 2 subject.[51]

Environmental systems and societies SL is a transdisciplinary course designed to meet the diploma requirements for groups 3 and 4.[58]

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