In the Secondary School, students follow the IB Diploma Programme. This offers a broad and demanding international curriculum for the last two years of school. It is designed to prepare students for further education at college or university, but is also a very valuable qualification in its own right.

Option 1. The Full Diploma
The full IB Diploma is a rigorous and challenging course of study that requires dedication, commitment and hard work. Like most worthwhile things, it is not easily won. As such, students will need to have demonstrated a genuine desire and ambition to succeed before they are allowed to enroll in this programme.

Students study six subjects - three at higher level (HL) and three at standard level (SL), from 6 separate groups. In addition, students must participate in a programme of Creativity, Action and Service (CAS), a course called Theory of Knowledge, and write a 4000 word Extended Essay based on independent research in one subject area.

This is illustrated in the following graphic:

Option 2. IB Certificates
In some cases, students may choose to study a number of IB subjects at any level to gain individual certificates, rather than completing the full diploma. Students complete all elements of the courses including the coursework and examinations, but will not do Theory of Knowledge, CAS or the Extended Essay. Good scores in the certificates will gain student entry into most North American universities, although competitive European universities will usually require the full IB Diploma for entrance.

Please click here for the full course description per subject. Click here for a link to the IB Diploma general website.

How is the Diploma scored?
A full diploma candidate must complete three subjects at higher level and three subjects at standard level. For each subject, you can score up to seven points. This is therefore a total of 42 points. Three further points are available for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge, making a maximum of 45 points. The CAS programme must also be completed. In general, a total of 24 points is required for the IB Diploma to be awarded (though there are a number of specific criteria that must be met).

What kind of student is the course suitable for?
The IB Diploma will appeal to students who:

• are highly motivated and therefore able to cope with the demands of this course;
• have an interest in a range of subjects;
• enjoy developing critical thought and argument in the defense and attack of modern trends, philosophy and ideas;
• value the opportunity for extra curricular activities and for them to be recognised;
• are able to develop the skills of extended writing, drawing on personalised research;
• want to go to university.

The programme demands high academic standards and therefore requires a good academic competence in the majority of subjects studied, which clearly involves a range of disciplines. The programme expects good self discipline, organisational skills and motivation all of which will be needed to complete the programme. In addition to external examinations, most subjects also require the completion of internally assessed work which will largely be taken independently, students thus being able to demonstrate considerable initiative and personal management.

Choosing your subjects
The most important thing is to do well. Most university graduates take up positions in companies that have little to do with their degree course. As such, subjects should not necessarily be viewed as job related.

That said, some subjects go better together than others and some degree courses will have specific expectations. Though the school will advise you on your course choices, it is up to you to do some research yourself. If you are unsure, following subjects that you enjoy is a very good start!

Talk to your homeroom teacher, your subject teachers, the IB coordinator and current IB students. Think about what you are best at and what you enjoy the most.

Every student will be interviewed to devise the best course for them, though it is good to have some ideas yourself too.