The Diploma Programme

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2006

The Diploma Programme

At a Glance


Organization: What is the IBO mission?We are motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.

Mission

The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end, the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate andlifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.


New York, United StatesRegional office for North America and the Caribbean

Cardiff, United KingdomAcademic, assessment, HR & building services, finance and publications, ICT, strategic planning and communications

Buenos Aires, Argentina Regional office for Latin America

Geneva, SwitzerlandHeadquartersRegional office for Africa, Europe and the Middle East

SingaporeRegional office for Asia Pacific

Sydney, AustraliaRegional representative for Australasia

Yokohama, JapanRegional representative for Japan

Beijing, ChinaRegional representative for Mongolia and China

Mumbai, IndiaRegional representative for South Asia

Bath, United Kingdom

Research VancouverRegional office for North America and the

Caribbean

Organization: Who governs and manages the IBO?An elected council govern the IBO and the director general along with more than 300 staff are located in 11 offices for a balance of global coverage and administrative efficiency/focus.


Our three programmes span the years of kindergarten to pre-university. The programmes can be offered individually or as a continuum.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) for pupils aged 3 to 12.

The Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students aged 11 to 16.

The Diploma Programme for students aged 16 to 19.

Organization: What does the IBO offer?The IBO develops three programmes of international education for students aged 3 to 19, working in cooperation with IB World Schools.


Organization: What is the learner profile?It’s the IBO mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for

the 21st century.

IB learners strive to be

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-minded

Caring

Risk-takers

Balanced

ReflectiveThe attributes of the learner profile express the values inherent to the IB continuum of international education.

IB programmes promote the education of the whole person, emphasizing intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth through all domains of knowledge.


Programmes: What makes the Diploma Programme special?A rigorous two year pre-university course that leads to examinations.

Designed for students aged 16 to 19

Diploma students take six subjects plus they write a 4,000 word extended essay, complete a course in theory of knowledge, and complete a number of creativity, action and service (CAS) projects.

The diploma is well recognized by the world’s leading universities.

Many IB schools teach the diploma programme alongside the state and national curricula.

Supported in English, French and Spanish.


Organization: What makes the IBO unique? The IBO offers a continuum of high-quality education that encourages international-mindedness and a

positive attitude to learning.

The IBO is proud of its high quality education sustained for over 35 years.

The Diploma Programme assessment process is recognized by the world’s leading universities.

The IBO actively trains and supports teachers to maintain its high standards.

The IBO encourages international-mindedness in IB students who must firstly develop an understanding of their own cultural and national identity.

The IBO encourages a positive attitude to learning.

The IBO ensures that its programmes are accessible to students in a wide variety of schools.


Programmes by regionSchools by country type*

27%

13%

11%

49%

4%10%

13%

73%

high income countries

upper middleIncome countries

lower middleincome countries

low income countries

Schools: Where will you find IB World Schools?The IBO does not own or manage any schools but works with schools around the world that share a commitment to international education.

Africa, Europe, Middle East

Asia Pacific

LatinAmerica

North America

* Based on World Bank list of economies (July 2005)


Schools: How has the IBO grown?The IBO has experienced rapid and consistent growth over the past 15 years.

Annual growth rates for the three programmes demonstrate strong year-on-year growth. The IB is currently estimated to reach over 200,000 students

Programme Apr 2005 Apr 2006 Increase

PYP 208 259 24.5%

MYP 443 491 10.8%

DIPLOMA 1,253 1,373 9.6%

Totals 1,904 2,123 11.5%


Future: Where does the IBO want to be in the future?In eight years time many more people will be able to experience a high

quality IB education.

Impactthroughplannedgrowth

STRATEGY A: To improve continuously the quality of our curriculum, assessment and professional development.

STRATEGY B: To broaden access purposefully where we can have the most impact, particularly with disadvantaged students.

STRATEGY C: To build a highly effective and efficient organization and infrastructure to serve students and schools.


Programmes: What are the common characteristics? The education of the whole person is manifested through all domains of knowledge.

Covers a broad range of subjects drawing on content from educational cultures across the world.

Gives special emphasis to language acquisition and development.

Encourages learning across disciplines and focuses on developing the skills of learning.

Includes study of individual subjects and of interdisciplinary areas.

Provides opportunities for individual and collaborative planning and research.

Include a community service component requiring action and reflection.


Students are encouraged to

ask challenging questions

learn how to learn

develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture

develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures

become independent, self-motivated learners.

Programmes: What makes the Diploma Programme special?More than a collection of facts.


What does the Diploma Programme curriculum contain? The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of

three separate parts.

Three subjects are studied at higher level.

Three subjects are studied at standard level.

All three parts of the core—extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, action, service—are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme.


The extended essay

has a prescribed limit of 4,000 words

offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of individual interest

familiarizes students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university.

What does the Diploma Programme curriculum contain? The core requirements—Extended essay


The interdisciplinary TOK course is designed to provide coherence by

exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines

encouraging an appreciation of other cultural perspectives.

What does the Diploma Programme curriculum contain? The core requirements—Theory of knowledge (TOK)


Participation in the school’s CAS program

encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service work

fosters students’ awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena.

What does the Diploma Programme curriculum contain? The core requirements—Creativity, action, service (CAS)


In most subjects at least some of the assessment is carried out internally by teachers, who mark individual pieces of work produced as part of a course of study. Examples include

oral exercises in language subjects projects student portfolios class presentations practical laboratory work mathematical investigations artistic performances.

Assessment in the Diploma Programme—students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance

against stated objectives for each subject.


Some assessment tasks are conducted and overseen by teachers without the restrictions of examination conditions, but are then marked externally by examiners. Examples include

world literature assignments for language A1

written assignments for language A2

essays for theory of knowledge and extended essays.

Assessment in the Diploma Programme—External assessment


Because of the greater degree of objectivity and reliability provided by the standard examination environment, externally marked examinations form the greatest share of the assessment for most subjects.

The grading system is criterion-based (results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student’s position in the overall rank order).

Validity, reliability and fairness are the watchwords of the Diploma Programme’s assessment strategy.

Assessment in the Diploma Programme—External assessment


University recognition of the IB Diploma—The IB diploma is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities.

The IBO works closely with universities in all regions of the world to gain recognition for the IB diploma. To aid the process the IB provides

direct, online access for university admissions officers and government officials to syllabuses and recent examination papers

a database containing contact details of universities around the world together with up-to-date information about their requirements for admission to assist IB diploma students in making appropriate choices

Students applying to a particular university can access their grades directly from the IBO’s secure web site.


Services: How is a school authorized? Any school wishing to offer the Diploma programme must be authorized by the IBO.

Schools must go through an intensive authorization process that lasts at least two years covering two key stages

First key stage includes feasibility study and identification of resources

obtaining appropriate publications examining the programme’s philosophy and curriculum conduct a feasibility study on possible outcomes arrange for staff to undertake IBO-approved training.

Second key stage is a visit from an IBO team to consult those involved in implementation evaluate the school’s readiness to implement the programme complete a report on the school’s commitment and ability to

deliver the programme.


Services: How does the IBO provide professional development for teachers?The IBO supports teachers through both face-to-face workshops and online.

The Online Curriculum Centre (OCC) is an international community of practice for 44,465 registered IB teachers at http://occ.ibo.org.

Face-to-face workshops Organized by each IB region for all programmes and all levels. Nearly 30,000 teachers were trained in 2005.

• Teacher support materials • Online courses• Teacher qualifications in development.


For further information, read

The Schools’ Guide to the Diploma Programme A Basis for Practice: the Diploma Programme A continuum of International Education

All available online at

http://www.ibo.org/dp/slideg.cfm.

The Diploma Programme

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