IB Africa, Europe and Middle East newsletter
The purpose of this newsletter is to share with you and with your colleagues involved in admissions, information on various matters relating to university and college applications from students who are studying for the IB Diploma Programme.
We are keen to hear your ideas on how this newsletter can meet its objectives. Please send all comments and ideas to jhm@st-and.ac.uk
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Email this pageThe IB basics
IB Diploma Programme students must:
- study six academic subjects
- their native or best language (there are 80 A1 languages on offer in the IB)
- a second modern or classical language
- a humanity
- mathematics
- a science
- an arts subject (but this may be replaced by a second subject in one of the other group
- write an extended essay (EE)
- complete the theory of knowledge (TOK) course
- complete creativity, action & service (CAS).
It is a two-year programme with coursework (varying from 20-100% depending on subject) and terminal exams in May (or November) of the second year of study. The IB is not modular. Resits may only be taken 6 months or a year after the final exams.
Normally, students select three subjects at higher level (HL) and three subjects at standard level (SL). This allows flexibility to specialize. Samples of Diploma Programme subject combinations are given below. Of course, which subjects are studied depends on those that each school offers. No school can offer every IB Diploma Programme subject and some (because of limited size) have restricted choice of subjects.
The medic chemistry HL biology HL maths HL Latin SL psychology SL English SL extended essay TOK |
The linguist French HL Spanish HL English HL bus. and man. SL biology SL maths SL extended essay TOK |
The classicist Latin HL Greek HL English HL philosophy SL physics SL maths SL extended essay TOK |
The artist art HL English HL Spanish HL psychology SL chemistry SL maths SL extended essay TOK |
The economist economics HL maths HL geography HL English SL Spanish SL chemistry SL extended essay TOK |
The literary scholar English HL Latin HL history HL French SL biology SL maths SL extended essay TOK |
The difference between HL and SL courses is normally one of breadth rather than depth, in all subjects, except group 2 (second language), the depth of the course material is the same at HL and SL. In HL, there is more breadth ie more topics studied. In group 2, the different course are hierarchical (see table below)
| ab initio SL | is for a beginner who:
|
| language B SL | is for a language learner who may not intend continuing of the language beyond the Diploma Programme and who:
|
| language B HL | is for a language learner who intends to study the language at this level for a future career, or to meet a Diploma Programme requirement, and who:
|
language A2 SL |
is for fluent language user who may not intend continuing study of the language beyond the Diploma Programme, and who:
|
| language A2 HL | is for fluent language user who intends to study the language at this level for a future career or to meet Diploma Programme requirements, and who:
|
classical languages HL & SL |
are for students who wish to study either Latin or Classical Greek as well as, or instead of, following one of the above courses. |
All subjects, both HL and SL are graded on a scale of 1–7 where 7 is the top grade.
The TOK work and extended essay are graded A–E.
Assessment is criterion-based, not norm referenced and all subjects have written grade descriptors. In May 2005, the distribution of grades was:
Of 27,972 diploma candidates:
- 64 gained the maximum score of 45 points—or 0.23 %
- 1,756 or 6.28% gained 40 or more points
- 4,660 failed the diploma and were awarded subject certificates (see below).
The Diploma Programme pass rate has not risen in recent years with approximately 82% gaining a diploma each year.
| session | May 2000 | May 2001 | May 2002 | May 2003 | May 2004 | May 2005 |
Pass rate |
81.8 % |
83.3 % |
82.4 % |
81.9 % |
83.0 % |
81.3 % |
If not the diploma—certificates
To gain a diploma, students must have 24 or more points and no "failing conditions". There are 19 reasons why a student would not be awarded a diploma such as there are 2 or more grade 2s at HL or a grade E has been awarded for both the extended essay (EE) and theory of knowledge (TOK).
However, certificates are used as entrance qualifications to some universities and colleges and some schools encourage students to take A level and IB courses and these also allow access to higher education.
The Diploma Programme pass rate has not risen in recent years with approximately 82% gaining a diploma each year.
An invitation
If you and your colleagues would like a presentation on the IB Diploma Programme, please contact ibaem@ibo.org
Of 27,972 diploma candidates in the May 2005 exam session 64 gained the maximum score of 45 points—or 0.23%.
IB Americas region →
The IB Americas includes IB World Schools in 31 countries and territories in Central, North and South America. IB World Schools in the Americas are state/public, private, magnet, charter, international, parochial and secular and serve a broad and diverse range of students in urban, suburban and rural communities.
Useful links →
IB Africa, Europe, Middle East region →
IB Africa, Europe and Middle East (IBAEM) covers a diverse range of cultures, languages and economic realities. In a continually changing region, the IB delivers its education standards beyond borders. More than 80 countries in the region offer IB programmes today.
Useful links →
IB Asia Pacific region →
The IB Asia Pacific region supports more than 400 schools offering more than 560 programmes in 27 countries. We are responsible for authorizing new schools, evaluating IB World Schools, providing professional development services in the schools and in sub-regional locations, and ensuring that the IB Diploma Programme is recognized by universities worldwide.
Useful links →
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