The IB Diploma is earned when a student successfully completes the 6 required IB courses and the 3 required Core components.

Required Courses

Students must select one course from each of the following six IB subject groups:

Group 1: Studies in language and literature
An in-depth study of literature in English

Group 2: Language acquisition
The study of a second language. The following classes will satisfy this diploma requirement: Spanish B (an advanced Spanish course),Spanish ab initio (an introductory course for beginning Spanish students),

Group 3: Individuals and societies
History of the Americas - Because all students must take US History as a graduation requirement, History of the Americas is required.

Group 4: Sciences
Students will take Chemistry

Group 5: Mathematics
Students will take Mathematics: Applications and interpretation

Group 6: The arts and electives
Students will take Design Technology

All IB Diploma candidates are required to complete one subject from each group. At least three but not more than four of the six subjects are taken at the Higher Level (HL), the others at the Standard Level (SL). Higher and Standard Levels are IB classifications that describe the level of depth and breadth of the course. The level of rigor is typically comparable but the Higher Level courses are two-year courses while some Standard Level courses are one-year courses. See page 7 for further discussion. Students are assessed primarily by external examinations which are taken at the same time (May) throughout the world. Worldwide, there are more than 4,000 examiners who participate in the assessment of student work. Each student is graded on a scale of 1 to 7 in each subject. A minimum total of 24 points in the six academic subjects plus the satisfactory completion of the Core Elements are required to earn the diploma. In general, a higher grade in one course may be used to compensate for a lower grade in another course, though there are some exceptions to this rule.

The Mission Statement and the Learner Profile form the common philosophical thread that runs through each course and connects the academic experience with the elements of the curricular Core described below

Core Element #1: CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service)

CAS is the “heart” of the IB Program. The CAS requirement emphasizes the importance of life outside of the world of scholarship, providing a fresh counterbalance to the academic self-absorption some may feel within a demanding school program. All IB students are expected to generate their own unique CAS portfolios of activities in the areas of creativity, activity, and service.

Core Element #2: The Extended Essay

The Extended Essay is one of the central elements of the IB Diploma Program, sharing the same goals as CAS and the Theory of Knowledge course. The Extended Essay, an original research paper of no more than 4000 words, provides the student with the opportunity to intensify his/her attention on an area of particular interest. The student is encouraged to draw the connections between that which is studied in an academic environment and that which can be explored through one’s own means of investigation and expository writing. 6 The process should begin early in the junior year. The student should consider a variety of topics and engage in some cursory research, verifying the accessibility of adequate material and ascertaining a continued interest in the topic. Advised by a faculty mentor, the student will research the topic, draft a proposal, outline his/her paper, submit a rough draft, revise it, and polish a final piece for submission to the International Baccalaureate Organization. The final paper will be due in January of the senior year.

Core Element #3: Theory of Knowledge

The primary intent of Theory of Knowledge is to analyze the processes by which we acquire knowledge and the lenses through which we view it. Inherent within such study is the need to examine the biases associated with our sources of knowledge, the procedures utilized to gain knowledge within the specific disciplines, the assumptions that form the foundations of our knowledge and our methods of gaining it, and the ethical and philosophical ramifications of what we know and how we know it. As these metacognitive explorations require substantial probing and self-examination, students will be actively engaged in many reflective experiences. The course will involve class discussion in small and large groups, presentations, debates, roleplaying activities, writing assignments, and research. Students should expect to take an active role in class activities and to stretch their conventional understanding of almost every issue raised in class as well as the conventions through which they are accustomed to addressing such issues.