The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum sets out the requirements for study of the DP.

The curriculum comprises the DP core and six subject groups. 

The DP core has three required components and aims to broaden students’ educational experience and challenge them to apply their knowledge and skills.

The three core elements are:

1. Theory of Knowledge, in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know. This is a 100 hour course taught over 2 years.
2. The Extended Essay (EE), which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. 
3. Creativity, Activity, Service, (CAS), in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.

The six subject groups (academic areas / KLAs) are:

1. Studies in Language and Literature
2. Language Acquisition
3. Individuals and Societies
4. Sciences
5. Mathematics
6. The Arts

Students are required to choose one subject from each of the six academic groups. Students may opt to study an additional sciences, individuals and societies, or languages course, instead of a course in the arts.

Subjects are categorised as either higher level (HL) or standard level (SL). Each student takes at least three (but no more than four) subjects at higher level, and the remaining subjects at standard level.

Teaching hours:

1. Standard level subjects – up to 150 teaching hours.
2. Higher level - 240 teaching hours.
   

 * The subject Environmental Systems is available as SL only. It satisfies both group 3 and group 4 requirements. 

Although EE and CAS are elements of the core that needs to be completed in students own time, many schools choose to allocate 1 or more periods for EE and 2 periods for CAS per cycle to assist students with these parts of the course and monitor their progress.

While the core is not examinable, ToK assessments and the EE are externally marked and together with logged CAS hours, the three combine to allow students to receive an additional 3 bonus points. 

The maximum points students can score in the IB are 45. Each subject is worth 7 points, bringing the subjects’ total to 42 and the 3 bonus core points bring the total to 45.

Students must take at least 1 subject. Taking 2 subjects in different languages contributes towards a bilingual diploma.

The subject consists of 3 courses:

1. Language A: Literature, which is automatically available in 55 languages and, by special request, for any other that has sufficient written literature.
   
2. Language A: Language and Literature, which is available in 17 languages.  
   
3. Literature and Performance, which is automatically available in English, and by special request in Spanish and French.
   

2.  Language Acquisition

Students must take at least 1 subject.

Three subjects are available.  The first 2 in a number of languages:

1. Modern Languages
   
   1. Beginners
      
   2. Previous experience
      
2. Classical Languages
   
   1. Latin or Classical Greek
      

Subjects available:

• Business Management
  
• Economics
  
• Geography
  
• Global Politics
  
• History
  
• Information Technology in a Global Society
  
• Philosophy
  
• Psychology
  
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
  
• World Religions (SL only).
• Environmental Systems (SL only) * 

4.  Sciences

Six subjects are available:

1. Biology
   
2. Computer Science
   
3. Chemistry
   
4. Design Technology
   
5. Physics
   
6. Sports, Exercise and Health Science
   
7. Environmental Systems (SL only) *
   

5.  Mathematics

Four subjects are available:

• Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL
  
• Mathematics: analysis and Approaches HL
  
• Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL
  
• Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
  

6.  The Arts

Five subjects are available:

1. Dance 
   
2. Music
   
3. Film
   
4. Theatre
   
5. Visual Arts
   

 For more information regarding the IB Programme, please visit www.ibo.org