The mission statement of the International Baccalaureate
Organization (IBO)
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 and lifelong learners who understand that other
people, with their differences, can also be right.
IBA offices in
Maryland and
Vancouver
IBCA: Curriculum &
Assessment Centre,
Cardiff, Wales
IBO headquarters
& IBAEM
regional office,
Geneva
IBAP office in
Singapore
IB in North America: 1006 schools
247 Canadian
Schools
D 119
M 121
P 28
D 554
759 US Schools
M 185
P 106
2661 schools in 136 countries
5 DP Schools in the
Caribbean: Bahamas
1, Bermuda 2,
Dominican Republic 1,
& Curaçao 1
IB Learner Profile
Inquirers
-natural curiosity is nurtured. They acquire the skills necessary
to conduct constructive inquiry and research, and become
independent active learners. They actively enjoy learning and
this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
Knowledgeable
-They explore concepts, ideas and issues which have global
relevance and importance. In so doing, they acquire, and are
able to make use of, a significant body of knowledge across a
range of disciplines.
IB Learner Profile
Critical thinkers
-They exercise initiative in applying thinking
skills critically and creatively to approach
complex problems and make reasoned
decisions.
Communicators
-They understand and express ideas and
information confidently and creatively in more
than one language and in a variety of modes of
communication.
IB Learner Profile
Risk-takers
-They approach unfamiliar situations with confidence and
forethought, and have the independence of spirit to
explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are
courageous and articulate in defending those things in
which they believe.
Principled
-They have a sound grasp of the principles of moral
reasoning. They have integrity, honesty, a sense of fairness
and justice and respect for the dignity of the individual.
IB Learner Profile
Caring
– They show empathy, compassion and respect towards
the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal
commitment to action and service to make a positive
difference to the environment and to the lives of others.
Open-minded
-Through an understanding and appreciation of their own
culture, they are open to the perspectives, values and
traditions of other individuals and cultures and are
accustomed to seeking and considering a range of points
of view.
IB Learner Profile
Well-balanced
-They understand the importance of physical and mental
balance and personal well-being for themselves and
others. They demonstrate perseverance and selfdiscipline.
Reflective
-They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and
personal development. They are able to analyze their
strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner.
Diploma Programme
Ages 16-19 • two year programme
Middle Years Programme (MYP)
Ages 11-16 • five year programme
Primary Years Programme (PYP)
Ages 3-12 • inquiry based
Primary Years Programme
Primary Years Programme
Ages 3 to 12
Excellent introduction to the
Middle Years Programme of the IBO
but not a prerequisite
Primary Years Programme
The Primary Years Programme
offers a framework to meet
children’s needs

academic

social

physical

emotional

cultural
Primary Years Programme
The philosophy
The Primary Years Programme
defines characteristics of students
who are aware of and sensitive to
the experiences of others
Six transdiciplinary themes
Sharing the planet
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
help teachers and students
explore knowledge in the
broadest sense
TheYears
PYP identifies
a body of knowledge for all
Primary
Progrmme
students in all cultures, in six subject areas
Sharing the planet
Who we are
language
How we organize
ourselves
personal,
social and
physical
education
concepts
Where we are in
place and time
knowledge
action
science and
technology
social
studies
skills
attitudes
mathematics
arts
How the world works
How we express ourselves
Individual portfolios
The PYP portfolios of student
achievement document progress
The PYP exhibition
Students aged 10 to 12, in the
final year of the programme,
participate in a culminating
project called the PYP exhibition
It demonstrates their proficiencies
in all areas of the programme
Middle Years Programme
Middle Years Programme (MYP)
A five-year programme
Academic challenge and life skills
Middle Years Programme (MYP)
For students aged 11 to 16
A critical phase of personal and
intellectual development
A time of uncertainty, sensitivity,
resistance and questioning
Middle Years Programme
The MYP in brief
The MYP provides a
thorough study of various
disciplines
Technology
It accentuates their
interrelatedness
It acknowledges the role
of the disciplines and
transdisciplinary study
Middle Years Programme
The curriculum
approaches to learning
community service
health and
social education
environment
human ingenuity
areas of
interaction
these five perspectives are
at the core of the MYP
Middle Years Programme
The curriculum
personal project

an independent piece of work
 the culmination of the student’s
involvement with the five areas
of interaction
Middle Years Programme
The curriculum
personal project
topic chosen in consultation with teachers
It may take the form of
 an essay
 an artistic production
 other form of expression
Middle Years Programme
The portfolio of achievement
Provided by the IBO for students
completing the programme
accomplishments, noted during the
assessment process, are recorded in the
portfolio of achievement
Middle Years Programme
. . . MYP students are prepared
emotionally and intellectually for the
demands made on older students
Diploma Programme
The IBO’s goal:
to provide students with the values
and opportunities that will enable
them to develop sound judgment,
make wise choices, respect others in
the global community
What is the International
Baccalaureate Diploma?
Pre-university diploma and
international admissions
credential
Utilizes international
standards
Based on an integrated
curriculum
Which schools have
adopted the International
Baccalaureate?
•
•
•
•
•
public and private
magnet schools
comprehensive high schools
international schools
schools looking to redesign
Group 1: Language
A1
Group 3:
Individuals and
Societies
Group 2:
Languages A2,
B, ab initio,
Classical
Languages
Group 4:
Experimental
Sciences
Group 5:
Mathematics
and Computer
Science
Group 6: Arts
Languages of Instruction & Assessment: English, French, Spanish
New pilot courses in film, dance & transdisciplinary subjects
IB Diploma Requirements
• Take three Higher Level (HL) and three
Standard Level (SL) courses
• One course from groups 1-5, and a 6th
subject
Standard
Higher Level
240 Hours
Exams Taken
in Senior Year
Level
150 Hours
Exams Taken
in Junior or
Senior Year
•Complete Central Elements: EE, CAS, ToK
Sample Diploma Program
English A1
French B
History (Americas)
Biology
Math Studies
Visual Arts
Higher Level
Standard Level
Higher Level
Higher Level
Standard Level
Standard Level
Sample Extended Essays
English A1: Dance: An extended metaphor in
Pride and Prejudice
History: The Soviet famines of 1932-33
The anti-war movement and its influence on
Nixon’s Vietnam policy
Physics: A study of Globular Clusters.
Mathematics: A proof to Fermat’s Equation
Visual Arts: Revealing the reality behind
visible things: How does Paul Klee’s artwork
portray his metaphysical view of reality?
Sample CAS
Activities
Building houses with Habitat for Humanity
Participating in or coaching sports teams
Creating and performing a play for elementary
school students
Writing for the school newspaper
Organizing and participating in fundraisers for
organizations fighting disease, poverty or other
issues in the local, national or international
community
Sample Theory of
Knowledge Questions
How can you or your society decide ethically
which knowledge should or should not be
pursued?
Which sources of knowledge – books, web sites,
the media, personal experience, authorities or
some other – do you consider most trustworthy
and why?
Assessment in the IB Diploma
Programme
Internal
External
Teacher assigns using IB
guidelines
Student is examined
Student completes
assignment
Teacher marks
Moderator examines
samples
Marks are moderated if
necessary
External grader
(assistant examiner)
marks
Moderator examines
samples
Marks are moderated if
necessary
Assessment
• External assessment using over 4000 examiners
worldwide
• Internal assessment evaluated by teachers in the
school and moderated by external examiners
• Transparency: assessment using criterion
referenced grading criteria
• Multiple methods of assessment for each course
• Varied skills tested across disciplines
• Balance between independent and teacher
supervised work
• Students maintain control over many aspects of
assessment
Assessment varies across
disciplines
Language A1:
•In class oral presentation
•Taped face to face oral
commentary
•World literature papers
•Two written examinations
Experimental Sciences:
•Laboratory investigations
•Group 4 project
•Three written examinations – multiple
choice, problem solving and short essay
Assessment varies across
disciplines
Language B:
•In-class oral assessment and written
work
•Face to face oral assessment based on
portfolio
•Two written examinations: text handling
and essay
Assessment varies across
disciplines
•Project in Math Studies
•Research study in Psychology
•Research workbook, portfolio & face to
face oral assessment in Visual Arts
•Performance and composition in Music
Assessment in the IB Diploma
Programme
Predicted Mark
Internal
Assessment
Moderation
(marked by
teacher)
External marking
Examination
Grade
Award
Meeting
To Earn the IB Diploma
• Complete EE, ToK, and CAS
• Complete all IB assessments
• Take six courses, one from
each group (or substitute
Groups 2-5 for Group 6), and
six exams
• Assessments are on 1-7 scale
• Must accumulate 24 points
total on six assessments
University Recognition Rumors:
•Colleges and universities in the USA and
Canada have never heard of the IB
•IB is perceived as inferior to AP
•IB is a disadvantage in the college
admissions process
University Recognition Realities:
•850
colleges and universities in the USA
and Canada have specific IB policies: 95%
of students covered
•Colleges and universities consistently
equate AP and IB
•Study of 2001 IB graduates shows IB
substantially increases chances of
admission
University Acceptance Rates
University
acceptance
Average Acceptance
rate
IB student
rate
76%
• NYU
29%
• UC Berkeley
25%
60%
• Penn
22%
58%
• Johns Hopkins
33%
83%
• Duke
26%
50%
• Cornell
27%
70%
• MIT
17%
42%
• Dartmouth
23%
60%
IBO Web Site:
www.ibo.org
Information on IBO programs &
University recognition