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International Baccalaureate
From The Student Room(Redirected from IB)
TSR Wiki > Study Help > Exams and Qualifications > International Baccalaureate The IB Diploma programme is taught in one of three languages, English, French or Spanish. It is particularly popular in international schools (private schools that cater mainly to children who are not nationals of the host country). The programme is now one of the most widely accepted pre-university qualifications in the world. The IB diploma is becoming more and more popular in the UK mainly due to its flexibility, as it allows students to continue with more subjects post-16 then would be possible with the A-level system.
Summary of the IBProgramme StructureThe IB diploma is made up of a minimum of 6 subjects (3 at Higher Level), from set groups: English, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, World Languages, Electives; as chosen by the student, an extended essay (EE) based on a subject area, also of the students choice, a Theory of Knowledge class, and 50 hours of creative, active and service pursuits(CAS). It is this breadth that makes the IB diploma particularly well regarded. AwardsEach of the subject is assessed individually, with an Internal Assessment component, and an External Examination (consisting of 2-3 Papers) Each contributing to the final IB grade to different degrees (percentage wise) . Students are allocated points out of 7 for each area of study, the maximum number of total points being 42 +3 bonus points, derived from EE and ToK grades. AcceptabilityAlmost all UK universities accept the IB as equivalent to A-levels, some, such as The University of Nottingham actually prefer it. UCAS's new tarriff system for the IB is due to be in place for 2008. The tariff suggests that a modest score of 30 IB points (419 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 3 A-grades at A Level and 1 A-grade at AS Level (420 UCAS points), whereas the maximum score of 45 IB points (768 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 6 A-grades at A Level and 1 B-grade at AS Level (770 UCAS points)# <ref>Wikipedia "IB Diploma Programme"</ref>. International BaccalaureateThe International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, often colloquially referred to simply as "IB", is an educational programme taught in one of three languages (English, French or Spanish) and is intended for students in their final two years of secondary school, often before entering university. It is taught in 1,469 schools, to a great extent in international schools, in 121 countries (as of 2005). The programme, administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization, is one of the most widely recognised pre-university educational programmes in the world.  CurriculumThe Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum consists of completing six courses from six different subject areas, writing an Extended Essay (EE) of up to 4,000 words, taking part in the Theory of Knowledge(TOK) class, and fulfilling a requirement of 50 hours in each of the Creative, Active and Service (CAS) pursuits. Grades are awarded from 1 to 7 in each subject, and up to three 'bonus' points may be awarded depending on the grade results of the EE and TOK. Thus, a total of 45 points may be obtained by the candidate for their final diploma. In order to receive an International Baccalaureate Diploma you must receive a minimum of 24 points.
AwardsThere are two types of award available in the IB Diploma Programme. A student can be awarded the full Diploma or Certificates of Merit in individual subjects. Diploma conditionsIn order to be awarded the full IB Diploma the following requirements must have been met:
CertificatesA candidate may also choose not to take the whole Diploma, but to aim for a Certificate in a particular subject. Candidates doing certificates do not have to take part in the extra requirements of the Diploma (the Extended Essay, TOK and CAS). Those candidates who complete extra courses in addition to a Diploma will also receive a Certificate. RecognitionUpon completion of the Diploma Programme, students receive the IB Diploma, which is used to obtain admission to institutions of higher education. This degree is sometimes regarded as a foreign diploma, so its recognition may vary depending on the university. In Canada and the United States, some IBDP courses are recognised as equivalent to university/college-level courses, and universities and colleges may award entering students with first-year credit for high IB exam scores. In this regard it is similar to the Advanced Placement Program, or superior to it, depending on the institute of higher learning in question. Although credit acceptance varies greatly, receiving a 6 or a 7 in a Higher Level IB Class will grant a student college credit in introductory-level classes. In the United Kingdom, most universities, including University of Oxford|Oxford and University of Cambridge|Cambridge, accept the IB Diploma as an alternative to A-levels and some universities actively prefer it to A-Levels, such as Nottingham University. UCAS has created a tariff for IB points which will be in use from 2008 university entry onwards. The tariff suggests that a modest score of 30 IB points (419 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 3 A-grades at A Level and 1 A-grade at AS Level (420 UCAS points), whereas the maximum score of 45 IB points (768 UCAS points) is roughly equivalent to 6 A-grades at A Level and 1 B-grade at AS Level (770 UCAS points)<ref>The UCAS Tariff</ref>. The increasing attention being directed at the IB Diploma by universities has led many private schools to offer it in place of A-levels (due to the perennial national debate over A-level standards), though the political impossibility of placing elements of education policy in the hands of an outside body makes it unlikely that the IB would ever replace UK-based qualifications in the majority of schools; instead, there has been talk of creating an equivalent British baccalaureate programme (see the Welsh Baccalaureate, a much-maligned attempt to replicate the IB within Wales, and the Mike Tomlinson|Tomlinson Report, which recommended a new baccalaureate system to replace A-levels). In some countries, such as Turkey or Peru, the IB Diploma is not considered equivalent to the national end-of-school examination scheme, usually because the IB Diploma is not as specialised, or because certain subjects are not offered. Other countries, such as Germany, set certain conditions for the IB Diploma to be convalidated (German at minimum A2 Standard Level, Mathematic Studies or Mathematics standard level minimum, and Maths or a Science at Higher Level). Some universities, on the other hand, prefer the IB to the certificate which the students usually get in their own country. A list of universities admitting the IB can be found on the IBO web site. CriticismCriticism of the Diploma Programme often centers around the limitations of curriculum implementation in the schools. For example, although the IBO may offer many different courses of a particular area, a school may only offer a few, thereby defeating the original intent of the program.[citation needed] Criticism also stems from the lack of interaction between IB students and other non-IB students in schools where programs besides the IB program are offered. This lack of interaction is sometimes referred to as the "IB crew." Another negative aspect of the program is the unnecessary measures taken to keep control of CAS hours. This can be in the form of proposal forms or excessive logging forms. Most American colleges will only give college credit to students for taking higher level courses, and require a score of 6 or 7, though sometimes 5 is accepted. While on the other hand, the same colleges give credit to students who get a 4 or higher on a AP exam. However, the AP exam is scored out of 5. Obtaining a 4 on an AP exam is roughly comparable to obtaining a 5 or 6 on an IB exam. The Diploma Programme is also criticized for its lack of "fair judgment." Rather than the students having a completely anonymous grader as in the AP program most IB grades are given in a ratio of 70% anonymous and 30% teacher based. The Diploma Programme is run by the school's IB coordinator. All information about the policies and practices is commonly granted exclusively through that coordinator. There is no external overseer of IB coordinators and typically the IB coordinator is the last say in decisions regarding the Diploma Programme. Commonly any student or parent who attempts to discover the IB organization's policies via the IB organization itself is deferred to the school's IB coordinator. IB Revision Notes, Exams and Grade BoundariesRead our extensive range of IB revision notes to help you through the exam season. Want to knwo grade boudnaries for passed exams? We have a number of them here, conntributed by site members.
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