International Baccalaureate

BRIEF SUMMARY

The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968.  It offers four educational programmes: the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-related Programme for students aged 16 to 19, the IB Middle Years Programme, designed for students aged 11 to 16, and the IB Primary Years Programme for children aged 3 to 12. To teach these programmes, schools need to be authorized by IB.  The organization’s name and logo were changed in 2007 to reflect a reorganization. Consequently, “IB” may now refer to the organization itself, any of the four programmes, or the diploma or certificates awarded at the end of a programme.

The IB program was originally a standard curriculum for students moving from one country to another (such as children of diplomats or the military). Today, there are now over a million IB students in nearly 150 countries.  The IB programme encourages students to think broadly, beyond the boundaries of their communities, and to see themselves as members of a global society. It has gained recognition and respect from most U.S. colleges.  The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is an intense curriculum for high school juniors and seniors that emphasizes intercultural understanding and enrichment. It culminates in six rigorous subject exams.  The IB has six main areas of study: language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer science, and the arts. Three additional elements round out the programme: a theory of knowledge course, learning outside the classroom (a community service obligation), and a 4,000-word extended essay on a research topic of their choice.   Along the way, students complete assessments that help them prepare for the final written exams, which are graded by external examiners. Upon graduation, students earn a diploma that is recognized worldwide.

KEY POINTS

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SHARED WISDOM

• What I have learned
• What I have learned

RESOURCES

• International Baccalaureate
• List of Indiana IB Schools Click Here

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