International Baccalaureate Programme

The IB Diploma Programme is a comprehensive and challenging pre-university course that demands the best from both motivated students and teachers. This sophisticated two-year curriculum covers a wide range of academic subjects and has stood the test of time for over half a million students in 129 countries since 1968. IB Diploma Programme graduates are welcomed by the world’s leading universities. Click here to download the IB Diploma Programme Student Handbook.

THE BENEFITS OF THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
Universities recognize the outstanding qualities of IB Diploma Programme students. Typically, diploma holders are ready to debate real-world issues from an international perspective and to provide leadership and support in the local and global community. They demonstrate a capacity for in-depth study while maintaining a broad perspective of the different subject areas. They are able to ask challenging questions but also know how to research a topic and express their opinion. They have a strong sense of their own culture and identity, as well as the ability to communicate in two or more languages with people who have a different perspective of the world.

UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
The IB Diploma Programme is about more than the subjects that students study. At its heart are the three core requirements that are integral to the curriculum and make the IB Diploma Programme unique.

• Theory of knowledge (TOK) — an internally and externally assessed interdisciplinary component that explores the different concepts of knowledge found in the subject areas. Because IB Diploma Programme students study six subjects simultaneously, TOK teachers can, for example, ask their students to compare a historian’s approach to problem solving with that of a scientist or an artist.
• Extended essay — an externally assessed independent research assignment of 4,000 words in one of the six subject areas. This is one of the way in which IB Diploma Programme students can specialize in a certain subject area and prepare for university studies.
• Creativity, action, service (CAS) — a minimum of 150 hours of participation over the two years in creative, physical and service activities in the local community. The CAS requirement allows students to gain real-life experience beyond the classroom.

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARDS
The IB Diploma Programme is widely recognized for its high academic standards. Assessment is varied and takes place over two years, with final examinations in each subject. Students’ work is assessed by an international board of examiners, who are themselves rigorously trained and monitored by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).

Subjects are scored on a 1-7 scale with a further three points available for theory of knowledge and the extended essay. Students who display good levels of performance across all six subjects and achieve a minimum of 24 points (out of a possible 45) are awarded the diploma. All others receive a certificate for each of the subjects completed.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN THE IB PROGRAM?
While the IB program is a rigorous pre-collegiate curriculum, it also challenges students to think about global issues, cultural assumptions, and our place in the world community. When taken in its entirety, the program requires a broad focus in many areas, both academic and non-academic. Through TOK students are challenged to think about what knowledge means in various disciplines. Ideally, these elements converge through the experience of designing and executing an individual research question or project in the Extended Essay.

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF AN IB CLASS?
All IB classes stem from a curriculum designed and revised every five years by the IBO in Cardiff, Wales. Teachers are trained by IB in a particular area of expertise and then design a curriculum that meets the needs of the Guerin Catholic students, the state of Indiana, and the IBO standards.

All IB classes have some form of internal assessment (IA); these are activities assessed by the classroom teacher using IB rubrics and assessment standards and then externally moderated (samples of student work may be sent off to IB faculty around the world to be re-graded and to ensure quality in grading standards). IB classes terminate in exams during the month of May the senior year that are externally assessed. Students’ marks from these exams become available in July. IB Diploma students are required to take exams in six subject areas. Non-diploma candidates in IB classes are strongly encouraged to sit for exams.

TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE IB PROGRAM

Option A
The Diploma Program

• Participate in and complete all internal and external assessments for six IB courses
• Complete Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
• Submit an original Extended Essay (EE)
• No more than 4,000 words
• Approximately 40 hours
• Complete a Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) plan
• 150 hours divided among the three categories
• Completed over two years
• Test Requirements

Diploma students must test in all courses except the TOK
To earn the IB diploma, students must receive either a total of 24 points with each HL score at 3 or higher and HL subject scores totaling 12 points or more. If a 2 is scored on an HL or fewer than 12 points total in HL courses, then a score of 28 is required. Students may also earn up to 3 extra points for their EE and TOK marks. Failure to complete the EE and TOK requirements or elementary scores in these assessments will lead to the failure to earn an IB diploma.
Eligibility
All students may begin this program if they meet the 9th and 10th grade pre-requisites.

Option B
Individual Subject Certificates

• All students invited to participate
• Completes all internal and external assessments for the classes in which student is enrolled
• Sit for IB exam for classes in which student is enrolled.
• Students who pass subject level exams will receive certificates from IBO and may choose to apply for college credit and advanced standing as available