Wooden bike builderIB Diploma Programme – Grades 11 and 12
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| Introducing the IB Diploma Programme: October 2007 presentation |
BIHS students may choose to pursue the full IB Diploma or attempt certificates in specific areas of strength. Students who wish to receive a full IB diploma will choose six subject areas in which they want to be tested at the Higher Level and at the Standard Level, remembering that they must take at least 3 but no more than 4 Higher Level exams.
To receive the full IB Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Organization, a student must:
- Enroll in and pass exams in at least one course from each of the six core subject areas:
- Language A (English)
- Language B (World Language)
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Science
- Creative Arts OR other Elective (such as a second science or language course)
- Pass 3 Higher Level (HL) and 3 Standard Level (SL) or 4 HL and 2 SL tests
- Complete the Theory of Knowledge(TOK) course
- Complete the Extended Essay(EE)
- Complete 150 Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) hours
Tests are scored on a scale of 1 to 7 points, with 7 as the highest possible score. Students can also earn up to three extra points total for a superior performance on the Extended Essay and the Theory of Knowledge papers. Students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 (42 points for the 6 tests plus three bonus points for the EE and TOK) to be awarded an IB Diploma.
Extended Essay
All students in BIHS must complete a 4,000-word Extended Essay (or appropriate alternative) by February of their senior year. The purpose of the Extended Essay is to provide candidates an opportunity to engage in an independent research project at an introductory level. Emphasis is placed on the research process, clear communication of ideas and presenting the information in a logical and coherent essay. It will take an IB student about 40 hours to prepare and write the Extended Essay. BIHS staff act as consulting advisers and many students find it helpful to work with other experts in their chosen research field as well. There are IB regulations defining acceptable subjects and topics for the Extended Essay, so the topic must be approved before the student begins any research. Candidates should choose their subject by the end of their junior year and begin their research during the summer between junior and senior year. Extended essays of Diploma candidates are forwarded to IB examiners around the world for evaluation.
Theory of Knowledge
All students in BIHS take the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course during their senior year. This interdisciplinary course on the philosophy of learning is often described as the essence of the IB curriculum. The course requires students to reflect on the origin, validity, and value of various kinds of knowledge and make comparisons between them. In other words, how do we know what we know? One major paper and one major presentation are required for the course, but only the papers by the full Diploma candidates are forwarded to IB examiners for external assessment.
IB Creativity, Action and Service (IBCAS)
The IBCAS component of the IB curriculum is intended to encourage each student to develop individual skills and interests, provide a well-rounded balance to the demands of academic scholarship and to challenge the student to become aware of their responsibility to contribute to their community in a meaningful way. All students in BIHS are required to complete their IBCAS hours over two years (junior and senior year). The hours are to be evenly divided among three focus areas; Creativity, Action and Service: 50 Creativity, 50 Action, and 50 Service. Students may begin accruing their IBCAS hours the summer after sophomore year.
Creativity includes a wide range of artistic endeavors (art, dance, music, drama), including the creativity a student employs in designing and completing service projects.
Action involves physical activities such as sports and athletic training and also includes the physical activities required to implement creative or service projects such as building, planting or coaching.
Service is volunteer (not paid nor for school credit) community or social service, including environmental or international projects.
IBCAS activities must be pre-approved and the student is responsible for keeping accurate record sheets and obtaining adult signatures for verification. Students must also complete a minimum of four written reflections on activities that span over 20 hours.
Up to half of a student’s IBCAS hours (in any focus area) may be obtained from participating in Berkeley High School activities. Regular club meetings and activities do NOT count toward IBCAS, but if a student is an officer or special event chair, he/she may count planning and organizing hours. Band and Drama hours do NOT count if a student is in these classes for credit. If students participate in music or drama activities as an extracurricular activity, they may count their performance hours. Sports team practices do NOT count; performance and game hours DO. As a general rule, performance time counts, practice time does not.