Pathways

You can choose between two Extended Essay pathways. When deciding, think about how your topic connects to your personal interests and your DP courses. The nature of your topic will help determine which pathway is the best fit.

Pathways

Single Subject

Explore your topic from the perspective of one subject area. You should select from the subjects you are currently enrolled in. Cross-curricular subjects are considered single subjects for the purpose of the Extended Essay.

Interdisciplinary

Explore your topic by integrating knowledge, concepts, theories, perspectives and/or methods from two subject areas. You should be enrolled in at least one of the subject areas you are using for your investigation.

Use this flow chart as a guide to help you identify the pathway that best suits your topic.

Pathways Flow Chart.pdf

Extended essay guide: First assessment 2027. International Baccalaureate

Organization, 2025, p19.

Interdisciplinary Pathway

Reasons to Choose an Interdisciplinary Pathway

You can respond to your topic in a more insightful way than through a single subject
You can gain a deeper understanding of an issue or problem by integrating concepts or methods of two subjects
A complex global issue may be better addressed through two lenses
You can create new understandings by applying the insight, theory, or methods of one subject to the content of another subject
Explore interesting questions at the boundaries of two subjects

Interdisciplinary Frameworks

Use one or more of these frameworks to inform your interdisciplinary EE

Power, equity , justice
- Social or political issues
  - health
  - education
  - racism
  - gender
  - poverty
  - fairness
  - conflict
- The body
  - commodified bodies
  - violent bodies
  - bodies as weapons of war
Culture, identity, expression
- Belief systems
- Politics of identity
- Political movements
- Disputed territories
- Sporting and other competitions
- Art and science
- Music
- Protests
- Icons
- Cultural heritage
- The body
  - modifications
  - literature and science
  - psycholinguistics
  - gaming

Movement, time, space
- Migration
- Refugees
- Virtual communities
- Astronomy
- Travel
- Urbanism
- Social media
- Contested spaces
- Non-places or non-spaces
- Conflict
- Globalization
- Museums
- Questions of evolution
Evidence, measurement, innovation
- Art and science
- Literature and science
- Cross-scientific inquiry
- Mathematics in science
- Gaming
- Social Media

Sustainability, development, change
- Sustainability
  - environmental
  - social
  - economic
- Development
  - economic
  - social
  - food
  - health
  - political issues
  - poverty

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