Selecting Subjects
Subject Options
How should students select their subjects?
It is important to think carefully about your subject choices! Three important factors to consider are shown on the right. These factors will often overlap of course – you may do well in the subjects you are most interested in.
Interest
Pick the subjects you are most interested in and enjoy. You are likely to do better in these as a result. Plus, you will enjoy the two years far more!
This is particularly important for your HL subjects – you have to do a lot of additional independent work in order to be successful.
Ability
Look carefully at your grades in the MYP over the past two years and consider which subjects you are most successful in.
Be honest with yourself about how hard you have had to work in each class to be successful and make sure your course choices are realistic.
If you take a subject that you find challenging at HL, you should expect to gain a lower final grade. This may be an appropriate choice if you still achieve your overall goal.
Future Plans – University/Career
If you already have an idea of what you would like to study, then you need to do some research to see what the course requirements are – both in terms of required subjects, and required points
Course requirements vary from country to country. For example, British universities often expect certain grades in your HLs, or particular course combinations. Switzerland does not recognise visual arts or theatre.
Our careers team are happy to provide additional guidance. You should also consider the balance between different subjects and how that may affect workload and interest. For example:
Would you prefer to take two literature courses, or would taking one Literature course and one Language/Literature course be better?
Many students enjoy the different nature of the Visual Arts and Theatre courses, they are equally as demanding as other courses, but provide a different experience and there are no exams at the end of each of these courses.
Examples of course choices in the Diploma Programme
Entry Requirements
The DP is a rigorous course of study for motivated students. In order to have a realistic chance of success in the IB Diploma, students need to complete Grade 10 with sufficiently high grades. The minimum MYP entry requirements to enter the IB Diploma Programme are outlined below. Students joining the school who have not been in the MYP must provide prior report cards when applying.
What if a student does not meet the minimum requirements for entry into the Diploma Programme?
For a student who does not meet the minimum requirement(s) to take IB Diploma courses, entry to the course(s) or level(s) will not be possible. A conditional place may be offered (at the discretion of the school) according to measures outlined below:
Specific subject work would be given over the summer break by the subject teacher(s)
The student would sit an entrance exam for the subject(s) before Semester 1 (August).
If the exam(s) is satisfactorily completed, then the student would be offered a conditional place in the course(s) or level(s) – if space is still available in the class. This conditional place would be reviewed mid-Semester (October break) and at the end of Semester 1 of Grade 11.
During this conditional period, the student would have the status of a “courses” candidate and would only be promoted to being a full “Diploma” candidate after the successful completion of the conditional period (a minimum of grade 4 in all 6 Diploma courses would be required and satisfactory performance in TOK, Extended Essay and CAS).
Please note that if the entrance exam is not satisfactorily completed, the student would not gain entry into the course and alternative options would then be discussed with the student and parents. As already mentioned, entry requirements for the DIS High School Diploma are more flexible.
