What makes an IB programme different?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) at Bergen Katedralskole is the Diploma Programme, made for students between 16 and 19 years of age.

In the diploma program, students study 6 subjects, in addition to TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and completing CAS activities (Creativity, Activity and Service).

In the IB, students choose 6 subjects from 6 subject- groups, including two languages, one humanity, mathematics, and two sciences. At Bergen Katedralskole, it is possible to choose Visual Arts instead of the second science.

Three of the six subjects will be at standard level (150 hours), while the other three are higher level subjects (240 hours). Higher level subjects allow for a greater immersion in the curriculum, including university level material.

In each subject, a student can get a grade between 1 and 7, 7 being the best. To pass the IB, it is necessary to obtain at least 24 points. The maximum score is 45. This can be achieved by obtaining score 7 in all subjects, and all 3 additional points from the combination of the extended essay and theory of knowledge final products.

TOK, theory of knowledge, is the seventh subject in the IB. It is a mandatory class, and is evaluated by an essay and a presentation. The subject matter is largely philosophical, and concerns the way in which we obtain knowledge as a student and as a human.

The extended essay is a 4000 word essay, and is one of the major achievements of the program. A student chooses one of their 6 subjects to write the essay in, and finds a topic within the chosen subjects to investigate extensively.

Another unique part of the IB curriculum is the differentiation between the internally and externally assessed works. 20% of student work in each subject is assessed internally, or by the student’s teachers. The internal assessment is important in all subjects, and another opportunity for the student to investigate a topic of their choosing more closely.

The additional 80% of externally assessed material consists of exams, which are held each year, in May and November. At Bergen Katedralskole, the exams are held in May, 1.5 years after initiation of the programmer.