Social Studies

FAQS

General Social Studies Questions

Q: Can I take more than one Social Studies class?

A: Yes, many students take two. You have a wider range of options in year-long courses rather than two-year, but there is a lot of possible combinations of IB, AP, elective, and semester-long courses.

Q: Should I take the IB, AP, or some combination of the two?

A: It really depends on your interests and what you want to do after high school. Very few doors are closed based on these choices but talk to current students, teachers, and counselors to help you make an informed decision.

Subject-specific Social Studies Questions

Business & Management

Q: What are the math requirements for IB Business?

A: There are no requirements. The math used in IB Business is at a Middle School level.

Q: What is the difference between HL & SL?

A: The largest noticeable difference is that HL has an additional exam (Paper 3) which is one question about a social enterprise. All the units are the same but HL has a couple of additional topics in each unit. The IA is the same (this is a change from previous years)

Economics

Q: What are the math requirements for IB Economics?

A: There are no requirements. The math used in IB Economics is lower HS math.

Q: What is the difference between HL & SL?

A: The largest noticeable difference is that HL has an additional exam (Paper 3). All the units are the same but HL has definitely more topics in each unit. The IA is the same with 3 in total. 

Q: What do we learn about in Year One?

A: We start with an introduction to economics and then Semester One focuses on Microeconomics.  In January or February (more or less) in Semester Two we shift to Macroeconomics for the remainder of Year One. 

Q: Can I take Economics and IB Business together?

A: Yes - many students take the two different courses together as they do complement each other.   That said, students should explore connections between other Social Studies courses (history, global politics, geography) as they too have concrete connections to economics. 

Psychology

Q: What are the differences between IB and AP Psychology?

A: Breadth (AP) you will learn all different aspects of psychology (ex. Personality psychology)  vs. depth (IB) which has seven units and goes into depth on fewer concepts and theories. Writing requirement is minimal in AP but students write essays in IB. If you hate writing, take AP

Q: Should I take HL or SL Psychology?

A: The courses are so similar I would recommend taking HL if you have room in your schedule. HL and SL students will study all the same units and take the same assessments.  HL will have 3 extension topics (on animal research, the effect of digital technology on cognition, and the impact of globalization on behavior) and will focus on studying qualitative research in more depth. 

Q: What other courses should I take if I want to major in psychology in university?

A: Definitely, biology if you want to major in psychology. Chemistry would be good (in addition to biology) if you are interested in clinical psychology. If you are interested in applying psychology to a career like human resources then business or another social studies course would be a good option. 

Q: Is the psychology unit from Global Perspectives similar to what I will learn in IB Psychology?

A: Yes, it’s a good foundation (but not necessary) to help you understand our first unit on the sociocultural approach to understanding behavior. In GP you learned about Social Identity Theory and Social Cognitive theory and studied a few “classic” studies. In IB psychology you will learn about lots of concepts and study 3-4 examples of research for each concept or theory.  You will also learn about the biological and cognitive approaches to understanding behavior which will help you in year 2 when you are discussing the biological, cognitive and sociocultural origins of behaviors like prejudice, attraction, and PTSD.

History

AP World & AP US History

Q: Which course should I take first? Which course is “harder”?

A: Both courses are similar levels of difficulty with, perhaps, US being slightly more challenging. Both use the same types of assessments so whichever one you choose to take, the skills gained will transfer (and thus make slightly easier) the one you choose to take second. As AP World is currently offered to 10th grade students, it’s the most likely choice to take first.

Q: What is the difference between AP and IB History?

A: AP US History and AP World History are both yearlong courses whereas IB History is a two-year course. AP World covers about 800 years of world history starting in 1200 CE; AP US covers about 500 years of US history beginning in the 15th century.  IB History only covers 20th century history, focusing on conflict, authoritarian states and the Cold War.  Assessmentst in AP courses are a mixture of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions.  In IB, assessments are predominantly essay questions.  

Politics and Government

Q: What is the difference between AP Comp Gov and IB Global Politics? 

A: AP Comparative Government focuses on the specific political structures within six countries. It allows students to move from the conceptual level down to the specific details of the course countries and compare various aspects of their systems. IB Global politics focuses on concepts of international relations and how they are connected to current affairs. For example, students might study the concept of power and its types, then identify and analyze a current event in which one type of power is being exercised. 

Q: What is the difference between HL and SL in IBGP? 

A: Students taking the SL course complete one Paper 1, two Paper 2s, and the engagement activity. Students taking the HL course complete one Paper 1, three Paper 2s, the engagement activity, and two oral presentations. The presentations are ten minutes in length. Students may choose a topic from within the broad categories of security and poverty for their presentations. 

Q: What courses of study and careers would fit best with IBGP? 

A: Students of IB Global Politics can enter many fields and use the knowledge and skills they developed in the course. Many students study international relations, political science, economics, or development, but the course is not limited to only students interested in those fields.  

Geography

Q: What is the difference between HL and SL in IBDP Geography?

A: There is an additional optional theme and 3 extension units regarding Globalization for the HL students. All other topics are for both SL and HL. Both will also do fieldwork for the Internal Assessment. For HL this amounts to (in theory)  an additional 90 hours of study and an additional question in paper 1, and a paper 3 exam,  which entails two essay questions. 

Q: What is APHG like?

A: The course covers seven units covering a broad range of geographic themes which are extracted from and applied to the real world, making this course very dynamic. It is fast paced, and requires a significant commitment to keep up with the readings, notes, and activities. There are plenty of opportunities to practice for the exam throughout the course.