DP Requirements

A total of 6 IB Course are required:

• 3 (no more than 4) at Higher Level (HL)

• 3 (or 2) at Standard Level (SL)

• 6 total exams (up to 2 SL in 11th grade)

• One course from every area (Language & Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals & Societies, Sciences and Mathematics.  The Arts is optional.  Students can take a second course from one of the other areas in lieu of an Arts course)

Ygnacio Valley HS Sample Schedule 

Video from IBO discussing IB DP Course Selection

Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is one of the three essential elements (along with TOK & EE) that every student must complete as part of the Diploma Programme (DP).

The three strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:

• Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.

• Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the DP.

• Service – an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected.

CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience.  It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work.  Students work with a supervisor and the CAS coordinators for each chosen strand experience to complete this portion of the DP.

The Extended Essay, along with TOK & CAS, completes the DP core requirements.  The EE is a 4,000 word original in-depth study and college-level research paper on a topic chosen by the student which is supervised by a student-chosen mentor and graded via the student-chosen IB rubric.  Students will be mentored by their mentor, TOK teacher, as well as the Librarian, throughout the entirety of the process.  In-school workshops to help facilitate this process will take place to provide students with time and support.  Students' final papers are submitted to IB for assessment.  

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course is an interdisciplinary study that develops students’ critical thinking skills through the application of the knowledge framework. Students explore the required core theme, Knowledge and the Knower, along with two additional themes, such as Knowledge and Technology or Knowledge and Language.

Assessment in TOK consists of two components: the Exhibition, completed in 11th grade, and the Prescribed Title Essay, completed in 12th grade. Additionally, the TOK course serves as a central platform for introducing and supporting students in fulfilling the broader Diploma Programme core requirements.

This course is taken during Spring of 11th grade year and Fall of 12th grade year during 0 period.