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How do you earn the IB Diploma?
How do you earn the IB Diploma?
To be eligible for the IB Diploma, a student must take courses and assessments in six different subject groups.
Group 1- DP English
Group 2- DP World Language (French, Japanese, Spanish at SW)
Group 3- DP History
Group 4- DP Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics at SW)
Group 5- DP Math: Applications and Interpretation
Group 6- DP Arts or another DP course from Group 3 or 4
Three to four of the courses and assessments must be at the Higher Level (HL) and two to three must be at the Standard Level (SL). In addition to those courses and their IB exams, students must successfully complete the Theory of Knowledge course as well as submitting the Extended Essay and their Creative, Activity and Service (CAS) work concurrently over their junior and senior years.
Up to two SL courses and assessments may be completed at the end of a student's junior year. Depending on course selection students may take four to six IB exams at the end of their senior year.
The IB Diploma is awarded by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) with a qualifying score. Click HERE to learn more about the scoring of IB exams. Results are posted on a secure IB website for student viewing in July.
If you would like to schedule a meeting to talk more about your IB Diploma experience at Southwest, please email Tim Leistikow- timothy.leistikow@mpls.k12.mn.us.
DP Course Pathways
DP Course Pathways
Southwest offers SL and HL course options in six subject groups. Students select their course subject areas for the IB Diploma prior to their junior year. The six subject areas include:
Group 1: Language and Literature (English)
Group 2: Language Acquisition (French, Japanese, or Spanish)
Group 3: Individuals and Societies (History & Social Science electives)
Group 4: Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: Electives
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is core to IB Diploma Programme (DP). It is mandatory to qualify for the IB Diploma as it is central to the educational philosophy of the DP.
TOK provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and how we, as humans, know what we claim to know. The essential question of this course is: "How do we know?"
At Southwest students take TOK during the spring semester of their junior year and fall semester of their senior year. Click above to learn more.
The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed piece of research in an academic subject resulting in a research paper of up to 4000 words. The EE is mandatory to qualify for the IB Diploma. Click above to learn more.
Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) involves a range of experiences and a month-long collaborative project students complete alongside their academic studies over the course of their junior and senior years. These experiences should happen outside of the school day, are not connected to a job or a classroom grade, and are student-directed. CAS is mandatory to qualify for the IB Diploma. Click above to learn more.
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