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How Do I Earn an IB Diploma?

By the end of sophomore year, you will need to decide whether you intend to pursue the full IB Diploma. The coursework begins junior year and ends senior year.

By the end of sophomore year, you will need to decide whether you intend to pursue the full IB Diploma. The coursework begins junior year and ends senior year.

 

You will need to enroll in one course from each of the 6 IB Groups.

You will need to enroll in one course from each of the 6 IB Groups. Of these, you will need to take 3 HL courses and 3 SL courses OR 4 HL courses and 2 SL courses.

HL courses last for 2 years and SL courses are one year. Other SL courses  (pamoja-language) are 2 years long. Each of these courses culminates in a series of examinations that will lead you to earn a score between 1 and 7 per course.

Five checkboxes with bullfighting figures above the first three, and blue checkmarks in all of them, are arranged horizontally against a light background.

You will take a class called Theory of Knowledge during second semester of junior year and first semester of senior year.

You will create a presentation and write an essay, which will combine to create a grade between A and F. You must not earn an F.

You will write an Extended Essay (4,000 words or approximately 16 double-spaced pages) on a topic of your choosing, connected to one of the IB courses you are enrolled in. This will be graded between A and F. You must not earn an F.

You will write an Extended Essay (4,000 words or approximately 16 double-spaced pages) on a topic of your choosing, connected to one of the IB courses you are enrolled in. This will be graded between A and F. You must not earn an F.

You must work to improve yourself and the world by participating in CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service). You will plan activities that will help you better your own skills, as well as design and implement a service project. You must successfully complete these requirements.

You must work to improve yourself and the world by participating in CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service).

You will plan activities that will help you better your own skills, as well as design and implement a service project. You must successfully complete these requirements.

Your 6 IB courses could earn you as many as 42 possible points, if you score 7 out of 7 on all of them. Additionally, you can earn bonus points (up to 3) if you earn an A on both your EE and your TOK work. This leads to a maximum of 45 total possible points that can be earned. The IB awards an International Baccalaureate Diploma to students who earn at least 24 points, provided you earn at least 12 points total from your 3 HL courses / 15 points total from your 4 HL courses and 9 points total from your 3 SL courses / 5 points total from your 2 SL courses. You must earn at least 2 points in each course to qualify for the Diploma.