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The IB Diploma Programme

Grades 11 and 12 prepare students for life, university and a career.

All students entering Grade 11 have access to enroll in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. This focuses on engaging and challenging students academically along with developing attributes associated with personal well-being and a genuine care and concern for others in the local, national and global community. All students at SSIS are also enrolled in our High School Diploma which follows the path of the IB Diploma but with the potential for modifications to suit individual student requirements.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) is a rigorous pre-university course of studies, leading to examinations that meet the needs of highly motivated Secondary School students between the ages of 16 and 19 years. Designed as a comprehensive two-year curriculum it allows its graduates to fulfil requirements of various national education systems.

Students learn more than a collection of facts. The DP encourages students to:

  • ask challenging questions
  • learn how to learn
  • develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
  • develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.

Subjects studied

The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. Students study six subjects selected from the subject groups. Normally three subjects are studied at higher level (courses representing 240 teaching hours), and the remaining three subjects are studied at standard level (courses representing 150 teaching hours).

Subject Area

Subjects Offered

Studies in Language and Literature

Chinese Literature Studies, Chinese Language and Literature, English Literature Studies, English Language and Literature, German Language and Literature, Japanese Literature Studies, Korean Literature Studies, and school supported Self-taught Literature

Language Acquisition

Chinese B, English B, Mandarin ab initio, Spanish B and Spanish ab initio

Individuals and Societies

Business Management, Economics, Geography, History, Psychology

Sciences

Biology, Chemistry, Design Technology, Environmental Systems and Societies, Physics and Sports and Exercise Health Science.

Mathematics

Mathematics, Mathematical Studies

The Arts

Music, Visual Arts

*Please note these subject offerings vary on a year-to-year basis and are dependent on student numbers and available teaching resources.

All three parts of the core—extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, activity, service—are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme. The three core requirements are:

  1. Extended Essay - The extended essay has a prescribed limit of 4,000 words. It offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of individual interest, and acquaints students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university.
  2. Theory of Knowledge (TOK) - The interdisciplinary TOK course is designed to provide coherence by exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines, encouraging an appreciation of other cultural perspectives.
  3. Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) - Participation in the school’s CAS programme encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service work, thus fostering students’ awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena.