Frequently Asked Questions About The Diploma Programme
For Interested Schools
- How is the Diploma Programme different from other pre-university
academic programmes? - Is the Diploma Programme only for honors or gifted students?
- Do all students in the school have to study the Diploma Programme?
- Can students take only one or two courses in the Diploma Programme?
- How long does it take to obtain authorization to offer the Diploma
Programme? - Are there special preparations that our school must make in order to
- become authorized?
- Are there prerequisite courses for students interested in the DiplomaProgramme?
- Is there any special training that our teachers need to participate in orspecial assistance to prepare them to teach the Diploma Programme?
- How does the Middle Years Programme fit into the Diploma Programme?
- Does the IB Diploma Programme satisfy state or provincial
requirements? - Can we teach the IB and the College Board’s AP programmes together?
- How much does the IB Diploma Programme cost?
- What is the typical pattern among schools for paying these fees?
- Are there any funds available outside the school to assist us in settingup or defraying the costs of offering the Diploma Programme?
- Our district is opening a new high school and wants to offer the Diploma
Programme there. Can we apply for IB authorization before all of the
grade levels are in place? - Are there schools offering the Diploma Programme that we can visit?
- How can my school find out more about the IB Diploma Programme and
becoming authorized?
How is the Diploma Programme different from other pre-university
academic programmes?
The Diploma Programme is a comprehensive and balanced two-year
curriculum and assessment system that requires students to study courses
across all disciplines. Within this structured framework, the Diploma
Programme provides a great deal of flexibility, accommodating student
interest and abilities. Through careful subject selection, students may
tailor their course of studies to meet their needs. Regardless of the subject
selection, all IB students explore the connections between the six major
subject areas, study each subject through an international perspective,
reflect critically on what it means to be a knower, pursue one subject in
great detail through independent research, and have the opportunity to
apply their knowledge and skills through local and community outreach.
Assessment of student achievement happens in a variety of ways throughout
the course of the two-year programme. It includes assessment of student
work both by outside examiners as well as the students’ own teachers. The
assessment itself undergoes careful review and moderation to ensure that a
common standard is applied equally to the work of all students
internationally.
For these reasons, the IB Diploma is recognized by colleges and universities
around the world as a superior education, preparing students to succeed at
post-secondary institutions.
Is the Diploma Programme only for honors or gifted students?
No. The IB permits IB-authorized schools to implement their programmes
in ways that will best meet their local needs. This means that one will see
a wide variety of student enrollment patterns in IB programmes across
North America.
This variety is particularly apparent in the IB Diploma Programme. Many
schools see the IB Diploma Programme as a way to address the needs of
gifted and honors students; these schools tend to have selection criteria
(such as grade point average, standardized test scores, teacher
recommendations, essays, etc.) for admission to their IB Diploma
Programmes. Other schools allow any willing student to attempt the IB
Diploma Programme, and often provide specific services to support these
students in their efforts.
Although the Diploma Programme and the Middle Years Programme are
occasionally implemented by schools as a programme for a select group of
students, the IB Primary Years Programme is expressly designed for every
student on campus, using what is referred to as a “whole-school” approach.
Do all students in the school have to study the Diploma Programme?
Although it is not necessary for all students in a school to study the Diploma
Programme, the IB encourages schools to consider providing the
opportunity to pursue the Diploma Programme to as many students as
possible. Having said that, the IB recognizes varying local needs and
therefore permits schools the flexibility to determine which students it will
enroll in the programme.
Can students take only one or two courses in the Diploma
Programme?
The strength of the IB Diploma is in the entire programme. For this reason
IB-authorized schools are expected to provide a rich and vibrant Diploma
Programme for their students. It is within such a setting, however, that
student enrollment in separate IB courses is permitted. Students would
then be eligible for IB Certificates, reflecting the courses they studied and
their achievement.
How long does it take to obtain authorization to offer the Diploma
Programme?
The length of time a school takes to obtain IB authorization depends on a
number of considerations. Schools are required to undertake a self-study,
resource analysis, curriculum writing, teacher training, and budgeting.
They also must obtain school board approval, develop course schedules, and
build local awareness. Generally speaking, most schools take between two
and three years before they are able to begin teaching the Diploma
Programme.
Are there special preparations that our school must make in order to
become authorized?
Before a school submits an application for authorization to offer the
Diploma Programme, it must first develop a plan for establishing a Diploma
Programme within the school. This plan will include the following: an
analysis of the school’s existing resources and those resources that must be
obtained in order to support a Diploma Programme, a Diploma Programme
implementation budget, a list of Diploma courses the school plans to offer,
a curriculum outline of each IB course, a roster of teachers the school
expects to teach the IB courses, and a schedule detailing when each IB
teacher will participate in IB-approved training. This analysis forms a
significant part of the school’s application.
Are there prerequisite courses for students interested in the Diploma
Programme?
The IB does not prescribe any prerequisite courses that students must take
in order to qualify for the Diploma Programme. However, many Diploma
Programme schools have found that by laying a solid academic foundation in
the early years of the secondary school programme, students will stand a
better chance of being successful in the Diploma Programme. These
curricular adjustments have the unofficial name of “pre-IB” programme.
The development of such programmes is carried out at the discretion of the
school.
Other schools have adopted the IB Middle Years Programme as their
preferred preparation for the Diploma Programme. This option works well
and has the added benefit of providing both middle schools and high schools
with opportunities for continuous collaboration that result in a rich
educational experience for their students.
Is there any special training that our teachers need to participate in
or special assistance to prepare them to teach the Diploma
Programme?
Yes. The unique nature of both the curricular and assessment requirements
of the Diploma Programme means that teachers are expected to participate
in special IB training. A comprehensive calendar of teacher training
workshops is available by visiting the Workshops and Conferences section
of this website.
How does the Middle Years Programme fit into the Diploma
Programme?
The Middle Years and the Diploma Programmes are both discrete
programmes and can stand on their own. However, some schools and school
districts want to extend their students’ IB experience from the middle and
primary years through high school graduation. Developing both the Middle
Years Programme and the Diploma Programme so that one leads into the
other requires careful planning between the high school and the middle
school(s). Such issues as coordinating student feeder patterns between
schools, scheduling common planning periods for teachers at both the high
school and middle school levels, as well as issues of understanding and
meeting the expectations of both programmes must be thought through
carefully.
Does the IB Diploma Programme satisfy state or provincial
requirements?
One of the most important responsibilities of a school is to assure that
students meet state/provincial requirements for graduation. Students who
succeed in receiving the IB Diploma will at the same time meet the local
high school’s graduation requirements and, therefore, also receive the local
high school diploma. Even if students fail to satisfy all of the IB Diploma
requirements, they will generally have met the school’s requirements to
receive the local high school diploma.
In some cases, students who participate in the IB Diploma Programme will
also fulfill the requirements of their state’s standards examinations or their
province’s curriculum and examination. Please contact IB North America for a list of
which states or provinces have accepted the IB Diploma as having met their
expectations.
Can we teach the IB and the College Board’s AP programmes
together?
This depends on school policy. Each school determines for itself if it will
offer combined IB and AP courses. Some courses lend themselves more
easily to a combined approach, while other subjects do not. Whatever
approach the school takes, it must ensure that IB courses address the
expectations of the IB programme.
How much does the IB Diploma Programme cost?
Diploma Programme schools pay an annual subscription fee to the IB each
September. In addition, there are per student registration and examination
fees. Another important cost consideration in sustaining a healthy Diploma
Programme is the need to providing ongoing professional development for IB
teachers.
Schools starting a Diploma Programme must budget for a variety of
expenses: the acquisition of resources needed at the school to support the
Diploma Programme, the number of resident staff in need of IB training,
time for faculty to write IB course curricula, the breadth of the Diploma
Programme to be offered on campus, any promotional activities to make
families and colleagues aware of the school’s intent to offer a Diploma
Programme, and the application fee itself.
What is the typical pattern among schools for paying these fees?
The payment of fees is the responsibility of the IB-authorized schools. The
way in which schools collect fees varies widely throughout the North
American region. Perhaps the most common pattern is for schools or school
districts to split the cost with families of participating students. Schools pay
the annual subscription fee and a portion of the examination fees, while
families pay the remainder of the examination fees. Many schools or
districts pay all related fees. In almost every case, funds are available at
schools to subsidize IB fees for low-income students and to ensure that
financial need never prevents a student from pursuing an IB education.
If you want to find out how other schools pay for the IB, please contact the
IB subregional group in your area. The contact information for the IBNA
Subregional Association can be found on their website:
http://www.ibnasubregional.org.
Are there any funds available outside the school to assist us in
setting up or defraying the costs of offering the Diploma
Programme?
Some money may be available for schools for setting up an IB programme,
teacher training, or to defray the cost of exams for students in financial
need. These funds generally are available in the US from state departments
of education in the form of incentive programmes. These funds have been
instrumental in schools’ ability to offer programmes of excellence to a wide
range of students.
Currently California, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas
are among the states that offer some financial assistance to schools with IB
programmes. Schools in Canada may have to seek private sources of
funding. For more information, please contact IB North America at the coordinates
listed at the end of this FAQ, or contact your state department of education
or provincial ministry directly.
Our district is opening a new high school and wants to offer the
Diploma Programme there. Can we apply for IB authorization
before all of the grade levels are in place?
Before a school can receive authorization it must meet all expectations
defined in the Diploma Programme Application, which includes a physical
plan and resources sufficient to support the Diploma Programme. Not
having all grade levels in place at the time of application is not in itself
reason for denying an application. However, before a school can begin
officially teaching the Diploma Programme curriculum, the IB must be
confident that plans are in place and well underway to sustain and build a
successful programme.
Are there schools offering the Diploma Programme that we can visit?
Yes, with sufficient advance notice, most IB-authorized schools are
generally happy to host representatives from interested schools. Interested
schools are encouraged to contact IB North America for guidance in selecting a school to
visit.
Additional local support is also available through one of the many
subregional associations of IB schools found throughout North America.
These associations represent groups of IB schools within defined
geographical boundaries: California, British Columbia, Texas, Alberta,
Ontario, Florida, etc. To locate an association near you, visit the IBNA
Subregional Association’s website: http://www.ibnasubregional.org.
How can my school find out more about the IB Diploma Programme
and become authorized?
Schools in Canada, the US, and the Caribbean are encouraged to contact the
North American regional office of the IB in New York (+1-212-696-4464) or
Vancouver (+1-604-733-8980, or toll free at +1-866-VAN-IBNA), or by email
at ibna@ibo.org.
