Diploma Programme (DP) Overview

• Age Range: Designed for students aged 16-19
• Duration: Two-year, pre-university course
• Goals:
  • Encourage students to be knowledgeable, inquiring, caring, and compassionate
  • Develop intercultural understanding and open-mindedness
  • Respect and evaluate different points of view
• Course Structure:
  • Six academic areas + central core
  • Subjects include two modern languages, humanities or social sciences, experimental sciences, mathematics, and creative arts (or two from another area)
  • Flexibility in subject choice to align with student interests and university aspirations
  • Higher Level (HL) subjects require more in-depth study (240 teaching hours recommended) than Standard Level (SL) (150 hours recommended)
  • Includes three core elements: extended essay, theory of knowledge, and creativity, activity, service (CAS)

Extended Essay (EE)

Course Description and Aims

• Nature:
  • Compulsory, externally assessed, independent research project
  • Focus on a specific topic either within one subject or interdisciplinary
• Student Choice:
  • Choose topics from DP subjects or based on prior knowledge
• Objectives:
  • Foster excitement in intellectual exploration
  • Encourage student-led academic research
  • Develop skills: research, thinking, self-management, communication
  • Reflect on learning experiences

Extended Essay Process

Research Process Steps

1. Choose and refine a broad topic
2. Decide between interdisciplinary or subject-focused pathway
3. Choose appropriate DP subject(s)
4. Conduct preparatory reading
5. Formulate a focused research question
6. Plan research and writing process
7. Structure the essay (subject to change)
8. Conduct the research

Writing and Formal Presentation

• Required elements: title page, contents page, introduction, body, conclusion, references, and bibliography
• Word limit: 4,000 words, including all sections and quotations

Reflection Process

• Purpose:
  • Reflect on research experience and impact on learning
  • Apply learning to future studies or life
• Structure:
  • Three mandatory, formal reflection sessions
  • Final session: the viva voce, a 10-15 minute interview
• Outcome:
  • 500-word reflective statement on Reflection and Progress Form (RPF)

Assessment Model

• Assessment Objectives:
  • Knowledge and understanding of topic and research methods
  • Application and analysis of research methods
  • Synthesis and evaluation of findings and essay effectiveness
  • Effective communication of research with structural conventions

Assessment Criteria

• Framework for the essay

• Demonstration of knowledge and understanding

• Analysis and argumentation

• Discussion and evaluation

• Reflection on learning experience

• Points awarded based on combination with theory of knowledge

Example Extended Essay Topics

• Language A: Analysis of social expectations in "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde
• Economics: Evaluation of minimum wage impacts on unemployment
• Psychology: Comparison of mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for stress
• Chemistry: Effects of different catalysts on hydrogen peroxide decomposition
• Visual Arts: Analysis of Joni Brenner's skull compositions and their representation of life and death

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For more information, visit the IB Diploma Programme or IB Store.