International Baccalaureate
The IB develops inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through education that builds intercultural understanding and respect.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) goes beyond just offering educational programmes and certificates. At its core, the IB is driven by a mission to improve the world through education.
They value their hard-earned reputation for quality, for high standards and for pedagogical leadership. They achieve their goals by working with partners and by actively involving our stakeholders, particularly teachers.
They promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.
All of this is captured in their mission statement:
The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging program of international education and rigorous assessment.
These program encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
https://ibo.org/about-the-ib/mission
IB Diploma Program
The program aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge—students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
Organization
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program is a rigorous two-year pre-university course for motivated students aged 16-19. Established in 1968, it has gained a reputation for its rigorous assessments, which help IB diploma holders gain entry to top universities worldwide. The program aims to enhance students’ educational mobility and foster international understanding.
Objectives
The goal of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is to instill values and provide opportunities that help students develop critical thinking, make informed decisions, and respect others within the global community. The Diploma Program equips students with the skills and attitudes necessary for success in higher education and future careers.
Acceptance to the IBDP
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) is a two-year international curriculum for students in Grades 11-12 (ages 16-19), designed to meet university entrance requirements. It is available to students with Lebanese nationality and those with dual nationality. Lebanese students must meet specific conditions set by the Ministry of Education to secure the equivalency of the IB Diploma with the Lebanese Baccalaureate.
Students can either pursue the full IB Diploma or earn certificates for individual courses. When selecting IB subjects and levels, students should consider their academic strengths, interests, and future educational goals. Proficiency in English is essential, as all instruction, except for language courses, is conducted in English.
The IB Diploma
To gain the full IB diploma a student must satisfy the following:
- Take one subject from each of the six diploma subject groups – three courses must be at High Level (HL) and three courses must be at Standard Level (SL)
- Complete the three core requirements that are:
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course and required paper and oral presentation
- Complete and submit a senior research essay called the Extended Essay
- Complete and document activities for Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)
- Obtain a total number of points of 24 points or above to be awarded the diploma. Each examined subject is graded on the IB scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). The highest possible score is 45. A maximum of 7 points is available for each subject taken, with an additional 3 points available for the Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK).
- Have no failing conditions.
DP subject groups
RHHS offers the below subjects at both levels (HL and SL) to meet the students’ needs and provide the prerequisites for the majors that our students pursue at their universities.
| CORE REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Theory of knowledge (TOK) | students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know | |
| The extended essay (EE) | an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. | |
| Creativity, activity, service (CAS) | students complete a project related to those three concepts. | |
| Subject groups | ||
| GROUP 1 | Studies in Language and Literature | English A Language and Literature |
| GROUP 2: | Language Acquisition | Arabic B |
| GROUP 3: | Individuals and Societies | Psychology |
| GROUP 4: | Sciences | Biology Physics Chemistry |
| GROUP 5: | Mathematics | Mathematics AA |
EXAMS
All students are required to take exams in every subject and they are conducted simultaneously across the northern hemisphere in May.
Internal Assessment:
Each subject includes a variety of examinations as well as an independent internal assessment component (IA) that can include oral examinations, portfolios, laboratory work, and real-world investigations. The IAs are assessed in school but are moderated externally by IB Examiners.
External Assessment:
The examination for each session takes place over a period of approximately three weeks in DP2 in May.
The examinations are administered by the school but are set and marked by external IB examiners.
For more information:
- Visit the IB website at www.ibo.org
- Contact IBDP coordinator at dima.osman@rhhs.edu.lb
Resources
Link to RHHS:
IBDP brochure
IBDP EE student guide
IBDP CAS guide
IBDP graphic calculator