The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) is for high school juniors and seniors.
The IB DP is a two-year program and is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious and challenging pre-university courses, being accepted in 3,300 universities in 90 countries.
With a focus on developing the whole student, the IB DP is not only rigorous academically, but is also designed to foster a self awareness in young adults who will become global minded citizens.
WHAT IS THE IB CORE?
All Diploma Program students participate in the three requirements that comprise the core of the program: Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) Extended Essay (EE)
Reflection throughout all of these activities is a principle that lies at the heart of the Diploma Program.
The IB philosophy of developing the whole person is best achieved by identifying and developing clearer and more explicit aims for and relationships between TOK, CAS and the extended essay.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
Extended Essay (EE)
TOK is a course about critical thinking and inquiring into the process of knowing, rather than learning about a specific body of knowledge.
The TOK course examines how we know what we claim to know. It does this by encouraging students to analyze knowledge claims and explore knowledge questions.
CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning. The three strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:
Creativity: arts, and other experiences involving creative thinking
Activity: Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
Service: An unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student
The extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of approved Diploma Program Subjects – normally one of the student’s six chosen subjects for the IB Diploma. It is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.
All of our 9th and 10th grade pre-IB students will take a combination of pre-IB, Advanced Placement (AP), honors/college preparatory, and general education courses (namely, those required for graduation: Career Prep, Health, and Beginning Kinesiology).
All of our 11th and 12th grade Diploma candidates will take IB courses, as well as Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors level courses.
9th Grade:
* Pre-IB English 9 * AP World History * Geometry Honors * Biology Honors * Foreign Language 1 & 2 Honors
We also schedule all 9th grade students in the following courses required for graduation: * Career Preparation (Career Prep A/B for EPIC students) * Beginning Kinesiology
10th Grade:
* Pre-IB English 10 * AP United States History * Algebra 2 with Statistics Honors * Chemistry CP * Foreign Language 3 * Health (graduation requirement)
11th Grade:
* IB English A: Literature * IB History of the Americas * Pre-Calculus Honors * IB Biology OR IB Chemistry * IB Foreign Language (German, French, OR Spanish) * IB Art (Music, Dance, OR Film)
12th Grade:
* IB English A: Literature * IB History of the Americas * IB Mathematics: Applications OR Analysis * IB Biology OR IB Chemistry
Can a student at DHS be in IB, EPIC, and take AP classes?
YES! In fact, 100% of our IB class of 2021 took 3 or more AP classes, and the majority of these students also participated in EPIC.
In addition to the required coursework required for the IB Diploma Program, students may choose to supplement their schedule with AP elective courses. Often, these AP courses are a part of one of the EPIC pathways (biomedical, computer science, or engineering).
