About Diploma Programme
La Salle Beit Hanina is a Candidate School* for the DPprogramme . This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that La Salle Beit Hanina believes is important for our students.
*Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme, or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.
For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit www.ibo.org
What is the Diploma Programme?
The DP is internationally recognized as representing one of the highest standards in university preparatory education. More than 1,000 colleges and universities in North America have recognition policies on how they weigh it in admissions, advanced standing, college credit and scholarships.
What kind of student is a good candidate for the DP?
The DP is a rigorous course of study for motivated students. That said, prior academic success is less an indicator of ability to earn the diploma than are a student’s determination to do his or her best, willingness to be organised in order to complete the work while leading a full, balanced life, and a strong commitment to learning in and beyond the classroom.
Admired by the finest colleges and universities
IB courses are recognised by the finest colleges and universities in the world. In the United States alone IB students are 21.4% more likely to be admitted into 10 of the country's most prestigious universities including Harvard and Yale in the USA and Cambridge and Oxford in the UK.
Find out more about the universities that our students go on to.
How do colleges and universities view the Diploma Programme?
A Global Passport
The DP is internationally recognized as representing one of the highest standards in university preparatory education. More than 1,000 colleges and universities in North America have recognition policies on how they weigh it in admissions, advanced standing, college credit and scholarships.
DP at La Salle Beit Hanina
Diploma Programme students will study six subjects (three at standard level and three at higher level) over two years and complete three additional requirements: the theory of knowledge (TOK), the extended essay and at least 150 hours of CAS (creativity, activity and service tasks outside of the classroom). In addition to these requirements, students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 points on the final assessments which are externally marked and moderated by the IB, in order to receive an IB diploma.
Do DP students have time for anything beyond academics?
Absolutely. Most successful Diploma Programme students lead very full lives. They are often members of athletic teams and involved in a wide range of activities. Time management and organisation are key skills the IB develops in students.
How does the IB Diploma Programme differ from other university-preparatory programmes such as Advanced Placement and Cambridge?
The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year comprehensive curriculum with a culminating set of externally graded final exams. IB, Advanced Placement (AP) and other college-preparatory curriculums like Cambridge are all university preparatory, academically rigorous programmes. There are important differences, however, in the content and exams. The DP is a cohesive and comprehensive programme, not a collection of individual courses as is the case with Advanced Placement. The most important distinguishing factor is the core of the Diploma Programme (CAS, TOK and extended essay).
DP at La Salle Beit Hanina
Diploma Programme students study six subjects (three at standard level and three at higher level) over two years and complete three additional requirements: the theory of knowledge (TOK), the extended essay and at least 150 hours of CAS (creativity, activity and service tasks outside of the classroom). In addition to these requirements, students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 points on the final assessments which are externally marked and moderated by the IB, in order to receive an IB diploma.
GROUP 1 Language and Literature
Arabic A Language & Literature SL/HL
GROUP 2 Language Acquisition/Second Language
English B SL/HL
Group 3 Individuals and Societies
ITGS SL/HL
Group 4 Sciences
Biology SL/HL
Chemistry SL/HL
Physics SL/HL
Group 5 Mathematics
Math Analysis HL/SL
Math Studies SL
TOK / CAS / Extended Essay
Creativity, activity, service
Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is one of the three essential elements that every student must complete as part of the Diploma Programme (DP).
Studied throughout the Diploma Programme, CAS involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies.
It is not formally assessed. However, students reflect on their CAS experiences as part of the DP, and provide evidence of achieving the seven learning outcomes for CAS.
Educators at IB World Schools can read about the seven learning outcomes in the CAS guide, which is available in the IB store and the Programme Resource Centre (PRC).
How is CAS structured?
The three strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:
-
Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.
-
Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the DP.
-
Service – an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected.
In order to demonstrate these concepts, students are required to undertake a CAS project. The project challenges students to:
-
show initiative
-
demonstrate perseverance
-
develop skills such as collaboration, problem solving and decision making.
What is the significance of CAS?
CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience.
It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work.
At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.
IB guidance on CAS
A good CAS programme should be both challenging and enjoyable – a personal journey of self‑discovery.
Each student has a different starting point, and therefore different goals and needs, but for many their CAS activities include experiences that are profound and life‑changing.
CAS is a component of the DP core.
Learn more about CAS in a DP workshop for teachers.
Hear from our DP community
Extended essay
The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.
One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students.
Read about the extended essay in greater detail.
You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for the extended essay, find examples of extended essay titles from previous DP students and learn about the world studies extended essay.
Learn more about the extended essay in a DP workshop for teachers.
Theory of knowledge
Theory of knowledge (TOK) is assessed through an oral presentation and a 1,600 word essay.
It asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.
TOK is part of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, and is mandatory for all students.
Learn more about theory of knowledge. You can also find examples of TOK essay titles and read about how the IB sets deadlines for TOK.
You may also be interested in the other components of the DP core: creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.
Learn more about TOK in a DP workshop for teachers.
What is TOK?
Theory of knowledge (TOK) plays a special role in the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP), by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.
It is one of the components of the DP core and is mandatory for all students. The TOK requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the DP.
How is TOK structured?
As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, TOK is composed almost entirely of questions.
The most central of these is "How do we know?", while other questions include:
-
What counts as evidence for X?
-
How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
-
What does theory Z mean in the real world?
Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as developing an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.
Assessment of TOK
The TOK course is assessed through an oral presentation and a 1,600 word essay.
The presentation assesses the ability of the student to apply TOK thinking to a real-life situation, while the essay takes a more conceptual starting point.
For example, the essay may ask students to discuss the claim that the methodologies used to produce knowledge depend on the use to which that knowledge will be used.
What is the significance of TOK?
TOK aims to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases – whether these biases are retained, revised or rejected.
It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to:
-
reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge
-
consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world.
In addition, TOK prompts students to:
-
be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge
-
recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.
TOK also provides coherence for the student, by linking academic subject areas as well as transcending them.
It therefore demonstrates the ways in which the student can apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility.
Extended Essay
What is the extended essay
The extended essay is a required component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP).
It is an independent piece of research, culminating with a 4,000-word paper.
What is the significance of the extended essay?
The extended essay provides:
-
practical preparation for undergraduate research
-
an opportunity for students to investigate a topic of personal interest to them, which relates to one of the student's six DP subjects, or takes the interdisciplinary approach of a World Studies extended essay.
Through the research process for the extended essay, students develop skills in:
-
formulating an appropriate research question
-
engaging in a personal exploration of the topic
-
communicating ideas
-
developing an argument.
Participation in this process develops the capacity to analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge.
An extended essay can also be undertaken in world studies, where students carry out an in-depth interdisciplinary study of an issue of contemporary global significance, across two IB diploma disciplines.
How is study of the extended essay structured?
Students are supported throughout the process of researching and writing the extended essay, with advice and guidance from a supervisor who is usually a teacher at the school.
Students are required to have three mandatory reflection sessions with their supervisors. The final session, a concluding interview, is also known as viva voce.
The extended essay and reflection sessions can be a valuable stimulus for discussion in countries where interviews are required prior to acceptance for employment or for a place at university.
How is the extended essay assessed?
All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. They are marked on a scale from 0 to 34.
The score a student receives relates to a band. The bands are:
-
A – work of an excellent standard.
-
B – work of a good standard.
-
C –work of a satisfactory standard.
-
D – work of a mediocre standard.
-
E – work of an elementary standard.
Find out how points awarded for the extended essay contribute to a student’s overall diploma score.