The IB Diploma Program (DP)

The IBO’s Diploma Program was created in 1968 as a rigorous pre-university course of study that leads to examinations and meets the needs of highly motivated secondary school students aged 16 to 19. The IB Diploma has been designed as a comprehensive two-year curriculum that allows its graduates to fulfill requirements of various national education systems, due to is available in English, French and Spanish.

The main goal of this program is to establish a common curriculum and university entry credential for students moving from one country to another. Students should share an academic experience that would emphasize critical thinking, intercultural understanding and exposure to a variety of points of view.

The International School of Curacao offers the IB Diploma Program in Grades 11 & 12, encouraging our students to reach the highest academic standards.

Course Requirements
The IB Diploma candidate must take a total of six subjects, three of them to be taken at Higher Level (HL), and three at Standard Level (SL).
The six subjects are chosen from prescribed group lists which are known collectively as Language A, Language B, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics and Group 6 (The Arts, Information Technology or an additional language, social science or sciences).

Group 1 – Studies in language and literature  First Languages (for native or near-native speakers)

• English A: Literature

• Spanish A: Language and Literature

• Dutch A: Language and Literature

Group 2 – Language acquisition

• English B

• Spanish B

• French ab initio

Group3 – Individuals and Societies

• History

• Business Management

• Enviromental Systems and Societies

Group 4 – Sciences

• Biology

• Chemistry

• Physics

• Enviromental Systems and Societies

Group 5 – Mathematics

• IB DP Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (HL/SL)

• IB DP Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches(HL/SL)

Group 6 – Arts and Electives

• Visual Arts

Pamoja online IB DP courses NOT offered at ISC

• Pamoja online IBDP courses

The Core of the Diploma Programme:
All Diploma Programme students participate in the three elements of the IB Diploma Programme core.

• The theory of knowledge (TOK) course encourages students to think about the nature of knowledge, to reflect on the process of learning in all their subjects, and to see and understand the connections between them.

• The extended essay, (EE) a substantial piece of academic writing of up to 4,000 words, enables students to investigate a topic of special interest that they have chosen themselves; this encourages the development of independent research skills expected at university.

• CAS is organized around the three strands of creativity, activity and service. Students develop skills, attitudes and dispositions through an individual CAS project and group experiences that provide students with opportunities to explore their interests and express their passions, personalities and perspectives.