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Upper St. Clair School District

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What Is DP?

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a comprehensive and challenging, two-year curriculum, designed for highly motivated students aged 16 to 19.   In U.S. high schools, students typically participate in the IB Diploma program in their junior and senior years.  The IB Diploma Program is currently offered in 952 U.S. high schools.  
 
The IB Diploma Program prepares students to meet the demands of university study by encouraging them to
  • ask challenging questions.
  • learn how to learn.
  • develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture.
  • develop the ability to communicate with, and understand, people from other countries and cultures. 
Beyond completing rigorous course work, full IB Diploma students are also required to participate in community service, individual research and an inquiry into the nature of knowledge.   The program strives to prepare students to become fully engaged citizens who embrace their own culture, are open and responsive to other cultures, and will be prepared to live and work in a global economy.
 
Students who successfully complete the full IB Diploma Program are awarded the IB Diploma, an achievement that is widely recognized by the world's leading universities.  However, students may also choose individual IB classes.   Both of these options are available to Upper St. Clair High School students, and each is described in more detail below.
 

OPTION A: THE FULL DIPLOMA PROGRAM

Curriculum Requirements:

  • Participate in, and complete both internal and external assessments for six IB courses: 3 higher level courses  (or 4 maximum), 3 standard level courses (or 2 minimum). (These 6 courses must be chosen from each of the 6 subject groups.)
  • Complete the Theory of Knowledge course
  • Submit a 4,000-word Extended Essay: an in-depth study of a limited topic of the student’s choice
  • Complete the requirements for the Creativity, Activity, Service component of the program  approximately: 150 hours over 2 years

Assessment Requirements and Awarding of the IB Diploma:

  • Take examinations in all IB classes (except for Theory of Knowledge)
  • Complete satisfactorily the IB internal assessments for all IB classes
  • Achieve a sufficient point total to be eligible for the IB Diploma

 OPTION B: INDIVIDUAL SUBJECT CERTIFICATES

Students who wish to take IB courses, but do not wish to pursue the IB Diploma, may do so. All students taking IB classes are required to complete all internal and external assessments and take the IB exams for those classes. The International Baccalaureate Organization awards certificates to students who achieve sufficient point totals on the assessments and exams. All IB courses are listed in the USCHS Program of Studies guide (available on the USCHS Counseling Department's webpages). Note particularly the prerequisites listed for those classes.