IB or international bachelorette is a pre-university course for students who want to pursue quality international education. The following course is also popularly known as a high school program provided by a few private schools in Singapore. Indeed, many students are pleased to pick a maximum of six topics that give them the independence of learning and choosing an exclusive career path accordingly. However, the actual task is to select a combination of subjects that suits the student’s interest, previous knowledge of the subject, and a student’s desired professional approach.
The unique programmes opted by many IB schools are shaped to allow students to flourish physically, intellectually and ethically. Marking that into consideration, we have shared a quick guide to the IB subject combination framework to solve all your lingering doubts in this blog!
A brief
Six topics make up the IB program. Students can choose one topic from each field of their first language, second language, Humanities, Science and Mathematics. In addition, students must select three disciplines to go to a higher level of study with more in-depth knowledge and particular preferences.
Core topics, on the other hand, such as the theory of knowledge (TOK), extended essay (EE), and creativity, action, and service (CAS), might be preferred as extracurriculars.
The subject combination
Initially, students can narrow down their subject choices by looking at the IB schools that provide topics of their interest and for topics that will unlock entrance doors to many university placements. IB students can choose from different subject groups with a minimum of six subjects corresponding to the group. Here’s a demonstration of the subjects offered within private schools in Singapore.
Group 1 – English Language and Literature
Group 2- A series of languages suiting different students’ needs, including French, Hindi etc., (Students can pick any second language they have a background with or a new language they wish to learn)
Group 3- Business and Management, Economics, History, Psychology.
Group 4- Physics, computer science, biology, design and tech etc
Group 5- Mathematics
Group 6- Visual arts and film standards
A student should choose subjects from the following group, which can further carry to a higher or standard level to initiate a deeper understanding of the subject.
The Core Subjects
In addition to the six disciplines, all IB students must complete three core elements: TOK, EE, and CAS. The following topics have been briefly covered below.
Theory of knowledge (TOK) encourages critical thinking in students and teaches them to develop exceptional expertise and understanding of the learning process. Students can apply the following expertise to the subjects and various disciplines of life.
The Extended Essay (EE) is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of a specific topic. It is included to increase their level of investigation, improve their writing skills and enhance their imagination.
Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) aims to develop students’ individual and interpersonal understanding by providing them with opportunities that enhance their self-determination through collaborations. Usually, tasks and other activities are provoked that help students improve their decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Which combination should I choose?
Ideally, students should choose subject combinations according to their interests and future pursuits. For instance, if students like to study science at university, they can prefer a natural pairing of biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics. Similarly, computer science or design technology may be beneficial to students who wish to pursue careers in the following disciplines in the future. A mix of English, literature, history and current language may be a solid foundation for those interested in the arts and social sciences.
Final note
The IB curriculum is a resource complete and flexible program that provides an advantage of helping students take their interests further. If you’re planning to pursue IB programmes in Singapore, start by researching the subjects you want to pursue corresponding to the IB schools offering the same.