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“The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of their planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.”
The International Baccalaureate (IB), a non-profit educational foundation based in Switzerland, offers the Diploma Programme for students in the final two years of secondary school. The educational philosophy of the Organisation is found in its mission statement and states that:
The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end, the IB works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
As a membership organisation, the IB provides curriculum and assessment development, teacher training and information seminars, electronic networking and other educational services to many schools around the world. |
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BG/BRG Klosterneuburg in Lower Austria has been serving the local community for more than 100 years. We offer an academic, well-rounded general education which fulfills the requirements of the Austrian national curriculum and leads to the Austrian school-leaving certificate (AHS-Matura).
As an IB World School, we signal a further development in our philosophy i.e. to prepare future generations for their role in an evermore integrated and international world. BG/BRG Klosterneuburg welcomes the unparalleled opportunity that the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme provides to educate compassionate, global citizens. |
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The IB Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. It leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities.
Students learn more than a collection of facts. The Diploma Programme prepares students ideally for university and encourages them to:
- develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.
The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. This is illustrated by a hexagon with the three parts of the core at its centre:
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is fully recognised in Austria.
IB Diploma holders gain admission to colleges and universities throughout the world. These include well known European and American institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Yale, prestigious universities in Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region, and more recently established centres in developing parts of the world. Formal agreements exist between the IB and many ministries of education and private institutions. Some colleges and universities may offer advanced standing or course credit to students with strong IBDP examination results.
The Organisation publishes and regularly updates guides to university recognition in each of its geographic regions.
BG/BRG Klosterneuburg offers a dedicated university counselling service which guides and assists pupils in their applications to colleges and universities in the UK and USA.
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The following courses are offered as part of the International Baccalaureate Programme at BG/BRG Klosterneuburg.
Group 1: Mother tongue
German, school-supported English A (self taught)
Group 2: Foreign language
English, French, Spanish
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
History, Economics, Psychology, World Religions
Group 4: Experimental Sciences
Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Group 5: Mathematics
Maths (standard level), Maths (higher level), Computer Science
Group 6: Arts
Visual Arts, Film
Diploma candidates are required to select one subject from each of the six subject groups. Three courses are taken at higher level (HL), three courses are taken at standard level (SL). However, instead of a Group 6 subject (Arts), a candidate may select any additional subject from groups 2 to 4, or computer science from group 5.
HL courses represent a recommended 240 teaching hours over the two-year diploma programme, SL courses 150 hours.
The IB pattern is a deliberate compromise between the early specialisation preferred in some national systems and the greater breadth found in others. In each area of the curriculum, care is taken to foster active citizenship and global perspectives. Distribution requirements ensure that the science-oriented student is challenged to study modern languages and that the natural linguist becomes familiar with laboratory procedures.
For a detailed description of the individual courses offered please see the IB Course Guide (PDF).
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The IB programme offers three special features in addition to the traditional strengths of a broad liberal arts curriculum. These elements are referred to as diploma requirements since every diploma candidate is required to participate.
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) provides coherence to the programme. It is a course of study unique to the International Baccalaureate and mandatory for every diploma candidate. At least 100 hours of teaching time spanning the programme’s two years are recommended for TOK. The origins of Theory of Knowledge lie in a fusion of two divergent educational traditions, one pragmatic and the other placing prime importance on the teaching of philosophy. Within TOK, candidates are encouraged to reflect on all aspects of their work throughout the IBDP.
The Extended Essay (EE)
IBDP candidates are required to undertake original research and write an extended essay of about 4000 words. This aspect of the programme offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest and to become acquainted with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected at the university level. A total of about 40 hours of private study and writing time is recommended. A student may choose to write on a topic in one of the subjects available in the IB diploma curriculum.
An extended essay in a subject from groups 1 or 2 (first or second language) may be written either as a language essay or as a literature essay. A focus on language enables the student to develop knowledge of the structure and form of the language studied and an understanding of the culture in which it is spoken. The essay might explore an issue related to a particular society and help the writer gain insight into how users of the language think and behave. Extended essays in literature allow candidates to develop personal criticism of a literary text or to study a literary topic in depth. Some students elect to do comparative studies between works written in a foreign language and the literature of their own countries or regions.
Extended essays submitted in the other four academic areas of the curriculum must be registered in one of the official subjects of the IBDP. Selection of the extended essay subject gives students the chance to deepen their programme of study, for example by researching and writing on a topic in one of their higher level courses. On the other hand, candidates may add to the breadth of their academic experience by electing to write in a subject not included in their diploma choices. Interdisciplinary themes are not accepted for the extended essay.
Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)
Creativity, action, service is known by its acronym CAS and is a fundamental part of the diploma experience. The CAS requirements emphasise the importance of life outside the world of scholarship, providing a counterbalance to the academic self-absorption some may feel within a demanding school environment. The IBDP goal of educating the whole person and fostering a more active citizenry comes alive in an immediate way when students reach beyond themselves and their books.
CAS involves three essential elements. Creativity is interpreted broadly to include a wide range of arts activities, as well as the creativity students demonstrate in designing and implementing service projects. Action can include not only participation in individual and team sports, but also taking part in expeditions and local and international projects. Service encompasses a host of community and social service activities. Some examples include helping children with special needs, visiting hospitals and working with refugees or homeless people.
Provision of a varied menu of activities for all diploma candidates is the responsibility of a CAS supervisor. Students are expected to be involved in CAS activities of 150 hours in total over the two years of the IBDP. |
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