International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), founded in 1968, is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that works with nearly 4,000 schools to develop and offer four challenging programs in 146 countries to over a million students.

Wherever possible, the subjects are approached from an international perspective. The IBO promotes intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21^st century.  Teachers, counselors and administrators have been trained in the curriculum and assessment procedures of IB, and professional development related to IB is ongoing.  All DP courses are reviewed on a seven-year teaching cycle to ensure that each is fit for purpose in a changing world and incorporates the experience of IB schools and the latest educational research.

The IB diploma has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities. Many schools take IB participation into account in evaluation of applicants, and most give credit for successful completion of the diploma, or individual IB exams.

Students pursuing the IB diploma at NPHS fulfill all State of California education requirements and can graduate with a diploma from NPHS and one from IB.  Ninth- and tenth-grade students who wish to participate in the diploma program follow an “IB Pathway” of courses in preparation for the rigorous junior and senior years.

All academic courses in the IB Program are rigorously tested. Responsibility for academic judgments about the quality of candidates’ work rests with 15,000 DP examiners worldwide, led by chief examiners with international authority in their fields adhering to uniform standards set by the IB.

Each student completes internal assignments: essays, recorded orals, presentations, portfolios, or lab work done within the curriculum.  These Internal Assessments are scored by our IB teachers against specific rubrics and scores are submitted to IB.  Samples of the student work, selected randomly, are rescored by an examiner assigned by IB in order to maintain standardized application of the rubric.  Students complete the process with examinations during May of their junior and senior years, scored by external examiners. The final grade combines Internal Assessment and May exam scores.

Higher Level test scores of 5 or higher on a 7 point scale currently receive 8 quarter units of credit in the UC system and similar credit at the other colleges and universities, whether the student is a full diploma candidate or a student taking an individual IB course. A student who earns a 30-point or better IB Diploma will receive 30 quarter units in the UC system.  For more information, visit www.ibo.org.

Approximately 500 juniors and seniors at NPHS are currently enrolled in one or more IB courses.  However, many students choose to work toward the IB diploma, which requires them to take and test in DP (Diploma Program) courses across six disciplines and to complete additional core requirements.

• Successfully complete one course and exam from each of the 6 IB subject groups. Most require two years of instruction during the 11^th and 12^th grade. Three or four of the courses are taken at a Higher Level (HL) as defined by IB, and the others are taken at a Standard Level (SL).
• Complete Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a class which challenges students to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge, and to consider the role which knowledge plays in a global society.
• Prepare and submit a research paper in a student-chosen subject (4000-word Extended Essay).
• Complete a CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) program. This program requires students to perform and reflect on outside activities that are done for both service and personal enrichment. The specific activities will be different for each individual, depending on their unique skills, interests and goals. 

For more information about IB, visit www.ibo.org.
For California-specific information, visit
www.c-ibo.org.

For more information about the NPHS IB Diploma Program, contact Debbie Doğançay, IB Coordinator.

Students apply for IB Diploma Candidacy in the spring of 10th grade.  Students need not apply to take individual IB classes, assuming they have the appropriate prerequisite coursework.  However, students interested in working toward a diploma from the International Baccalaureate Organization should take a look at the information here to see if they qualify.  If eligible, there are many benefits for students who earn this highly-respected, internationally-recognized diploma, while also working toward a traditional high school diploma.

• Video – General Information about IB at NP
  • Link to Presentation slides
• Video – Focus on IB at NP (by former student, Dhirar Guarav, Class of 2019)
• Video – The IB Diploma Programme (from IBO)

• Video – IB Course Pathways
  • Pathway Presentation slides

If you are interested in applying for IB Diploma Candidacy,

• See Ms. Dogancay in Room E-1 to get a blue IB registration form and create your 2-year course plan.
• Discuss the course plan with your parents and have them sign the IB Course Registration Form/ Application for Diploma Candidacy 
• Submit your application form to Ms. Dogancay by email or in person in room E-1 before you register with your counselor.

• Slides from CAS Orientation: Intro to CAS (for Full IB students)
• Flyer: CAS FAQs, Requirements & Timeline
• Flyer: CAS Ideas that work (even during a global pandemic)

• What is the DP?