The International Baccalaureate Program at Bahrain School

The IB Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year curriculum that is internationally recognized by leading universities. Candidates for the IB Diploma study six subjects. Typically, students study three subjects at the higher level and three subjects at the standard level and are assessed in these subjects both internally and externally at the end of the two- year program. In addition, IB Diploma students must complete requirements for the core of the program which include the extended essay, the theory of knowledge (TOK) and the creativity, action and service (CAS) components. 

Bahrain School has been an IB World School since 1982. 

IB Courses currently offered at Bahrain School are:

Group 1: English Literature

Group 2: French, Spanish, Arabic and German

Group 3: Economics, European History, ITGS (SL only), Psychology

Group 4: Physics, Biology, Chemistry

Group 5: Mathematics HL, Mathematics SL, Math Studies

Group 6: Visual Arts, Theatre Arts (SL only)

All subjects are available at both Higher and Standard Levels unless specified as above.

Other subjects currently under consideration: Business Studies, Computer Studies, Film, Environmental Systems and Societies

Please note that the first year of several of our IB Higher Level courses are indicated on the schedule as AP courses such as AP Calculus and AP Microeconomics.  This is because in some subjects there is enough congruence between the IB and AP curricula for teachers to be able to prepare students adequately to take the AP test at the end of the first year of study and then to continue with the remainder of the IB syllabus in the second year.

Both AP and IB tests are provided at no cost to students enrolled in the courses.

CAS (Creativity, Action Service) IBO requires IB Diploma students to complete 150 hours in activities outside the classroom that demonstrate creativity (such as music or drama), action (such as team or individual sports) and service to the school and local community.  The CAS Coordinator assists and advises students in the successful completion of the 150 hours and eight learning outcomes required by IBO.  IB Diploma students are provided a CAS booklet and enrolled in Managebac to keep records of their CAS activities and reflections. IB diploma students must complete the CAS requirement in order to earn their IB Diplomas. Link to: CAS Aims and Learning Outcomes (PDF)

Extended Essay:  IB teachers at Bahrain School are willing to supervise and assist students in the completion of the major research project (4000 words) which is completed in the second year of their two year program.

TOK (Theory of Knowledge): IB students attend TOK classes during the second semester of their junior year and the first semester of their senior year in preparation for the internally assessed oral presentation and the externally assessed 1600 word essay on one of the IB prescribed TOK topics. 

Enrolling in the IB Diploma or Certificate Subjects: While we do not apply “gate-keeping” at the Bahrain School, we do advise that a student attempting to earn an IB diploma should have demonstrated academic success in grades nine and ten.  The IB Program is not an elitist program.  It does, however, require tremendous commitment and time management.  Certificate students, students earning American diplomas, who enroll in some IB courses, are expected to meet the requirements of the individual IB courses in which they are enrolled.  Generally, certificate students elect to enroll in IB courses because they have an aptitude for or an interest in the course content and want the challenge of college level work.

IB Diploma: Students who elect to earn the IB Diploma must enroll in at least three but not more than four higher level subjects and three standard level subjects (two standard level subjects if four higher level subjects are taken).  In order to receive the IB Diploma, a student must have a cumulative score of 24 out of a possible perfect score of 45. Students receive a final score (from 1-7) for each of their six IB courses.  In order to earn the diploma, students may not receive a score less than 3 in a higher level course. Generally, a student needs to earn a minimum of 12 points in his/her higher level courses in order to earn the diploma. In addition, the student must earn a passing letter grade for the Theory of Knowledge course work which consists of an oral presentation and an externally graded essay on one of the TOK topics. The IB Diploma student must also earn a passing letter grade on his 4000 word Extended Essay, a research paper on a topic of the student’s choosing, which is also externally evaluated. Finally, an IB Diploma student must complete, document, and reflect upon the 150 hours of Creativity, Action and Service completed over the two year program.

IB Certificate:  An IB certificate is issued to all students who complete one or more IB courses.  The certificate, officially stamped by IBO, lists the courses and marks for all IB subjects taken.  Higher level subject scores of five or better usually exempt students from similar freshman level university course work.  Some colleges and universities also award credit for standard level course work. Recently, some successful IB certificate students have been awarded admission to university honors programs. American Diploma students who complete IB courses as certificate students have engaged in academic rigor.

IB Exams:  IB Exams are conducted in May of the student’s graduating year. There is also a November session to accommodate schools in the Southern Hemisphere. Exams consist of a series of tests or papers administered over a three-week period.  Depending upon the course, exams constitute 50 to 80 per cent of the student’s total score in individual courses.  In addition to the examinations, each course has an internally assessed, externally moderated component, completed in March of the senior year, that contributes 20 to 50 per cent to the over-all grade. All internal assessment is subject relevant and externally moderated.

Dual Diploma:  Some Bahrain School students attempt to complete the requirements for both the IB Diploma and the American High School Diploma.  Since the DoDEA American High School Diploma requirements have been increased to twenty-six credits, it has become much more challenging for students to find the time available to earn both diplomas.  Pre-planning with the counselors before grades nine and ten is essential for any student considering dual diplomas.

The Bahrain School IB Program recognizes the characteristics of the IB Learner Profile in our students and seeks to develop these characteristics throughout the program. Link to: IB Learner Profile (PDF).

More information about the IB Program can be found at http://www.ibo.org.

The IB Coordinator can be contacted at:

Phone: (973)17-727828 or (973)17-719826

Fax: (973)17-725714 or (973)17-826796

Email: linda.berger@eu.dodea.edu