IB Diploma Program

Academic, international
and interdisciplinary.

At the end of year 9, OBS students decide whether they would like to graduate from school with the Swiss Matura or the IB Diploma. If you are planning to study at a prestigious international university and want to be mobile in the future, there are good reasons to choose the International Baccalaureate. The IB is particularly diverse. The curriculum takes into account a certain breadth of content as well as the possibility of individual specialization.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) is an academically oriented curriculum. The program is designed to prepare students for life at university and beyond and to promote personal development. The IB DP is dedicated to the importance of global and intercultural perspectives in all aspects of learning.

At a glance

Globally standardized curriculum, internationally recognized degree
Contents: International cooperation, academic skills, personal development
Duration: Two years, plus Pre-IB year in year 10

Structure and content

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is an internationally recognized education that provides access to top universities around the world. It is aimed at students between the ages of 16 and 19. The curriculum consists of six subject groups and the DP “Core” activities:

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
Group 2: Foreign Language (Language Acquisition)
Group 3: Humanities and Social Sciences (Individuals and Societies)
Group 4: Natural Sciences (Sciences)
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: Fine Arts (The Arts)

The DP “Core” consists of the following contents:

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
The Extended Essay (EE)

The IB DP at the OBS

The IB DP at the OBS consists of a preparatory year (year 10) and two academic years (years 11 and 12). As part of our program, students have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects while gaining the knowledge and skills they need to study at university abroad or in Switzerland. OBS is an IB World School that is above the global average.

Requirements

As part of the IB DP, one course from each of the six subject areas must be taken, whereby the subject of art can be replaced by another subject from one of the other groups. In addition, students must complete the three core elements Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE) and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS).

Of the six subjects chosen, three must be taken at Higher Level (HL) and three subjects at Standard Level (SL). In general, the Higher Level subjects reflect the interests and specialization of the students and are covered in greater depth and breadth than the Standard Level subjects.

Our values

As part of the IB program, OBS students develop personal, social and academic skills that are closely linked to the values of our school. You can find more detailed information about our curriculum in our OBS IB DP Handbook. If you have any questions, please contact our IB DP Coordinator Louise Graf.

Critical thinking

We are determined, independent and collaborative when it comes to exploring new ideas and innovative strategies. We use our critical and creative thinking skills to analyze complex problems and act responsibly.

Balanced

We take care of our well-being and strive for a balance between the different aspects of our lives, focusing on developing good time management and organization skills.

Respectful interaction

We act with integrity and honesty. We show empathy, compassion and respect and value respectful interaction with one another.

Communication skills

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and through different media.

Objectivity

We seek and evaluate a range of viewpoints on issues and ideas that are of local and global importance. We cultivate an independent and collaborative approach to learning.

Reflection

We actively reflect on our actions and decisions that we make ourselves and together with others.