The International Baccalaureate is a comprehensive, rigorous two-year college preparatory curriculum that leads either to the IB Diploma or separate subject certificates. It is a broad-based two-year course that encourages students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate.
There is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding and critical thinking. Ultimately, the IB Diploma Program leads to a qualification that is widely recognized and respected by the world’s leading universities. Please review our High School Profile
ASB has been offering the IB since 1998, and our experience in delivering the program is reflected in the outstanding results our students receive each year.
IBO Mission Statement
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 IBO works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
IB Diploma Groups
The IB Diploma is made up of the Diploma Core and six subject groups.
The three core elements are:
- Theory of Knowledge – where students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.
- Extended Essay – an independent, self-directed research paper.
- Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) – students complete a project related to those three concepts.
The six subject groups and ASB’s choices are:
- Language/Literature – English
- Language Acquisition - Spanish, French or Self-Taught Language
- Individuals and Societies - History, Psychology or Economics
- Sciences – Chemistry, Physics, Biology or Sports, Exercise & Health Science
- Mathematics – Analytics & Approaches or Applications & Interpretation
- The Arts - Visual Arts, Theatre or Music
The IB Learner Profile
The IB Learner Profile IB programs aim to develop internationally-minded people who recognize our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet and help to create a better, more peaceful world.
As IB learners we strive to be:
- Inquirers
We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.
- Knowledgeable
We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.
- Thinkers
We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned ethical decisions.
- Communicators
We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.
- Principled
We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.
- Open-Minded
We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.
- Caring
We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.
- Risk-Takers
We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.
- Balanced
We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives–intellectual, physical, and emotional–to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.
- Reflective
We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.
