The Group 3: Individuals and societies subjects of the IB Diploma Programme consist of ten courses offered at both the Standard level (SL) and Higher level (HL): Business Management, Economics, Geography, Global Politics, History, Information technology in a global society (ITGS), Philosophy, Psychology, Social and cultural anthropology, and World religions (SL only). There is also a transdisciplinary course, Environmental systems and societies (SL only), that satisfies Diploma requirements for Groups 3 and 4.
History
History is the process of recording, reconstructing and interpreting the past through investigation of sources. IB DP History teaches candidates to interpret and critically evaluate these sources and allows them to understand and appreciate the culture and context of those living in other periods of time.
SL/HL core
All candidates must study one prescribed subject and two topics for 150 hours.
Prescribed subjects (40 hours)
The Paper 1 Prescribed subjects are two case studies and lead to the source-based Paper 1 examination. Military Leaders Conquest and its impact The move to global war Rights and Protest Conflict and Intervention
World History Topics (90 hours)
All candidates must study two World history topics (45 hours each)
Topics
Society and economy (750-1400) Causes and effects of medieval wars (750-1500) Dynasties and rulers (750-1500) Societies in transition (1400-1700) Early Modern states (1450-1789) Causes and effects of Early Modern Wars (1500-1750) Origins, development, and impact of industrialization (1750-2005) Independence movements (1800-2000) Evolution and development of democratic states (1848-2000) Authoritarian States (20th Century) Causes and effects of 20th Century wars The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th Century)
HL options (90 hours) HL candidates must study one option from the following for 90 hours. Each option has twelve sections. Candidates must study three sections.
History of Africa and the Middle East
History of the Americas
History of Asia and Oceania
History of Europe
The remaining 20 hours for both SL and HL candidates comes from the internal assessment component, making a total of 150 teaching hours for SL and 240 hours for HL.
Assessment
There are three assessment components at SL and four at HL.
External assessment
Paper 1 (25 marks weighed at 30% for SL and 20% for HL, 1 hour) - Candidates answer four structured, short-answer questions on the prescribed subject studied. This paper is common to both SL and HL. Paper 2 (30 marks weighed at 45% for SL and 25% for HL, 1 hour 30 minutes) - Candidates must answer two extended response questions, one on each topic studied. Each topic has a selection of 6 questions. This paper is common to both SL and HL. Paper 3 (HL only: 45 marks weighed at 35% of the course, 2 hours 15 minutes) - Candidates must answer three extended response questions. There are two questions set for each section. Each option has a separate examination paper.
External assessment accounts for 75% of the course grade at SL and 80% at HL.
Internal assessment
Historical investigation (25 marks weighed at 25% for SL and 20% for HL, 20 hours) - Candidates research and write a historical investigation of 1500 to 2000 words. The topic can be freely chosen from any part of the syllabus. The investigation is internally marked and externally assessed by the International Baccalaureate.
Internal assessment accounts for the remaining 25% of the course grade at SL and 20% at HL.
Economics SL & HL
The syllabus of the Economics course is divided into four sections – microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics, and development economics – all of which receive approximately equal weight. All sections must be studied by all candidates, and questions of all will be posed in examinations. The Diploma programme Economics course is noted for focusing more on development than any other economics course at a pre-university level, and this is all part of the IB programmes' international perspective.