18/08/2025
Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is for students aged 16-19.
What is the DP?
Research suggests that there are many benefits to choosing the Diploma Programme (DP). The programme aims to develop students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge—students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
The DP curriculum
The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.
Through the Diploma Programme (DP) core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge, complete independent research and undertake a project that often involves community service.
What the DP offers students
Through the DP, schools are able to develop students who:
*have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge
*flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
*study at least two languages
*excel in traditional academic subjects
*explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique
Why offer the DP?
International research shows that there are many benefits to choosing the DP over other 16-19 curriculums. For example:
*DP students enrol, persist and graduate at higher rates than the national average in a study about postsecondary outcomes of DP graduates in the United States.
*IB students studying at higher education institutions in the United Kingdom have greater odds of achieving positive higher education outcomes than their A-level peers, according to a study comparing student performance
*On average, DP alumni reported higher capacities for a variety of 21st-century skills compared to their non-DP counterparts according to a study in Asia-Pacific.
DP subjects
The curriculum is made up of the DP core and six subject groups. Made up of the three required components, the DP core aims to broaden students’ educational experience and challenge them to apply their knowledge and skills.
Learn more about each of the subject groups below. On each subject page, you’ll find the relevant DP subject brief.
*Studies in language and literature
-Language A: literature
-Language A: language and literature
-Literature and performance
*Language acquisition
-Classical languages
-Language Ab initio
-Language B
*Individuals and societies
-Business management
-Digital society
-Economics
-Geography
-Global politics
-History
-Philosophy
-Psychology
-Social and cultural anthropology
-World religions
*Sciences
-Biology
-Chemistry
-Computer science
-Design technology
-Environmental systems and societies*
-Physics
-Sports, exercise and health science
*Mathematics
-Analysis and approaches
-Applications and interpretation
*Arts
-Dance
-Film
-Music
-Theatre
-Visual arts
*DP core
-Creativity, activity, service. (CAS)
-The extended essay. (EE)
Theory of knowledge (TOK)