IB Group 3 subjects
Encyclopedia
The Group 3 subjects of the IB Diploma Programme
consist of nine courses offered at both the Standard level (SL) and Higher level (HL): Business and management, Economics, Geography, History, Information technology in a global society (ITGS), Islamic history, Philosophy
, Psychology, and Social and cultural anthropology. There is also a transdisciplinary course, Environmental systems and societies (SL only), that satisfies Diploma requirements for Groups 3 and 4, and a pilot course for World religions (SL only) that is currently offered at schools participating in the pilot program.
Paper One of the examination focuses on the use of sources as historical evidence. Students will choose to answer questions in this paper relating to one of the following three 'Prescribed Subjects':
Paper Two of the examination is essay based. Students are presented with six topic areas, and in each of these they are presented with five possible essay questions. Students only have to answer two questions in total, but they cannot be from within the same topic area. The six topic areas are as follows:
Paper three of the examination is taken by students taking Higher level History. This paper is based on the history of a specific region (Regional Option) over a hundred years, the exam is also essay based with students selecting questions from a list on their region of choice. The region chosen is usually the one in which the school is located. The available regions are the following:
course is divided into five sections – introductory economics, 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.
The final exams consist of three papers for HL and two for SL. Paper 1 has consisted of multiple choice questions but has now been changed to an essay question chosen from six choices, Paper 2 of three short-answer questions from six choices (this paper does not exist for SL students), and Paper 3 (Paper 2 for SL) requires data response. Internal assessment includes five commentaries of current news items involving the use of economic concepts and terminology. The time allowed for each exam is a strict limit of one hour each for Paper 1 and Paper 2 (HL) and 2 hours for Paper 2 (SL) and Paper 3.
, cultural psychology, psychology of dysfunctional behaviour, health psychology, lifespan psychology, psychodynamic psychology and social psychology. Students at higher level study two options whereas standard level students study only one.
Each of the perspectives should be explored using the following four compulsory topics:
The aims of the psychology course at HL and at SL are to:
First, students must choose an experiment to replicate. When conducting the experiment, the IB
demands that certain ethical
guidelines be followed. After the experiment has been completed, a written report must be produced detailing the experiment. The external assessment, which is administered in May or November, is the second component of the IB Psychology SL exam. The test is divided into two parts, which are referred to as "papers". Using the internal and external assessment, the IB calculates a grade value of one through seven. A score of four is considered passing; a score of seven is considered outstanding.
Requirements for SL (for first exams in 2007):
Requirements for HL (for first exams in 2007):
Practical computer work is conducted while researching for the project at Standard Level. As of exams starting in 2012 both HL and Sl students will take the Project.
At the Higher Level students create a portfolio of analysed articles one of which is extended to include first hand research of the topic.
Topics include: population distribution, fertility, mortality, the geography of disease, population structure and change, migration, the relationship between population and resources, population policies, resource production and consumption, the geography of food, food production and consumption, food trade, food aid, measuring development, issues in 'developed' and 'developing' countries, sustainable development.
Both Standard level and Higher level students follow the core unit plus a number of options. Standard level students choose any two from the following units.
Higher level students must choose four options with at least one from section A and one from section B.
Section A
Section B
Section C
Internal assessment is in the form of a 1500 word research assignment or fieldwork project for standard level students or a 2500 word fieldwork project for higher level students.
External assessment is made up of two exam papers. Paper 1 covers topics from the core unit and is 1 hour 30 minutes long. Paper two examines the option units. Standard level students sit a paper 1 hour 30 minutes in length in which they should answer two questions. Higher level students must answer four questions in 2 hours 30 minutes.
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
consist of nine courses offered at both the Standard level (SL) and Higher level (HL): Business and management, Economics, Geography, History, Information technology in a global society (ITGS), Islamic history, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Psychology, and Social and cultural anthropology. There is also a transdisciplinary course, Environmental systems and societies (SL only), that satisfies Diploma requirements for Groups 3 and 4, and a pilot course for World religions (SL only) that is currently offered at schools participating in the pilot program.
History SL & HL
The IB Diploma Programme History course generally focuses on the political history of the 20th century, but has since expanded to give the option of studying medieval and early modern history. At Standard Level, this is the only historical topic taught. The course is divided into options , so the students may pick which they prefer; but in practice the topics to be studied are decided by the teacher.Paper One of the examination focuses on the use of sources as historical evidence. Students will choose to answer questions in this paper relating to one of the following three 'Prescribed Subjects':
- The USSRSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
under StalinJoseph StalinJoseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
(1924–41) – this subject covers the Russian Civil WarRussian Civil WarThe Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, the rule of Lenin, and the rule of Stalin - ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in the era of MaoMao ZedongMao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
(1946–64) – this subject covers the Chinese Civil WarChinese Civil WarThe Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
and the rule of Mao - The Cold WarCold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
(1960–79) - The inter war years
- Communism in Crisis - China post-1976 and Eastern Europe/The Soviet Union until 1989
Paper Two of the examination is essay based. Students are presented with six topic areas, and in each of these they are presented with five possible essay questions. Students only have to answer two questions in total, but they cannot be from within the same topic area. The six topic areas are as follows:
- Causes, Practices and Effects of WarWarWar is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
- NationalistNationalismNationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and IndependenceIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
Movements, DecolonisationDecolonizationDecolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
and Challenges Facing New States - The Rise and Rule of Single-Party StatesSingle-party stateA single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
- PeacePeacePeace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and Co-operationInternationalism (politics)Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
: international organisations and multiparty statesMulti-party systemA multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally... - The Cold War
- The State and its Relationship with Religion and with Minorities
Paper three of the examination is taken by students taking Higher level History. This paper is based on the history of a specific region (Regional Option) over a hundred years, the exam is also essay based with students selecting questions from a list on their region of choice. The region chosen is usually the one in which the school is located. The available regions are the following:
- EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
- The AmericasAmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
- AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
- East AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
- West Asia
- Links
Economics SL & HL
The syllabus of the EconomicsEconomics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
course is divided into five sections – introductory economics, microeconomics
Microeconomics
Microeconomics is a branch of economics that studies the behavior of how the individual modern household and firms make decisions to allocate limited resources. Typically, it applies to markets where goods or services are being bought and sold...
, macroeconomics
Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics dealing with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of the whole economy. This includes a national, regional, or global economy...
, international economics
International economics
International economics is concerned with the effects upon economic activity of international differences in productive resources and consumer preferences and the institutions that affect them...
, and development economics
Development economics
Development Economics is a branch of economics which deals with economic aspects of the development process in low-income countries. Its focus is not only on methods of promoting economic growth and structural change but also on improving the potential for the mass of the population, for example,...
– 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.
The final exams consist of three papers for HL and two for SL. Paper 1 has consisted of multiple choice questions but has now been changed to an essay question chosen from six choices, Paper 2 of three short-answer questions from six choices (this paper does not exist for SL students), and Paper 3 (Paper 2 for SL) requires data response. Internal assessment includes five commentaries of current news items involving the use of economic concepts and terminology. The time allowed for each exam is a strict limit of one hour each for Paper 1 and Paper 2 (HL) and 2 hours for Paper 2 (SL) and Paper 3.
Psychology SL & HL
The IB syllabus in psychology contains four main parts. The first part is concerned with the perspectives, the second part with the options, the third part with research methodology and finally all students have to carry out their own experimental study. There are three main perspectives, the biological, the cognitive and the sociocultural. In addition to that higher level students also study the humanistic perspective. The options include comparative psychologyComparative psychology
Comparative psychology generally refers to the scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals. However, scientists from different disciplines do not always agree on this definition...
, cultural psychology, psychology of dysfunctional behaviour, health psychology, lifespan psychology, psychodynamic psychology and social psychology. Students at higher level study two options whereas standard level students study only one.
Each of the perspectives should be explored using the following four compulsory topics:
- development and cultural contexts
- framework
- methodologies
- application.
The aims of the psychology course at HL and at SL are to:
- interpret and/or conduct psychological research to apply the resulting knowledge for the benefit of human beings
- ensure that ethical practices and responsibilities are implemented in psychological inquiry
- develop an understanding of the biological, social and cultural influences on human behaviour
- develop an understanding of different theoretical processes that are used to interpret behaviour, and to be aware of how these processes lead to the construction and evaluation of psychological theories
- develop an awareness of how applications of psychology in everyday life are derived from psychological theories
- develop an appreciation of the eclectic nature of psychology
- understand and/or use diverse methods of psychological inquiry.
First, students must choose an experiment to replicate. When conducting the experiment, the IB
IB
- Places :*Ib , a station in the Indian Railways system*Imperial Beach, California, located in the extreme southwestern corner of the United States*Ib River*International Border*Indo-Pakistani border- Companies and organizations :...
demands that certain ethical
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
guidelines be followed. After the experiment has been completed, a written report must be produced detailing the experiment. The external assessment, which is administered in May or November, is the second component of the IB Psychology SL exam. The test is divided into two parts, which are referred to as "papers". Using the internal and external assessment, the IB calculates a grade value of one through seven. A score of four is considered passing; a score of seven is considered outstanding.
Information technology in a global society (ITGS) SL & HL
The IB offers both a SL and a HL Information Technology in a Global Society(ITGS) course. One stated aim of this course is to “develop an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of new technologies as methods of expanding our knowledge of the world at the local and global level”. ITGS is not a classical computer course where students learn to use different application software or programming; rather, it is a course that attempts to integrate social and ethical issues related to an IT system with different areas of impact.Requirements for SL (for first exams in 2007):
- External assessment: 2 exam papers (3 hours), counts 70% of the final mark
- Internal assessment: one project composed of a product, report and log book
Requirements for HL (for first exams in 2007):
- External assessment: 3 exam papers (4 hours), counts 80% of the final mark
- Internal assessment: 3 portfolio essays (800–1000 words) and one extension to a portfolio (800–1000 words)
Practical computer work is conducted while researching for the project at Standard Level. As of exams starting in 2012 both HL and Sl students will take the Project.
At the Higher Level students create a portfolio of analysed articles one of which is extended to include first hand research of the topic.
Geography SL & HL
IB Geography involves the investigation of human relationships with the environment. The common core unit comprises: population, resources and development.Topics include: population distribution, fertility, mortality, the geography of disease, population structure and change, migration, the relationship between population and resources, population policies, resource production and consumption, the geography of food, food production and consumption, food trade, food aid, measuring development, issues in 'developed' and 'developing' countries, sustainable development.
Both Standard level and Higher level students follow the core unit plus a number of options. Standard level students choose any two from the following units.
Higher level students must choose four options with at least one from section A and one from section B.
Section A
- Arid Environments and their Management
- Drainage Basins and their Management
- Coasts and their Management
- Lithospheric Processes and Hazards
- Ecosystems
- Climatic Hazards
Section B
- Urbanisation
- Geographical Regions
- Industrial Change
- Globalization
Section C
- Topographic Mapping
Internal assessment is in the form of a 1500 word research assignment or fieldwork project for standard level students or a 2500 word fieldwork project for higher level students.
External assessment is made up of two exam papers. Paper 1 covers topics from the core unit and is 1 hour 30 minutes long. Paper two examines the option units. Standard level students sit a paper 1 hour 30 minutes in length in which they should answer two questions. Higher level students must answer four questions in 2 hours 30 minutes.