Economics Economics is a dynamic social science. The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. As a social science, economics uses scientific methodologies that include quantitative and qualitative elements. The DP economics course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and markets, and the economic theories of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies. These economic theories are not studied in a vacuum— rather, they are to be applied to real-world issues. Prominent among these issues are fluctuations in economic activity, international trade, economic development and environmental sustainability. The economics course encourages students to develop international perspectives, fosters a concern for global issues and raises students’ awareness of their own responsibilities at a local, national and international level. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, transfer, and use of primary sources. Economics SL & Economics HL Global Politics The 21st century is characterized by rapid change and increasing interconnectedness, impacting individuals and societies in unprecedented ways and creating complex global political challenges. Global politics is an exciting, dynamic subject that draws on a variety of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, reflecting the complex nature of many contemporary political issues. The study of global politics enables students to critically engage with different and new perspectives and approaches to politics in order to comprehend the challenges of the changing world and become aware of their role in it as active global citizens. The DP global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability and peace in a range of contexts. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity and processes, as well as to explore political issues affecting their own lives. The course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in real-world examples and case studies. It also invites comparison between such examples and case studies to ensure a wider and transnational perspective. The core units of the course together make up a central unifying theme of “people, power and politics”. The emphasis on “people” reflects the fact that the course explores politics not only at a state level but also explores the function and impact of non-state actors, communities, groups and individuals. The concept of “power” is also emphasized as being particularly crucial to understanding the dynamics, tensions and outcomes of global politics. Throughout the course, issues such as conflict, migration or climate change are explored through an explicitly political lens: “politics” provides a uniquely rich context in which to explore the relationship between people and power. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, transfer, and use of primary sources. Global Politics SL & Global Politics HL History The DP history course is a world history course based on a comparative and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility. The course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking, and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way, the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, transfer, and use of primary sources. History SL & History HL and History of Americas HL Information Technology The IB DP information technology in a global society (ITGS) course is the study and evaluation of the impacts of information technology (IT) on individuals and society. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global level. ITGS provides a framework for the student to make informed judgments and decisions about the use of IT within social contexts. Information Technology in a Global Society SL Geography Geography is a dynamic subject firmly grounded in the real world, and focuses on the interactions between individuals, societies and physical processes in both time and space. It seeks to identify trends and patterns in these interactions. It also investigates the way in which people adapt and respond to change, and evaluates actual and possible management strategies associated with such change. Geography describes and helps to explain the similarities and differences between different places, on a variety of scales and from different perspectives. Geography as a subject is distinctive in its spatial dimension and occupies a middle ground between social or human sciences and natural sciences. The course integrates physical, environmental and human geography, and students acquire elements of both socio-economic and scientific methodologies. Geography takes advantage of its position to examine relevant concepts and ideas from a wide variety of disciplines, helping students develop life skills and have an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints and ideas. Students at both SL and HL are presented with a common core and optional geographic themes. HL students also study the HL core extension. Although the skills and activity of studying geography are common to all students, HL students are required to acquire a further body of knowledge, to demonstrate critical evaluation and to further synthesize the concepts in the HL extension. Geography HL & SL Psychology At the core of the DP psychology course is an introduction to three different approaches to understanding behaviour: the biological, cognitive and sociocultural approaches. Students study and critically evaluate the knowledge, concepts, theories and research that have developed the understanding in these fields. The interaction of these approaches to studying psychology forms the basis of a holistic and integrated approach to understanding mental processes and behaviour as a complex, dynamic phenomenon, allowing students to appreciate the diversity as well as the commonality between their own behaviour and that of others. The contribution and the interaction of the three approaches is understood through the four options in the course, focusing on areas of applied psychology: abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, and the psychology of relationships. The options provide an opportunity to take what is learned from the study of the approaches to psychology and apply it to specific lines of inquiry. Psychologists employ a range of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, to test their observations and hypotheses. DP psychology promotes an understanding of the various approaches to research and how they are used to critically reflect on the evidence as well as assist in the design, implementation, analysis and evaluation of the students’ own investigations. Surrounding the approaches and the options are the overarching themes of research and ethics. A consideration of both is paramount to the nature of the subject. Psychology HL & SL Tronc Commun Economie L’économie est une science sociale dynamique. L’étude de l’économie consiste essentiellement à traiter de la rareté, de l’allocation des ressources et des méthodes et processus via lesquels des choix sont faits dans la satisfaction des besoins humains. En tant que science sociale, l’économie utilise des méthodologies scientifiques qui comportent des éléments quantitatifs et qualitatifs. Le cours d’économie du Programme du diplôme met l’accent sur les théories en microéconomie (matière qui porte sur des variables économiques affectant les individus, les entreprises et les marchés) et les théories de macroéconomie (matière qui traite des variables économiques affectant les pays, les gouvernements et les sociétés). Ces théories économiques ne sont pas étudiées en l’absence d’un contexte, mais doivent plutôt être appliquées à des problèmes du monde réel. Les fluctuations de l’activité économique, le commerce international, le développement économique et la durabilité environnementale font partie des problèmes les plus importants. Le cours d’économie encourage les élèves de l’IB à développer des perspectives internationales, suscite leur intérêt pour des problèmes mondiaux et attire leur attention sur leurs propres responsabilités à un niveau local, national et international. Les enseignants procèdent à un enseignement explicite des compétences de pensée et de recherche, telles que la compréhension, l’analyse de texte, le transfert des connaissances et l’utilisation de sources primaires. Economie NM Geographie La géographie, matière dynamique et solidement ancrée dans la réalité, se concentre sur les interactions entre les individus, les sociétés et les processus physiques, dans le temps et l’espace. Cette discipline cherche à déterminer les tendances et les distributions spatiales de ces interactions. Elle s’intéresse également à l’adaptation des êtres humains et à leur réaction au changement pour évaluer les stratégies de gestion existantes et envisageables correspondant à de telles modifications. La géographie décrit les similitudes et les différences entre divers lieux et cherche à les expliquer, et ce, à différentes échelles et selon des perspectives variées. En tant que matière, la géographie se caractérise par sa dimension spatiale et occupe une place à part, à mi-chemin entre les sciences sociales ou humaines et les sciences naturelles. Le cours comprend à la fois de la géographie physique, de la géographie environnementale et de la géographie humaine, et permet l’acquisition des méthodologies socio-économiques et scientifiques. Tirant parti de cette position, la géographie examine les idées et les concepts pertinents relevant d’une multitude de disciplines. Les élèves peuvent ainsi acquérir des aptitudes essentielles à la vie quotidienne tout en apprenant à comprendre et à respecter des méthodes, des idées et des points de vue différents. Les élèves du NM et du NS étudient un tronc commun identique et différents thèmes géographiques en option. Les élèves du niveau supérieur étudient également le complément du NS. Cependant, même si les compétences et l’étude de la géographie sont communes à tous les élèves, les élèves du NS doivent acquérir des connaissances supplémentaires, faire preuve d’évaluation critique et synthétiser davantage les concepts abordés dans le complément du NS. Geographie NM Histoire Le cours d’histoire du Programme du diplôme est un cours d’histoire mondiale reposant sur une approche comparative de l’histoire et sur l’étude de multiples perspectives. Il amène les élèves à étudier divers types d’histoire, dont l’histoire politique, économique, sociale et culturelle. Il présente aussi un équilibre entre structure et flexibilité. Le cours met l’accent sur l’importance d’inciter les élèves à réfléchir en adoptant une perspective historique et à acquérir des compétences en histoire ainsi que des connaissances factuelles. Il accorde également beaucoup d’importance au développement de la pensée critique et de la compréhension des multiples interprétations de l’histoire. Ainsi, le cours d’histoire du Programme du diplôme de l’IB suppose une exploration critique, à la fois difficile et exigeante, du passé. Les enseignants procèdent à un enseignement explicite des compétences de pensée et de recherche, telles que la compréhension, l’analyse de texte, le transfert des connaissances et l’utilisation de sources primaires. Les six concepts clés suivants occupent une place importante tout au long du cours : changement, continuité, causalité, conséquence, importance et perspective. Histoire NM & Histoire NS Updated September 17, 2020