International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
A world class secondary education
The International Baccalaureate Organization offers educational programs ranging from 3 years of age to 19 years of age that aim to “educate caring, informed and knowledgeable young people, capable of contributing to create a better and more peaceful world, within the framework of mutual understanding and intercultural respect”. At Futuro Verde we offer the Diploma Program. This two-year program is taken during the eleventh and twelfth grades and aims to “develop students who achieve excellent breadth and depth of knowledge while growing physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically”.
The Diploma Program is designed to provide students with the tools necessary to develop a “lifelong learning attitude” that will enable them to be successful in today’s globalized world. A large number of prestigious national and international universities recognize the rigor of the IB programs, the demands of the programs, the level of academic excellence required, and the ethical principles students develop while pursuing them. Students graduating from the Diploma Program express that they feel more prepared at the university, specifically in university work that involves developing research projects.
Futuro Verde teachers have access to professional development courses provided by the IB Organization, which allow them to stay up to date and prepare challenging and demanding lessons that foster academic excellence in the school’s students.
The Diploma Program curriculum is made up of the common core and six subject groups.
Graduation Requirements
Futuro Verde students graduate in 12th Grade via special agreement with MEP (Ministry of Education of Costa Rica). The IB Diploma requirements includes taking a battery of six exams in 6 core classes (Spanish Literature, English Language and Literature, Environmental Systems and Societies, Biology, Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations, and Visual Arts.),an Extended essay and a community service project. Each core class also has an independent research project.
Through our agreement with MEP (Ministry of Education of Costa Rica), students would secure the IB Diploma if they pass the score minimum required by IB (International Baccalaureate).
Students who failed to secure the minimum score requirements of the IB DP, may obtain the MEP (Ministry of Education of Costa Rica) High School Diploma if they score a minimum of “2” in every subject matter and “3” in Spanish.
The International Baccalaureate diploma program offers a second diploma – the IBDP BILINGUAL for students who demonstrate bilingual proficiency by taking examinations in two different languages.
How is the regular (IB) International Baccalaureate diploma awarded?
DP category candidates must study six subjects, plus the three core subjects—EE (Extended Essay), TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and CAS (Creativity Action Service).
- They must accumulate no fewer than 24 points from assessment in these subjects, in addition to grade stipulations.
- They must meet all of the additional requirements—see section “A2.2.2”.
- Candidates who successfully meet these conditions will be awarded the diploma.
- Candidates who take the diploma in multiple languages may be eligible for a bilingual diploma.
- The IB diploma is awarded based on performance across all parts of the DP.
- Each subject is graded 1–7, with 7 being the highest grade.
- These grades are also used as points (that is, 7 points for a grade 7, 6 points for a grade 6, and so on) in determining if the diploma can be awarded.
- TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and the EE (Extended Essay) are graded A–E, with A being the highest grade. These two grades are then combined in the diploma points matrix to contribute between 0 and 3 points to the total.
- CAS (Creativity Action Service) is not assessed but must be completed in order to pass the diploma. See section “A2.2.2”.
- The overall maximum points from subject grades, TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and the EE (Extended Essay)is therefore 45: ((6 × 7) + 3).
- The minimum threshold for the award of the diploma is 24 points. If a candidate scores less than 24 points, the diploma is not awarded.
Additional requirements
There are a number of additional requirements for the award of the diploma.
- CAS (Creativity Action Service) requirements have been met.
- There is no “N” awarded for TOK (Theory of Knowledge), the EE (Extended Essay) or for a contributing subject.
- There is no grade E awarded for TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and/or the EE (Extended Essay).
- There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.
Curriculum
Six subject groups as follows:
- Group 1: Language and Literature Studies.
- Group 2: Language Acquisition
- Group 3: Individuals and Societies
- Group 4: Science
- Group 5: Mathematics
- Group 6: Arts
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK) – which requires students to complete two projects: an oral presentation and a 1600 word essay based on prescribed questions.
- Extended Essay (EE) – which is a 4,000 word independent research paper on any subject.
- Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) – which requires student design and implement a community service project.
Some classes are offered at middle level (NM) and senior level (NS), others are only offered at middle level. Futuro Verde currently offers the following subjects within each of the groups.
Evaluation
The evaluation of the program is carried out according to IB standards and guidelines. The IB organization provides the assessments and evaluates all IB students worldwide simultaneously. In Futuro Verde the evaluations take place at the May convocation at the end of the two years of the DP. Most subjects consist of written exams as part of the external assessments, which are corrected by professionally trained IB examiners and internal assessments which are left to the school’s subject teachers.
Community
The IB community at Futuro Verde is composed of students, PD teachers, administrative staff, school board and parents. In order for the PD to function properly in our school context, good communication between all those involved in the implementation of the program is very important. In addition, the school has a positive impact on the school community and the community of Cóbano through the projects developed in the Monograph and CAS subjects.
I started back in 2018 in Futuro Verde. Switching from a public school to a private was very meaningful to me because I knew I was going to improve my English. My school life here has been challenging, but I learned valuable lessons and developed many different tools that will carry along my journey. For the future I want to work first, and travel meanwhile I figure out what is the next step to take.
Studying at Futuro Verde as an IB Student has been the best experience I have ever had. The school, the teachers, the classmates have helped me a lot in my personal development and in being able to have an open mind. I think that the people at the school have helped me a lot in my personal development, they have helped me to have more confidence in myself.
Personally I think Futuro Verde is a great school, which aims to help the student population. Of course throughout the years that I have been in this school, it has been quite difficult, with many challenges, but knowing that nothing is impossible in life I have overcome them.
In the future I hope to be able to enter the University and continue to develop as a person. I still have no idea what to study but my interests include Psychology and Law.
Studying at Futuro Verde has been a rollercoaster, from competing in school swim tournaments to being in school plays and now being close to completing the IB diploma program in the middle of a pandemic. Here, I have made lifelong friends and learned lessons about myself and about life that I’ll never forget. For the future, I’m hoping that I will be able to study wildlife research or psychology.