IBDP Journey: Academic Life & Impact

Academic life

• UWC schools & colleges
• Educational model
• About short courses
  • Short courses
• Life at UWC
  • Residential life at UWC
  • Academic life
  • Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
  • Code of conduct
• Student well-being
  • Safeguarding
• After UWC

• UWC schools & colleges
• Educational model
• About short courses
  • Short courses
• Life at UWC
  • Residential life at UWC
  • Academic life
  • Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
  • Code of conduct
• Student well-being
  • Safeguarding
• After UWC

• Academic Life at UWC
• Which subjects can students take for the IBDP?
• IBDP subjects at UWC
• Other academic options at UWC

Most students attending UWC between the ages of 16 and 19 study the globally recognised International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which is offered at all UWC schools and colleges. It is a challenging curriculum that allows students to explore a range of subjects and ideas, while developing their creativity and learning about the importance of activity and service in the community.

In fact, UWC played a key role in crafting the IBDP back in the 1960s, and the ties between the IB and UWC remain close decades later.

The IBDP aims to “encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.” It is respected in the best universities worldwide for the balance it strikes between breadth and depth of subjects and its focus on service, communication, teamwork, leadership and critical thinking.

“Although the IBDP was quite overwhelming at times and there was a lot to be learned, overall it made me a lot more confident and taught me how to study. My first year at college felt much easier than my second year of IBDP. I’m much more sure of the things I say because I research them, and I’m so much better at writing.”

– Leonor, UWC Mahindra College alumna

IBDP students take a total of six subjects, one chosen from each of the following groups:

This is usually the student’s best language. Students at UWC are encouraged to continue studies in their home language, many of which are available as self-taught courses supported by the school.

Students are required to study a second language at an appropriate level. This could mean starting a new language from scratch, continuing with a language at an intermediate level, or taking an additional language at the same level as Group 1, if a student is already fluent in multiple languages.

All students are required to pick a subject in the humanities. Options vary from school to school and range from History, Economics and Geography to Anthropology, Global Politics, Philosophy and Business and Management.

Students must choose a science course from a list of options, including Biology, Chemistry and Physics as well as other options such as Computer Science, depending on the UWC. Students may also opt for Environmental Systems and Societies, an interdisciplinary course which can be taken to satisfy Group 3 or Group 4 requirements.

Two different options for Mathematics are available in the IBDP:
Analysis and Approaches with a focus on pure maths, or Applications and Interpretation with a focus on applied maths, statistics and modeling. Students have to take a mathematics course.

Options in the Arts include Visual Arts, Theatre, Music and Dance, with the exact offering varying by school. To allow for more flexibility, students can opt to replace their Group 6 subject with an additional subject from Groups 1 to 4. Depending on their passion, talent and interests, students can thus pursue an IB Diploma with three languages, two subjects from the Individuals and Societies group, or two sciences.

Students generally study three subjects at standard level and three subjects at a higher level. At a higher level, they are expected to demonstrate a greater body of knowledge, understanding and skills. Subjects available may vary between UWC schools, often reflecting their geographic location and focus areas.…