top of page

​Diploma Program Students

DP Students:

 

On behalf of the Gateway High School administration and faculty, I would like to welcome you to the IB Diploma Program and congratulate you on your outstanding decision to be part of the program (whether it be as a full DP student or as a student taking at least one DP course).  We know that in addition to receiving college credit, you will receive the IDEAL COLLEGE PREPARATION through the IB Diploma Program.  

 

We are excited about the opportunity to assist you with a rewarding IB DP experience.   We realize that the IB program is an academic challenge, but we also know that the rewards are great.  Let’s approach the program with a positive, can do attitude!

Creativity, Activity, and Service

 

Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is one of the three essential elements that every student must complete as part of the Diploma Programme (DP).

 

Studied throughout the Diploma Programme, CAS involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies.

 

It is not formally assessed. However, students reflect on their CAS experiences as part of the DP, and provide evidence of achieving the eight learning outcomes for CAS.

 

 

 

 

Extended Essay

 

The extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of approved DP subjects—normally one of the student’s six chosen subjects, or in World Studies. World Studies provides students the opportunity to carry out an in-depth interdisciplinary study of an issue of contemporary global significance, utilizing two IB disciplines. Both are intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity, engaging students in personal research in a topic of their own choice, under the guidance of a supervisor (a teacher in the school). This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing, of around 4,000 words, in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned, coherent and appropriate manner. 

Theory of Knowledge

 

Theory of knowledge (TOK) is a course about critical thinking and inquiring into the process of knowing, rather than about learning a specific body of knowledge. It plays a special role in the DP by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, to make connections between areas of knowledge and to become aware of their own perspectives and those of the various groups whose knowledge they share. It is a core element undertaken by all DP students, and schools are required to devote at least 100 hours of class time to the course. The overall aim of TOK is to encourage students to formulate answers to the question “how do you know?” in a variety of contexts, and to see the value of that question. This allows students to develop an enduring fascination with the richness of knowledge

 

 

bottom of page