How does IB History work?
In IB DP History, Standard Level (SL) students have to complete:
Higher Level (HL) students have to complete the same components as the SL students (the requirements of the IA, as well as the content and structure of Papers 1 and 2 are exactly the same) but:
Paper 1 (For both SL and HL students)
Paper 1 assesses students' source skills and is taken by both SL and HL students. The topics (or prescribed subjects) currently available for study are:
To access more content about The Move to Global War click here .
Paper 2 (For both SL and HL students)
Paper 2 is an essay-based exam on World History and is taken by both SL and HL students. The World History topics currently available for study are:
Paper 3 (HL students only)
Paper 3 is an essay-based exam where the focus is on an in-depth study of one particular region. The regions currently available for study are:
Political Developments in the Americas 1945-79, The Americas and the Cold War 1945-81 and the Americas 1980-2000
The Political Developments unit covers the domestic policies of US presidents Truman to Nixon, the domestic policies of Canadian Prime Ministers Pearson to Trudeau, Populism and Military Dictatorship in Latin America, including the rule of Gelulio Vargas in Brazil and Juan Peron in Argentina, and the rule of Fidel Castro in Cuba .
The Cold War unit mostly focuses on US-Latin American relations (including Truman and Eisenhower's policies on Latin America, the Alliance for Progress, the Mann Doctrine and Nixon's covert operations in Chile), although there is some content on US Cold War military engagements in Asia.
The Americas 1980-2000 covers the domestic and foreign policies of US presidents Reagan to Clinton, US society in the 1980s and 1990's and the return of democracy to Latin America.
Paper 3 is a two and a half hour essay paper.
All students will also complete an IA.
For more details of the specific demands of each paper, click on the relevant tabs .
- An Internal Assessment (IA)- this is worth 25% of their final grade.
- A Paper 1 exam- this is 1 hour long and worth 30% of their final grade.
- A Paper 2 exam- this is 1 1/2 hours long and worth 45% of their final grade.
Higher Level (HL) students have to complete the same components as the SL students (the requirements of the IA, as well as the content and structure of Papers 1 and 2 are exactly the same) but:
- HL students also have to complete an additional exam- Paper 3 is 2 1/2 hours long.
-
The grade weightings are slightly different
- The IA is worth 20% of their final grade
- Paper 1 is worth 20% of their final grade
- Paper 2 is worth 25% of their final grade
- Paper 3 is worth 35% of their final grade
Paper 1 (For both SL and HL students)
Paper 1 assesses students' source skills and is taken by both SL and HL students. The topics (or prescribed subjects) currently available for study are:
- Military Leaders
- Conquest and Impact
- The Move to Global War
- Rights and Protests
- Conflict and Intervention
To access more content about The Move to Global War click here .
Paper 2 (For both SL and HL students)
Paper 2 is an essay-based exam on World History and is taken by both SL and HL students. The World History topics currently available for study are:
- Society and Economy (750-1400)
- Causes and Effects of Medieval Wars (750-1500)
- Dynasties and Rulers (750-1500)
- Societies in Transitions (1400-1700)
- Early Modern States (1450-1789)
- Causes and Effects of Early Modern Wars (1500-1750)
- Origins, Development and Impact of Industrialization (1750-2005)
- Independence Movements (1800-2000)
- Evolution and Development of Democratic States (1848-2000)
- Authoritarian States (20th Century)- click here to access more content,
- Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars- click here to access more content.
- The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th Century)- click here to access more content.
Paper 3 (HL students only)
Paper 3 is an essay-based exam where the focus is on an in-depth study of one particular region. The regions currently available for study are:
- The Americas- click here to access this content
- Asia
- Europe
- Africa and the Middle East
Political Developments in the Americas 1945-79, The Americas and the Cold War 1945-81 and the Americas 1980-2000
The Political Developments unit covers the domestic policies of US presidents Truman to Nixon, the domestic policies of Canadian Prime Ministers Pearson to Trudeau, Populism and Military Dictatorship in Latin America, including the rule of Gelulio Vargas in Brazil and Juan Peron in Argentina, and the rule of Fidel Castro in Cuba .
The Cold War unit mostly focuses on US-Latin American relations (including Truman and Eisenhower's policies on Latin America, the Alliance for Progress, the Mann Doctrine and Nixon's covert operations in Chile), although there is some content on US Cold War military engagements in Asia.
The Americas 1980-2000 covers the domestic and foreign policies of US presidents Reagan to Clinton, US society in the 1980s and 1990's and the return of democracy to Latin America.
Paper 3 is a two and a half hour essay paper.
All students will also complete an IA.
For more details of the specific demands of each paper, click on the relevant tabs .
|
Component
Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 IA |
Raw Marks
25 marks 40 marks 60 marks 25 marks |
SL Weighting
30 % 45% N/A 25% |
HL Weighting
20 % 25% 35% 20% |
The biggest challenge at IB level is to accurately and precisely communicate a complex understanding of the past. Obviously, this will require a good analytical written style and the ability to coherently structure an essay using evidence and argument. The most important element, however, is knowledge. This does not merely mean the recall and understanding of knowledge (it is impossible to gain more than a Level 4 with even the most detailed and accurate narrative of events) but also the selection of specific evidence to support a balanced argument.
This knowledge should attempt to communicate an awareness of the international aspects of the history we cover. Therefore, it is important to not just merely focus on the main countries involved in each event we cover. For example, don't just concentrate on the UK, USA, USSR, Germany, Italy and Japan when examining the Second World War. Select some information regarding the roles of Hungary or Poland during the war- this will help to build a more complex and rounded understanding of this conflict that links to other events. Equally, with the Higher Level material it would be a mistake to focus on the USA at the expense of other countries in the Americas. This is especially true of the Americas and Cold War unit.
Does this mean you should try and memorize vast quantities of information? Absolutely not. For starters, if you attempt this strategy from the start of the course it is likely that you won't remember much of it by the time you take your exams. Your brains don't work that way! That is not to say you won't do any memorization at all- to an extent that is a natural tendency of the overwhelming majority of students- but it should only be done in the days leading up to an exam. That way, your brains stand a chance of accurately remembering the information you choose to memorize.
A lot of knowledge can be learnt naturally just by gaining a strong understanding of the concepts and processes involved. This understanding can also be developed by applying these concepts and processes to other historical or current events- a good history student is interested in current affairs (after all, what use is history unless we apply it to the present?)! As with any IB subject, you will probably be most engaged with the material we cover in History (and therefore successful), if you enjoy what we are studying.
This knowledge should attempt to communicate an awareness of the international aspects of the history we cover. Therefore, it is important to not just merely focus on the main countries involved in each event we cover. For example, don't just concentrate on the UK, USA, USSR, Germany, Italy and Japan when examining the Second World War. Select some information regarding the roles of Hungary or Poland during the war- this will help to build a more complex and rounded understanding of this conflict that links to other events. Equally, with the Higher Level material it would be a mistake to focus on the USA at the expense of other countries in the Americas. This is especially true of the Americas and Cold War unit.
Does this mean you should try and memorize vast quantities of information? Absolutely not. For starters, if you attempt this strategy from the start of the course it is likely that you won't remember much of it by the time you take your exams. Your brains don't work that way! That is not to say you won't do any memorization at all- to an extent that is a natural tendency of the overwhelming majority of students- but it should only be done in the days leading up to an exam. That way, your brains stand a chance of accurately remembering the information you choose to memorize.
A lot of knowledge can be learnt naturally just by gaining a strong understanding of the concepts and processes involved. This understanding can also be developed by applying these concepts and processes to other historical or current events- a good history student is interested in current affairs (after all, what use is history unless we apply it to the present?)! As with any IB subject, you will probably be most engaged with the material we cover in History (and therefore successful), if you enjoy what we are studying.