It is essential to choose the right subject for the IB Diploma program. Let us explore with our expert IB Online Tutors. The IB Diploma program has two categories of courses:
- Higher Level (HL) and
- Satandard Level (SL).
So, students must be conscientious when choosing IB subjects for HL and SL. There are several essential points that you should remember. In this article, our IB Tutors have provided a few important suggestions for choosing an IB subject.
Know Your Strengths and Interests Before Choosing The Right IB Subjects
You should not forget that the IB Diploma program is academically challenging. The subjects of IB are not only about road learning, memorizing, and writing the same on papers during exams. This course is about using the knowledge in your everyday life and relating it with real-life examples. So, you should pick the subjects you are genuinely interested in, and your performance in previous classes was outstanding. If you are already strong in these subjects, you can easily manage the subject in a diploma program, and this learning process will become enjoyable for you. You should ask a few questions to yourself-
- Which were my favorite subjects in my previous classes?
- Are I interested in continuing the same subject for my further classes?
- Do I want to make the subjects the base of my future career?
All these questions will help you understand your interests and identify your strengths.
Think About Your Future Career & University Goals Before Choosing The Right IB Subjects
You should also be very careful about your future universities where you dream of admission after completing your diploma. Many universities do not offer all the subjects of the IB Diploma program. You should also be careful about the career you will choose in the future. If you want to choose engineering, you should select mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. If you dream of becoming a lawyer, opt for English History and Global Politics at HL. Your HL subjects should be the subjects you want to pursue in your future career.
Balance your HL and SL subjects– Your HL subjects require a deep understanding of the subjects and more time to prepare for the subjects. So, you should choose HL subjects very carefully. So, select the subjects where you have the highest interest. You should also remember that your SL subjects and HL subjects should be chosen in a good balance.
Consider the assessment style– The IB Diploma program has different styles of assessment for various subjects. Some subjects are more exam-focused, while others emphasize internal assessments like presentations or portfolios. Science and math are mainly exam-oriented subjects that inspire students to investigate and be involved in experiments. On the other hand, language and humanities place more emphasis on writing and presentations. Arts subjects are assessed based on projects and portfolios. So, you should be ready to take all this as your subject choice.
Get Advice From Teachers and Coordinators For Choosing The Right IB Subjects
You can discuss the subjects and the difficulty level with the teachers and coordinators. There are a few schools that offer trial classes. You can also take advice on which subjects are suitable for the subjects that you have chosen for HL.
Popular IB subject combinations– Although choosing the same subject groups is not suggested, here are a few subject combinations that will help you make your future decisions.
For medicine or life sciences– If you want to work in medicine or life sciences, choose biology, chemistry, and mathematics for HL and English A, language B, and psychology for the SL course.
For engineering or technology-The best choices for engineering or technology are mathematics AA, physics, and chemistry in the HL course. You should choose English A, language B, and Economics at SL.
For business or Economics– If your dream career is to become a businessperson, choose Economics, Business Management, and Mathematics for HL and English A, Language B, and Environmental Systems for SL.
For arts, humanities, or law-The best choices for the arts and humanities are English A, History or Global Politics, and Language B. You can choose environmental system mathematics, AI, or visual arts for SL.
For design or architecture-For a career in design or architecture, you can choose visual arts, physics or design technology, and Mathematics for HL. The best choices for SL are English A language B and Geography.
Let Us Explore All IB Subject
Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature- This subject is compulsory, and students should choose it at the HL level if they plan to study literature, law, or journalism. Language A literature is the best option for students interested in poetry and essays. Language A also has language and literature full stop, which is suitable for students studying language in a median society.
Group 2: Language Acquisition- Language acquisition is also called language B. This language is often the native language of students, such as French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, or Hindi. Language is suitable for students at the HL level who are choosing a language at their university level and want to study in a country like Canada or Switzerland.
Group 3: Individuals and Societies- Students explore human behavior and societal systems in this subject. Subjects in this group include history, economics, business management, psychology, Global politics, and geography. You can choose the topic according to your career goal. For example, if you are interested in human behavior, you should select psychology; if you are interested in business, you should opt for economics.
Group 4: Sciences—This subject group encourages students to use an inquiry-based learning approach. It includes physics, chemistry, biology, environmental, and computer science.
Group 5: Mathematics-Group 5 has mathematics analysis, approaches, application, and interpretation. Both can be chosen at HL and SL. You should select your mathematics according to your career goal. For example, if you want to work in engineering, you should choose mathematics AA HL.
Group 6: The Arts- Group 4 is for students interested in creativity. Subjects include visual arts, Music, Theatre, film, and dance.
Tips to Make the Best Subject Choice
1. Discuss your interests and future goals with your teachers, friends, and parents in your MYP years.
2. You should have good information about the diploma program subjects and the subjects you will choose at your university. You can check the website and get help from counselors to understand more about it.
3. You should also choose the subjects where you will have multiple options for your career.
4. Do not select a subject to have a good impression among your friends. Choose whatever is suitable for you.
5. You should plan to choose subjects that are globally accepted. You do not know about the future opportunities that you might get in other countries, so it’s better to keep your options open for Choosing The Right IB Subjects.
Conclusion
The IB Diploma program is designed to inspire you to set career goals. So, you should choose subjects very carefully. The best combination of IB subjects should be selected. It will help you reduce your academic load and make your journey enjoyable. Always remember that this decision is not only about the subjects; it is the decision that will open the door to future opportunities for you. Be confident when making the right decision when choosing subjects suitable for you.
