Bloomfield Hills High School
High School
International Baccalaureate
IB Options at BHHS
Middle Years Programme
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Bloomfield Hills High School
Bloomfield Hills High School offers a fully-authorized Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the International Baccalaureate Organization. The MYP encompasses all Bloomfield Hills High School students in grades 9-10 and provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum framework. The curriculum is designed around eight subject areas. The units of study begin with a statement of inquiry, through which students can connect their learning to the world outside the classroom. The Programme requires students to participate actively and responsibly in preparation for their life in an ever-changing world. The capstone experience of the MYP is the Personal Project which is completed through the 10th grade year. This project allows students to integrate the philosophies of IB into a project that is personally defined and student-driven.
Diploma Programme
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Bloomfield Hills High School
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a curriculum framework designed by the International Baccalaureate (IB) for 11th & 12th grade students.
IB students graduating with the IB diploma are able to study at universities all around the world, often with advanced credit. Students report that their involvement with the IB has given them the tools needed to succeed at college. In particular, students comment on their sense of preparedness, self-confidence, research skills, and their ability to manage their time. Even more important, they have developed a sense of the world around them and their responsibility to it.
Diploma Programme students study six subjects (three at standard level and three at higher level) over two years and complete three additional requirements: the theory of knowledge (TOK), the extended essay, and CAS—creativity, activity and service experiences outside of the classroom. In addition to these requirements, students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 points on the final assessments which are externally marked and moderated by the IB, in order to receive an IB diploma.
The IB Learner Profile
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
As IB learners we strive to be:
- Inquirers
- Knowledgeable
- Thinkers
- Communicators
- Principled
- Open-minded
- Caring
- Risk-takers
- Balanced
- Reflective
Benefits for Students
IB Students are given a unique education. They will:
- Be encouraged to think independently and drive their own learning.
- Take part in programmes of education that can lead them to some of the highest ranking universities around the world.
- Become more culturally aware, through the development of a second language.
- Be able to engage with people in an increasingly globalized, rapidly changing world.
Additional Information
IB Diploma Programme Welcome Letter
TOK is an interdisciplinary course designed to help students question and understand how they know what they know. Students study how individuals from various disciplines view the world in order to develop their own ways of thinking.
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
CAS is an experiential learning component of the DP. Students complete a wide variety of extracurricular, community service and athletic options to fulfill this requirement.
Extended Essay
The extended essay introduces students to the demands and rewards of independent work. Emphasis is placed on doing personal research and communicating ideas effectively in order to write a 4,000-word essay in an area of personal interest.
IB Certificate Course Options
International Baccalaureate courses may be taken by students not pursuing the full IB Diploma. In these IB courses, students will take the same internal and external assessments as the IB Diploma students and can earn college credit for passing prescribed IB assessments (3-12 hours depending on scores).
Do DP students have time for anything beyond academics? Absolutely. Most successful Diploma Programme students lead very full lives. They are often members of athletic teams and involved in a wide range of activities. Time management and organization are key skills the IB develops in students.
How does the IB DP differ from other university-preparatory programs such as Advanced Placement? The IB DP is a two-year comprehensive curriculum with a culminating set of externally graded final exams. IB and Advanced Placement (AP) are both university preparatory, academically rigorous programs. There are important differences, however, in the content and exams. The DP is a cohesive and comprehensive programme, not a collection of individual courses as is the case with Advanced Placement. The most important distinguishing factors are the core of the Diploma Programme (CAS, TOK and Extended Essay) and college credit being earned through a series of assessments throughout the courses.
College Credit
College credit is granted when a student passes the IB examinations. Individual colleges and universities, not International Baccalaureate Program, grant course credit and placement.
Credits are accepted at US universities and internationally. Generally they require a score of 4 (Out of 1-7) or higher. See individual colleges/universities for their policies.
For more information, contact your BHHS counselor or the BHHS IB Coordinator, Amy Merchant. You can also learn more on the IB website.
