Diploma Programme (DP)

The Diploma Programme is a demanding pre-university course of study for students in grades 11 and 12 which has earned an international reputation for excellence. As of March 2021, there are 5,300 schools offering the DP, in 158 different countries worldwide with 1.4 million students.

This program is the last stage of the three programmes offered by the International Baccalaureate (IB). AIS students may register for the full Diploma Programme of six IB courses or for one or more individual certificates in specific subjects. IB Diploma holders have access to the world’s leading universities. Students who complete two years in the Diploma Programme or one or more of the certificate courses affirm that they are well prepared for university work. AIS was granted authorization form the International Baccalaureate (IB) to offer the Diploma Program in 1993.

The IB Diploma Programme curriculum is a model with the student at the centre (Learner Profile), surrounded by the three core requirements (Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity & Service and the Extended Essay) and the six core subject areas.

DP language and literature subject group

Language A: literature SL & HL
Language A: language and literature SL & HL

DP language acquisition subject group

Classical languages SL & HL
Language B SL & HL
Language ab initio SL

DP individuals and societies subject group

Business management SL/HL
Economics SL/HL
History SL/HL
Information technology in a global society SL/HL
Psychology SL & HL

DP sciences subject group

Biology SL/HL
Biology (First teaching in Aug/Sept 2023) SL & HL
Chemistry SL/HL
Chemistry (First teaching in Aug/Sept 2023) SL & HL
Computer Science SL/HL
Computer Science (First teaching in Aug/Sept 2023) SL & HL
Design technology SL/HL
Physics SL/HL
Physics (First teaching in Aug/Sept 2023) SL & HL

DP mathematics subject group

Mathematics: analysis and approaches SL & HL
Mathematics: applications and interpretation SL & HL

DP arts subject group

Music SL & HL
Theatre SL & HL
Visual arts SL/HL

The DP core

Over the course of the two-year programme, students:

study six subjects chosen from the six subject groups above
complete an extended essay (EE)
complete a theory of knowledge course (TOK)
participate in creativity, action, service (CAS).

Normally students study:

three of the six subjects at higher level (HL)
and the remaining three subjects at standard level (SL).

For more information about the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the Diploma Programme, please visit their website at www.ibo.org

For more information about the Diploma Programme at AIS, please email your queries to the DP Coordinator at: dp.coordinator@ais-kuwait.org or visit our blog at AIS Final Four