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International Baccalaureate Program

The International Baccalaureate ® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end, the organization works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. There programmes encourage students across the world to become active and compassionate lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. 

IB Programs are designed to: 
  • Encourage personal and academic achievement;
  • Develop skills for lifelong learning; 
  • Foster diversity, curiosity, and a healthy appetite for learning; and 
  • Develop well-rounded individuals who can respond to today's challenges. 

 

IB at DePaul Prep

Since DePaul College Prep became authorized as an IB World School Diploma Program on June 4, 2015, it has become firmly established as a premiere educational opportunity for DePaul Prep students. It is one of the seven private high schools in the Chicagoland area, and the only co-ed, Catholic high school in the city of Chicago, to offer the IB Diploma Program.

how do I know if the IB Program is a good fit for me?
  • I want to USE my learning to create a better and more peaceful world. 
  • I love learning - not just for the grades, but I enjoy the process of learning. 
  • I am up for a challenge that may not always be comfortable, but will help me grow. 
  • I like thinking deeply and thinking about ideas from multiple perspectives. 
  • I want to develop a sense of international mindedness and intercultural respect. 
  • I take initiative when it comes to my academics and I am self-motivated. 
  • I am organized and have systems in place to manage all of my homework (or I would like to grow in this area). 
  • I am open to taking on a more fast-paced, rigorous curriculum. 

Applying to the IB Program

Applications for the Class of 2027 open on November 20, 2024 and close on January 17, 2025. 

Apply Now

The IB Program develops the whole student and benefits extend far beyond earning the IB Diploma. Whether or not students earn the IB Diploma, they still may be eligible to earn college credit. They will be more than prepared for college (and life) as they will learn to persist through challenges, balance rigorous coursework with extra curricular activities, engage in project-based learning that requires higher order thinking skills, critically examine topics from multiple perspectives, work collaboratively, and develop a sense of international mindedness. 

-Ms. Heidi Bojorges, IB Program Coordinator

View the presentation slides from the November 20, 2024 Information Meeting

IB Course Offerings at DePaul Prep

DePaul Prep students will apply for the two-year courses as sophomores. Students can choose one of two pathways:

Full Diploma Program

Students will take six IB courses in addition to completing the requirements for IB Core: Extended Essay; Theory of Knowledge; and Creativity, Activity, and Service. Full Diploma students must take three HL Courses and three SL Courses (read about the difference between SL and HL here). Only students who participate in the Full Diploma Program are eligible for the IB Diploma. 

Individual course pathway

Students opting for the individual course pathway may select any number of courses that interest them; they will not complete the IB Core. While they are not eligible for the IB Diploma, they may still be eligible for college credit. See FAQs for more information about obtaining college credit.

Course offerings for the Class of 2027
IB Subject Group Subjects Offered
Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature Language A: Literature HL
Group 2: Language Acquisition Language B: French (SL), Spanish (SL), Mandarin (SL)
Group 3: Individuals and Societies History of the Americas (HL)
Group 4: Sciences Biology (SL), Physics (SL)
Group 5: Mathematics Math A&A (SL); Math A&I (SL)
Group 6: Arts Film (HL); Visual Arts (HL)
IB Core Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, CAS

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