Subject Guide

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) – CURRICULUM AND INFORMATION Somerset College is one of a select group of schools on the Gold Coast to offer the IB Diploma Programme. The International Baccalaureate course is an international matriculation diploma which qualifies students for entry to overseas universities as well as all national/Australian universities. The programme offers a comprehensive approach to learning in the final two years of secondary school. IB - AIMS Somerset College sees the IB Diploma Programme as a means of achieving a number of goals: • To further the International scope of the College and its community. • To encourage the pursuit of academic excellence through a challenging and broad educational programme. • To participate in a course which encourages students to recognise that they are a part of a total world community. • To provide professional development opportunities for teachers. • To provide students with the opportunity to undertake structured research. • To provide an holistic educational approach (Usually a student’s native language). This course is based upon a study of the literature of that language, but also includes ‘World Literature’, which is translated from another language and is designed to expose students to other cultural bases than their own. A wide selection of languages is available, representing most of the world’s major cultures. GROUP 2 – A second modern language, chosen from: a) Language B – This course is intended for students with several years’ prior study of the language, and it emphasises the acquisition and development of the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. These are taught through the study of a wide range of oral and written texts, including some formal literature. We offer French, German and Japanese. (Standard Level only) b) Ab initio Language – a second modern language for students with no prior experience of the target language. We offer Italian at Standard Level only. GROUP 3 – Individuals and Societies: One of History, Geography, Business Management, Economics, Philosophy. GROUP 4 – Experimental Sciences: One of Chemistry, Physics, Biology. GROUP 5 – Mathematics: One of Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation, Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches GROUP 6 – One of the following options: a) Music, Visual Art, Theatre, or b) A second selection from Groups 3 or 4. IB - THE SIX SUBJECTS IB Diploma Programme students take six subjects, one from each of the following groups: GROUP 1 – Language A: Literature

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