IB Diploma
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is an educational program for students in their last two years of secondary school. It is both academically challenging and balanced, seeking to prepare students for success at university and beyond.
The IB DP is well recognized by the world’s leading universities and students who successfully complete the full diploma are highly prepared for university.
IB Core Program
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is an educational program for students in their last two years of secondary school. It is both academically challenging and balanced, seeking to prepare students for success at university and beyond.
The IB DP is well recognized by the world’s leading universities and students who successfully complete the full diploma are highly prepared for university.
Subject Requirements
The IB DP is a two-year curriculum that requires students to take six subjects along with the three core areas (which are outlined below). At AAS, IB instruction is in English.
IB Subject Offerings
While AAS will do its best to give students their preferred choices of courses, please note that not every combination will be possible. The master timetable will be constructed based on (where possible) what students choose. If your combination is not possible after all of the choices are reviewed then we will meet with you individually to discuss what changes you will need to make to your course selection.
Please be aware that certain courses require a minimum number of students in order to be offered.
All students are required to take English and students whose first language is Bulgarian may choose to take Bulgarian Literature as well. Students usually take one subject from each group although there are exceptions to this. If you have specific questions about subject combinations please contact our IB Coordinator.
Most subjects are offered at both standard level (SL) and higher level (HL). To complete the full diploma program students are required to study three subjects at each level.
CAS
Anyone with a passing knowledge of the IB Diploma Program (IBDP) knows that it is a rigorous academic curriculum that spans the final two years of high school. Successful completion of the IBDP ensures that students are well-prepared for university.
But a brain full of knowledge isn’t all there is to being an educated individual. The ancient Greeks believed that a well-educated person engaged not only in mousike (intellectual and creative development) but gumnastike (one’s physical development). This educational philosophy has stood the test of time, and the IB’s “CAS” program ensures that students come out of the two-year IBDP with such a holistic education.
CAS is the non-academic piece of the IB curriculum. It stands for “Creativity, Activity, Service.” In its effort to provide a truly well-rounded education, the IB added CAS to get students to close their books, turn off their computers and put away their phones in order to engage in service activities, athletics, and creative pursuits.
Students are encouraged not only to follow their interests, but to experiment with new activities, as well. Indeed, they invariably must extend themselves and become “risk takers” (an IB learning trait). For example, a sporty student who doesn’t think of himself as creative will reflect on what creative avenue he might follow. The thought “I like to eat” could lead to cooking lessons, learning some knife skills, and resulting in some tastefully-plated dishes that are photographed and uploaded to his reflections on the activity. (The written reflections are a key part of the CAS experience.)
CAS Coordinators
Class of 2023 Talking About CAS
CAS Projects
Project by Nikol, Maria, Lily and Selim.
Project by Maya.
Project by Nikolaya, Maria, Nikol, Mariya
Project by Grace.
Project by Noam, Iulia, and Bianca.
Project by Ognjen, Mihajlo and Seojun.
Project by Egor.
Project by Seojun.
Search Projects
“ The IB Programme taught me critical thinking and time management.
Don’t rely on teachers. I learned to organise myself and allot effort and time into
selfstudy which will definitely help in my future academic endeavours. “Keith P.