Biology 

Biology is the study of life. The first organisms appeared on the planet over 3 billion years ago and, through reproduction and natural selection, have given rise to the 8 million or so different species alive today. Estimates vary, but over the course of evolution 4 billion species could have been produced. Most of these flourished for a period of time and then became extinct as new, better adapted species took their place. There have been at least five periods when very large numbers of species became extinct and biologists are concerned that another mass extinction is under way, caused this time by human activity. Nonetheless, there are more species alive on Earth today than ever before. This diversity makes biology both an endless source of fascination and a considerable challenge.  

Distinction between SL and HL 

Group 4 students at standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) undertake a common core syllabus, a common internal assessment (IA) scheme and have some overlapping elements in the option studied. They are presented with a syllabus that encourages the development of certain skills, attributes and attitudes, as described in the “Assessment objectives” section of the guide. 

While the skills and activities of group 4 science subjects are common to students at both SL and HL, students at HL are required to study some topics in greater depth, in the additional higher level (AHL) material and in the common options. The distinction between SL and HL is one of breadth and depth. 

Aims

1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging opportunities 
   
   

2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 
   
   

3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 
   
   

4. develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information 
   
   

5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and communication during scientific activities
   
   

6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies 
   
   

7. develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science 
   
   

8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology 
   
   

9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology 
   
   

10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge. 

Assessment

Standard Level 

External assessment (4.5 hours) 

Internal assessment (10 hours) 

Higher Level 

External assessment (4.5 hours) 

Internal assessment (10 hours) 

Syllabus

Chemistry is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigational skills. It is often called the central science, as chemical principles underpin both the physical environment in which we live and all biological systems. Apart from being a subject worthy of study in its own right, chemistry is a prerequisite for many other courses in higher education, such as medicine, biological science and environmental science, and serves as useful preparation for employment. 

Earth, water, air and fire are often said to be the four classical elements. They have connections with Hinduism and Buddhism. The Greek philosopher Plato was the first to call these entities elements. The study of chemistry has changed dramatically from its origins in the early days of alchemists, who had as their quest the transmutation of common metals into gold. Although today alchemists are not regarded as being true scientists, modern chemistry has the study of alchemy as its roots. Alchemists were among the first to develop strict experimentation processes and laboratory techniques. Robert Boyle, often credited with being the father of modern chemistry, began experimenting as an alchemist.  

Despite the exciting and extraordinary development of ideas throughout the history of chemistry, certain things have remained unchanged. Observations remain essential at the very core of chemistry, and this sometimes requires decisions about what to look for. The scientific processes carried out by the most eminent scientists in the past are the same ones followed by working chemists today and, crucially, are also accessible to students in schools. The body of scientific knowledge has grown in size and complexity, and the tools and skills of theoretical and experimental chemistry have become so specialized, that it is difficult (if not impossible) to be highly proficient in both areas. While students should be aware of this, they should also know that the free and rapid interplay of theoretical ideas and experimental results in the public scientific literature maintains the crucial link between these fields.  

The Diploma Programme chemistry course includes the essential principles of the subject but also, through selection of an option, allows teachers some flexibility to tailor the course to meet the needs of their students. The course is available at both standard level (SL) and higher level (HL), and therefore accommodates students who wish to study chemistry as their major subject in higher education and those who do not. 

At the school level both theory and experiments should be undertaken by all students. They should complement one another naturally, as they do in the wider scientific community. The Diploma Programme chemistry course allows students to develop traditional practical skills and techniques and to increase facility in the use of mathematics, which is the language of science. It also allows students to develop interpersonal skills, and digital technology skills, which are essential in 21st century scientific endeavour and are important life-enhancing, transferable skills in their own right. 

Aims

1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging opportunities 
   
   

2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 
   
   

3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 
   
   

4. develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information 
   
   

5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and communication during scientific activities
   
   

6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies 
   
   

7. develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science 
   
   

8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology 
   
   

9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology 
   
   

10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge. 
    
    

Assessment

Standard Level 

Higher Level 

Syllabus

Physics is the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, as it seeks to explain the universe itself from the very smallest particles—currently accepted as quarks, which may be truly fundamental—to the vast distances between galaxies. 

Classical physics, built upon the great pillars of Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism and thermodynamics, went a long way in deepening our understanding of the universe. From Newtonian mechanics came the idea of predictability in which the universe is deterministic and knowable. This led to Laplace’s boast that by knowing the initial conditions—the position and velocity of every particle in the universe—he could, in principle, predict the future with absolute certainty. Maxwell’s theory of electromagnetism described the behaviour of electric charge and unified light and electricity, while thermodynamics described the relation between energy transferred due to temperature difference and work and described how all natural processes increase disorder in the universe. 

However, experimental discoveries dating from the end of the 19th century eventually led to the demise of the classical picture of the universe as being knowable and predictable. Newtonian mechanics failed when applied to the atom and has been superseded by quantum mechanics and general relativity. Maxwell’s theory could not explain the interaction of radiation with matter and was replaced by quantum electrodynamics (QED). More recently, developments in chaos theory, in which it is now realized that small changes in the initial conditions of a system can lead to completely unpredictable outcomes, have led to a fundamental rethinking in thermodynamics. 

While chaos theory shows that Laplace’s boast is hollow, quantum mechanics and QED show that the initial conditions that Laplace required are impossible to establish. Nothing is certain and everything is decided by probability. But there is still much that is unknown and there will undoubtedly be further paradigm shifts as our understanding deepens. 

Despite the exciting and extraordinary development of ideas throughout the history of physics, certain aspects have remained unchanged. Observations remain essential to the very core of physics, sometimes requiring a leap of imagination to decide what to look for. Models are developed to try to understand observations, and these themselves can become theories that attempt to explain the observations. Theories are not always directly derived from observations but often need to be created. These acts of creation can be compared to those in great art, literature and music, but differ in one aspect that is unique to science: the predictions of these theories or ideas must be tested by careful experimentation. Without these tests, a theory cannot be quantified. A general or concise statement about how nature behaves, if found to be experimentally valid over a wide range of observed phenomena, is called a law or a principle. 

The scientific processes carried out by the most eminent scientists in the past are the same ones followed by working physicists today and, crucially, are also accessible to students in schools. Early in the development of science, physicists were both theoreticians and experimenters (natural philosophers). The body of scientific knowledge has grown in size and complexity, and the tools and skills of theoretical and experimental physicists have become so specialized that it is difficult (if not impossible) to be highly proficient in both  

areas. While students should be aware of this, they should also know that the free and rapid interplay of theoretical ideas and experimental results in the public scientific literature maintains the crucial links between these fields. 

At the school level both theory and experiments should be undertaken by all students. They should complement one another naturally, as they do in the wider scientific community. The Diploma Programme physics course allows students to develop traditional practical skills and techniques and increase their abilities in the use of mathematics, which is the language of physics. It also allows students to develop interpersonal and digital communication skills which are essential in modern scientific endeavour and are important life-enhancing, transferable skills in their own right. 

Alongside the growth in our understanding of the natural world, perhaps the more obvious and relevant result of physics to most of our students is our ability to change the world. This is the technological side of physics, in which physical principles have been applied to construct and alter the material world to suit our needs, and have had a profound influence on the daily lives of all human beings. This raises the issue of the impact of physics on society, the moral and ethical dilemmas, and the social, economic and environmental implications of the work of physicists. These concerns have become more prominent as our power over the environment has grown, particularly among young people, for whom the importance of the responsibility of physicists for their own actions is self-evident. 

Physics is therefore, above all, a human activity, and students need to be aware of the context in which physicists work. Illuminating its historical development places the knowledge and the process of physics in a context of dynamic change, in contrast to the static context in which physics has sometimes been presented. This can give students insights into the human side of physics: the individuals; their personalities, times and social milieux; their challenges, disappointments and triumphs.  

The Diploma Programme physics course includes the essential principles of the subject but also, through selection of an option, allows teachers some flexibility to tailor the course to meet the needs of their students. The course is available at both SL and HL, and therefore accommodates students who wish to study physics as their major subject in higher education and those who do not. 

Aims

1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging opportunities
   
   

2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology
   
   

3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology
   
   

4. develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information
   
   

5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and communication during scientific activities
   
   

6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies 
   
   

7. develop and apply 21st-century communication skills in the study of science 
   
   

8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology 
   
   

9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology
   
   

10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge. 

Assessment

Standard Level 

Higher Level 

Syllabus

Sports, exercise and health science (SEHS) is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigative skills. It is an applied science course within group 4, with aspects of biological and physical science being studied in the specific context of sports, exercise and health. Moreover, the subject matter goes beyond the traditional science subjects to offer a deeper understanding of the issues related to sports, exercise and health in the 21st century. Apart from being worthy of study in its own right, SEHS is a good preparation for courses in higher or further education related to sports fitness and health, and serves as useful preparation for employment in sports and leisure industries. 

The attainment of excellence in sports is the result of innate ability or skill and the dedicated pursuit of a programme of physical and mental training accompanied by appropriate nutrition. Training programme design should not be left to chance. Rather, it should be designed thoughtfully and analytically after careful consideration of the physiological, biomechanical and psychological demands of the activity. This is the role of the sports and exercise scientist who, regardless of the athletic event, should be equipped with the necessary knowledge to be able to perform this task competently. Furthermore, in a world where many millions of people are physically inactive and afflicted by chronic disease and ill health, the sports and exercise scientist should be equally proficient when prescribing exercise for the promotion of health and well-being.  

Scientific inquiry, conducted over many decades, has accumulated a vast amount of information across a range of sub-disciplines that contribute to our understanding of health and human performance in relation to sports and exercise. The Diploma Programme course in sports, exercise and health science involves the study of the science that underpins physical performance and provides the opportunity to apply these principles.  

The course incorporates the traditional disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sports, exercise and health. Students will cover a range of core and option topics, and carry out practical (experimental) investigations in both laboratory and field settings. This will provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to apply scientific principles and critically analyse human performance. Where relevant, the course will address issues of international dimension and ethics by considering sports, exercise and health relative to the individual and in a global context.  

At the school level, both theory and practical work should be undertaken by all students. They should complement one another naturally, as they do in wider scientific study. The Diploma Programme SEHS course allows students to develop practical skills and techniques, and to increase facility in the use of mathematics, which is the language of science. It also allows students to develop interpersonal skills and digital technology skills, which are essential in 21st-century scientific endeavour and are important lifeenhancing, transferable skills in their own right.  

Aims

1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging opportunities.
   
   
2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology.
   
   
3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology.
   
   
4. develop an ability to analyze, evaluate and synthesize scientific information.
   
   
5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and communication during scientific activities.
   
   
6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies.
   
   
7. develop and apply 21st-century communication skills in the study of science.
   
   
8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology.
   
   
9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology.
   
   
10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge.

Assessment

Standard Level

Syllabus