The IB Diploma Programme
Overview
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a challenging, comprehensive two-year curriculum for students in Grade 11 and 12. It develops students who have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge and who flourish intellectually, emotionally and ethically; and leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities.
Core Subject Groups
SL = Standard Level, HL = Higher Level
Studies in Language & Literature
- English and Mandarin A Language & Literature (SL and HL)
Language Acquisition
- French and Mandarin B
- Spanish ab initio
- Online options: French ab initio (SL), Spanish B (SL)
Individuals & Societies
- Business Management (SL and HL)
- Geography (SL and HL)
- History (SL and HL)
- Online options: Economics (SL and HL), Psychology (SL and HL)
Sciences
- Biology (SL and HL)
- Physics (SL and HL)
- Chemistry (SL and HL)
Mathematics
- Mathematics Applications and Interpretation (SL)
- Mathematics Analysis and Approaches (SL and HL)
The Arts
- Film (SL and HL)
- Music (SL and HL)
- Visual Arts (SL and HL)
- Theatre (SL and HL)
Core Components
- Theory of Knowledge—a course exploring the nature, acquisition and uses of knowledge in and across disciplines
- Extended Essay—a research project of the student’s own choosing
- Creativity, Activity and Service—activities and projects that expand students experiences in creative endeavours, physical activity in individual and team sports and in the service to others both locally and overseas
Assessment
In each course, the students complete internal and external assessments. These range from examinations, research projects, essays, laboratory experiments, fieldwork projects and other hands-on activities. Student results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student’s position in the overall rank order. The grading of student work is moderated through a world-wide system of examiners and is consistent across the globe.
Programme Highlights
Pride and Confidence in Quality of Work
Throughout the DP students share and showcase their work to classmates, students, parents and community members. This ranges from cumulative projects such as the Theory of Knowledge exhibition, to creative expression like the Theatre Showcase. Their work in Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), a DP core requirement, has students putting together initiatives to better their communities both locally and globally and making a direct impact on causes that matter to them.
Wide Range of Courses Offered
SJS offers a wide range of courses and all subjects are offered at Standard and Higher levels, which is unique in BC. SJS offers three humanities courses, two different English courses and three second language options in its DP. The addition of DP Music in 2025–2026 and DP Psychology in 2026–2027 reflects the school’s commitment to a balanced education and listening to feedback from students on new course options. Additional opportunities are also available through online, “self-taught” courses, expanding our offerings even further.
Field Work and Hands-on Experience
Hands-on learning and field work are key components of the course work at SJS. Projects such as the Collaborative Science Project in Grade 11, curricular excursions, career education field trips, workshops from expert guest speakers, and cumulative exhibitions offer a variety of practical, hands-on experiences across subjects. Students become critical thinkers who are able to analyze and evaluate situations and issues, come up with new ideas and consider different perspectives, such through the Collaborative Science Project and or their Extended Essay.
Long-Lasting Results
SJS students consistently perform above the global DP average score, receive university offers from hundreds of institutions around the world, and as a grad class are offered around $1 million in scholarship funds each year. Additionally, the executive functioning skills, public speaking practice and essay writing confidence developed through the DP empowers students for the leap to post-secondary education, and the professional world beyond.
