The IB way: Grooming students to be global leaders

Reserved for students between the ages of 16 and 19, Uplands, as a key international school in Penang, has one of the best IB Diploma Programmes in South East Asia. The programme is taught by experienced international teachers. At this level, there is a strong system of pastoral care and teacher guidance. Each group has two tutors and access to two university counsellors. Each student is assigned to a teacher mentor to help keep on track. Uplands also employs a qualified School Counsellor.

Document Downloads:
IB Study Guide
IB Extended Essay Guide
Whole School Citation Policy
Year 12 and 13 Pastoral Guide
 

The IB Diploma Programme at a glance

•A challenging two-year pre-university course for expatriate and Malaysian students
•An international curriculum incorporating the best elements of national systems worldwide
•A holistic approach in academic studies with subject groups from the liberal arts and sciences
•Course and workload designed to prepare students for university studies
•Enables international students to transfer and move between countries without affecting their education
•At least 5 credits in IGCSE/O-Levels/SPM or equivalent for entry
•Emphasis on critical thinking, intercultural understanding and responsible citizenship

IB Diploma holders gain admission to universities throughout the world. annually our students achieve external examination results that are consistently above the global average, with all of our graduates succesfully matriculating to prestigious universities worldwide.

IB subjects at Uplands

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme : 6 subjects are taken (While the academic offerings are broad, subjects offered in each year will depend on sufficient student demand). 3 subjects at Higher level, 3 subjects at Standard level.

Homework
Year 12 & 13: 20 hours per week.

Group 1 : Language A1

English, literatury programme for native or fluent speakers
(Other languages A1 are offered where possible and according to need)

Group 2 : Languages

English B /French B/ German  B/ Malay B (Standard)/ Japanese B / Mandarin B

Ab initio languages (for beginners):
French ab initio / German ab initio / Japanese ab initio / Spanish ab initio

Group 3 : Individuals and Societies

Economics
Geography
History
Business & Management (Click here)

Group 4 : Experimental Sciences

Biology (see electives also)
Chemistry (see electives also)
Design Technology
Physics

Group 5 : Mathematics

Mathematics (Higher Level)
Mathematics (Standard Level)
Mathematical Studies

Group 6 : Arts & Electives

Music
Theatre Arts
Visual Art
Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)
Chemistry
Biology
Psychology
Computer Science
IB Film Studies
Please note that only a selection of Group 6 subjects will be available in any given year. Business and Management not currently offered.

In addition to the six subjects taken, the student must also complete the following components:

Theory of Knowledge (TOK):
An interdisciplinary course linking the six subject groups intended to stimulate critical and creative thinking on knowledge gained. TOK challenges students to be analytical, objective and appreciate other cultural perspectives.

Creativity, Action, Service (CAS):
CAS is designed to educate the whole person by requiring students to complete a minimum of 150 hours of creativity, action and service. Students share their energy and skills with others in school, local community and internatinal projects while developing awareness, concern and cooperation with others.

Extended Essay:
This course enables each student to explore a topic of special interest from any of the subject groups. The Extended Essay introduces students to the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities with the submission of a 4000-word essay. The required length enables students to deepen their studies and produce an original work under close academic supervision.

While the programme is demanding, IB is not an elitist course but open to the average and above average student Throghout their stduies, effective learners in IB need to be motivated, knowledgeable, strategic in their learning, ethical, compassionate, reflective and socially interactive.

Homework: Year 12 & 13 students are expected to organise their own work-load responsibly