Class of 2023 DP Course Selection
Last June 18, 2020, the Class of 2023 had their first orientation to the Diploma Programme (DP), as part of their preparation for the DP Course Selection process.
The DP Course Fair will take place on the 11th of September, 2020. All students from the class of 2023 and their parents are invited to this information session
The DP Curriculum
Requirements for the IB Diploma
All DP candidates all over the world aim to achieve the IB Diploma. To be awarded the Diploma at the end of the program, candidates must meet the following requirements:
Core Subject Requirements
Complete all the Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) requirements.
Submit the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay (EE), and achieve at least a grade of D for each.
Subject Requirements
Achieve a total score of 24 or more.
Achieve a total HL score of at least 12 and a total SL score of at least 9.
Have no more than three marks of ‘3’ across all subjects, and no more than two marks of ‘2’ across all subjects.
Have no mark of ‘1’ on any subject.
Have no penalty for academic misconduct from the Final Award Committee.
All MDID students are eligible for a bilingual diploma that certifies their ability to tackle academic tasks in both English and Chinese.
The DP at MDID
MDID offers the G11 and G12 students a DP curriculum that also meets the requirements of Taiwan’s Ministry of Education (MOE). The subjects offered have been carefully selected to meet the students’ needs for applying to universities abroad and to further develop the skills they have learned while doing the MYP in Grades 7 through 10.
As such, Chinese is offered as the default language for Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature. Since MDID offers all the programs in English, students are also given the option to take a second Group 1 subject in English. Students may also take English Language Acquisition for Group 2: Language Acquisition. Students who are in the Chinese Language Acquisition track in MYP may also be accommodated under special consideration.
MDID students take a second foreign language in their MYP, in either French, Japanese, or Spanish. In the DP, MDID students are given the option to continue studying their second foreign language by taking it as an elective instead of taking Group 6: Arts.
MDID options for the different DP subject groups are shown below. To get more information about these individual subjects, please visit the different subject booths during the DP Course Fair, or refer to the MDID website.
Choosing DP Subjects
Basic Requirements
To qualify for the IB Diploma, students need to
take the DP core subjects (Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, CAS)
take three courses at standard level
take three courses at higher level
take one course per subject group, with a few exceptions (for groups 2 and 6).
For MDID students, there are a few possibilities with regard to subject choices. The different examples are listed below.
SL or HL?
Students should consider the following when deciding on standard or higher level:
Coverage and expectations. The breadth and depth of SL is definitely less than that of HL. For some courses, you need to check with your G10 teacher if you qualify for the minimum expectations for HL, like in DP Math Analysis and Approaches.
Implications on University Goals.Some university programs require you to take certain DP subjects at HL and achieve a particular grade in it. It’s best to consult with the college counselor regarding these concerns.
Implications on the diploma.It’s very tempting to want to challenge yourself to take the more difficult courses in DP, but difficulty is relative. It’s best to know your strengths and your willingness to compromise for your time and effort before deciding on your HL subjects. Having a good set of courses on paper is meaningless if you won’t be able to do well in them.
DP Course Selection Process
To ensure that students choose the best options for them, the Course Selection at MDID has three stages:
Expression of Interest
This survey is administered to the G10 students after having enough sessions with their college counsellor to set a general idea for university aspirations. Students are asked about their preferences and their reasons.
Initial Course Selection
At the end of the DP Course Fair, parents and students are given a form for their choices based on the guidance of the teachers. These choices are not yet final, since MDID’s final course offerings will be given after two weeks. This information will be used by the administration to finalize the DP Course Offerings for the class of 2023.Final Course Selection
After the DP Course Offerings are released, students and parents make their final subject choices. This information will be used in order to create the students’ schedule for Fall 2021. Unless there are urgent issues with the submitted subject choices, this will be considered the final DP courses for the student.
Timeline for the Class of 2023
Aug. 31, 2020
Expression of Interest survey will be conducted.Sept. 11, 2020
DP Course FairSept. 25, 2020
Due: Initial Subject ChoicesJan. 20, 2021
Release of Final Subject OfferingsFeb. 18, 2021
Due: Final Subject ChoicesAugust 2021
Start of DP1February 2022
Semester 2 Week 2: Last day of switching levels for DP1June 2022
End of Year Exams for DP1August 2022
Start of DP2. Due: Contract for Diploma CandidacyOct. 15, 2022
Start of University ApplicationsMarch 2023
Mock Exams for DP2April 2023
Submission of coursework to IBOMay 2023
External Exams