IB Geography Syllabus

IB Geography SL/HL

Hello Guys !
     Today I want to tell you more about syllabus of IB Geography SL and HL. SL is acronym for Standard Level and HL stands for Higher Level.
     As you know IB Geography students should write on final exams different papers. Both, SL and HL students should write Paper 1 and Paper 2, but HL students should also write Paper 3 which is essay. Paper 1 and Paper 2 is same for both levels, but HL students should write one more option in paper 2. Now I want to talk about syllabus of IB Geography...

Paper 1 - Core Theme - Patterns and Change [HL and SL Students]

The core theme provides an overview of the geographic foundation for the key global issues of our times. The purpose is to provide a broad factual and conceptual introduction to each topic and to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular those concerning poverty reduction, gender equality, improvements in health and education and environmental sustainability. The progress made towards meeting these goals is also evaluated.

There are four compulsory topics in this core theme:

1. Population in Transition
2. Disparities in Wealth and Development
3. Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
4. Patterns in Resource Consumption

Paper 2 - Optional Themes

HL students study three options. SL students study two options
The options are:

A. Freshwater - Issues and Conflicts
B. Oceans and their Coastal Margins
C. Extreme Environments
D. Hazards and Disasters - Risk Assessment and Response
E. Leisure, Sport and Tourism
F. The Geography of Food and Health
G. Urban Environment

Paper 3 - HL Extension - Global Interactions

There are seven compulsory topics in the HL extension:

1. Measuring Global Interactions
2. Changing Space - The Shrinking World
3. Economic Interactions and Flows
4. Environmental Change
5. Sociocultural Exchanges
6. Political Outcomes
7. Global Interactions at the Local Level

Internal Assessment

The fieldwork study involves 20 hours of teaching time for both HL and SL students. The study area chosen can be from the core theme, the optional themes, or the global interactions at the local level topic of the HL extension. It is possible to combine two or more topics or themes. 

The fieldwork must be on a local scale and involve the collection of primary information. The chosen topic may be physical or human, or may integrate the two approaches. The internal assessment is completed as one 2500 word report.

Geography and prior learning

The geography course requires no specific prior learning. No particular background in terms of specific subjects studied for national or international qualifications is expected or required.