What Is the IB Diploma Programme (DP)? Understanding Its Structure, Six Subject Groups, Three Core Components, and University Pathways
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) programme for students aged 16 to 19. The curriculum comprises six academic subjects and three core components, providing both breadth across academic disciplines and opportunities for more advanced study in selected subjects. It also develops the intellectual skills required for critical thinking, inquiry, and independent research. Students deepen their subject knowledge while learning to think critically, pursue inquiry independently, conduct research, and sustain academic work over an extended period.
The DP’s structure also has important implications for university admission. Students make choices about which subjects to study at Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), and these choices can affect their eligibility for particular universities and degree programmes. Assessment is similarly distinctive, combining examinations with internally and externally assessed work completed throughout the programme. This article examines the structure of the DP, its six subject groups, the three components of the DP core—Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)—and its assessment system. It also considers how the IB Diploma is used in university admissions in Japan and internationally.
Table of Contents
What Is the Diploma Programme (DP)?
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) programme for students aged 16 to 19. Designed in preparation for higher education, the curriculum provides breadth across academic disciplines while enabling students to pursue selected subjects in greater depth.
The curriculum consists of six subject groups and the DP core. The core comprises three compulsory components: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Students who complete the required subjects and the DP core and meet the IB’s assessment and diploma requirements are awarded the IB Diploma.
The principal languages of instruction and assessment in the DP are English, French, and Spanish. In Japan, cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the IB has led to the development of the Japanese-language DP, which allows designated subjects to be studied and assessed in Japanese.
The Place of the DP within the Four IB Programmes
The IB offers four educational programmes, each designed for a particular age range and stage of education:
Primary Years Programme (PYP): ages 3–12
Middle Years Programme (MYP): ages 11–16
Diploma Programme (DP): ages 16–19
Career-related Programme (CP): ages 16–19
The DP is a two-year programme for students aged 16 to 19. It combines breadth across academic disciplines with more specialised study, developing the knowledge and intellectual skills required for the transition to higher education.
The PYP, MYP, and DP are designed for different age groups and stages of education. Across these programmes, inquiry, conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and self-management remain important elements of learning. The complexity of the subject matter and the intellectual demands placed on students increase in ways appropriate to each stage of educationThe curriculum provides breadth across academic disciplines while enabling students to pursue selected subjects in greater depth..
Within the DP, these principles are reflected in more specialised subject study and greater expectations for independent inquiry and research. Students learn to formulate questions, examine evidence critically, and develop arguments that are coherent, reasoned, and supported by appropriate evidence.
DP Schools in Japan
According to the MEXT Consortium for the Promotion of IB Education, Japan had 80 authorised DP schools and six candidate schools as of 30 June 2026. These include schools recognised under Article 1 of Japan’s School Education Act as well as schools outside that classification, including international schools.
The Consortium also reports that, as of June 2026, approximately 6,200 IB World Schools were operating worldwide. IB authorisation is granted separately for each programme. Schools therefore differ in the programmes they offer: some provide all four—PYP, MYP, DP, and CP—while others are authorised for one or more of these programmes.
The Diploma Programme Curriculum
The DP curriculum is designed to balance breadth across academic disciplines with depth in selected areas of study. Students take six subjects, studying three or four at Higher Level (HL) and the remainder at Standard Level (SL). The DP core—TOK, the EE, and CAS—forms an additional compulsory part of the programme.
Students select six subjects within this framework. As a general rule, they study one subject from each of Groups 1 to 5. The Group 6 arts subject may be replaced by an additional subject from another subject group (sciences, individuals and societies, or languages). Certain interdisciplinary subjects may also satisfy the requirements of two subject groups.
Students study three or four of their six subjects at HL and the remainder at SL. The IB recommends 240 teaching hours for an HL subject and 150 hours for an SL subject. HL involves a broader and more demanding body of knowledge, understanding, and skills. The choice of HL subjects therefore requires careful attention to the academic field a student intends to pursue at university.
Subject Selection and University Planning
Subject selection in the DP can directly affect university options. Some universities and degree programmes require applicants to have studied particular subjects at HL and may specify minimum grades in those subjects.
Degree programmes in science, engineering, or medicine, for example, may require particular mathematics or science subjects at a specified level. Programmes in the humanities and social sciences may similarly establish requirements for subjects relevant to the intended field of study. Students should therefore consider their academic interests and strengths together with the admissions requirements of the universities and degree programmes they are considering. Subject selection is an academic decision within the DP, as well as an important part of planning for higher education.
The Three Components of the DP Core
In addition to the six academic subjects, the DP curriculum includes three compulsory components collectively known as the DP core: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). The core broadens the nature of DP learning by incorporating reflection on knowledge, independent research, and learning through experience.
TOK, the EE, and CAS are sometimes described as the “three core subjects,” although the IB formally refers to them as the three core components. The distinction is significant because each has a different educational purpose and structure. TOK examines knowledge and the process of knowing. The EE requires sustained independent research and academic writing. CAS develops learning through experiences in creativity, physical activity, and service.
TOK: Theory of Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a compulsory component of the DP core concerned with the nature of knowledge and with how knowledge claims are formed, examined, and justified. It asks students to consider a fundamental question: How do we know what we claim to know? The IB describes TOK as central to the educational philosophy of the Diploma Programme.
Students examine questions concerning evidence, interpretation, certainty, and the criteria used to evaluate claims and models. They also consider how assumptions, values, perspectives, and cultural contexts may influence how knowledge is produced and understood.
TOK is assessed through the TOK exhibition and a 1,600-word essay. The final grade ranges from A to E. The combination of the TOK and EE grades can contribute up to three additional points to the overall DP score.
EE: Extended Essay
The Extended Essay (EE) is a compulsory component of the DP core that requires students to undertake independent research into a focused question and present the resulting analysis in an academic paper of up to 4,000 words.
Students formulate a research question, identify and evaluate appropriate sources or evidence, conduct analysis, and construct a sustained argument. The process introduces students to important elements of academic research, including critical engagement with information, analytical reasoning, and the organisation and presentation of an extended piece of academic writing.
The EE is graded from A to E. Its grade is combined with the TOK grade to determine up to three additional points toward the overall DP score.
CAS: Creativity, Activity, Service
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) is a compulsory component of the DP core that extends throughout the programme and provides a structured context for learning through experience beyond academic subject study.
Creativity involves experiences that engage creative thinking; Activity involves physical exertion that contributes to a healthy lifestyle; and Service involves collaborative and reciprocal engagement with communities in response to authentic needs. Together, these areas encourage students to apply personal and interpersonal skills in contexts beyond conventional academic study.
Assessment in the DP draws on multiple forms of evidence rather than relying exclusively on final examinations. Depending on the subject, students may complete written assignments, research, oral assessments, experimental or investigative work, and other subject-specific tasks during the programme. In many subjects, written examinations at the end of the DP constitute a substantial part of the final assessment.
The assessment system includes both internally and externally assessed work. Internal assessment takes place within the school, with IB moderation used to support consistent application of assessment standards across schools.
Six subjects: 1–7 points for each subject, giving a maximum of 42 points
TOK and the EE: up to three additional points, determined by the combination of the two grades
CAS: no numerical score, although satisfactory completion is required
A student must achieve at least 24 points and meet all other requirements established by the IB to receive the IB Diploma. These include requirements relating to TOK and the EE, completion of CAS, and achievement across HL and SL subjects. Reaching 24 points alone does not therefore guarantee the award of the Diploma.
Internal Assessment (IA) and External Assessment (EA)
The DP combines Internal Assessment (IA) and External Assessment (EA) to evaluate student achievement.
EA includes written examinations at the end of the programme as well as work assessed directly by IB examiners. The TOK essay and the EE are also externally assessed.
DP examination sessions are held twice a year, in May and November. The IB publishes separate schedules for the release and transmission of examination results, including arrangements for sending official results to universities and other higher education institutions.
Using the Diploma Programme for University Admission
The IB Diploma is recognised by universities in Japan and internationally. Universities determine individually how the Diploma and DP results are incorporated into admissions. Requirements may include completion of the full IB Diploma, a specified overall score, particular HL subjects, or minimum grades in individual subjects.
DP subject selection is consequently closely related to university planning. Once students begin to identify the universities and degree programmes they are considering, they should examine current admissions criteria carefully, particularly any requirements concerning HL subjects and subject-specific grades.
IB-Based University Admissions in Japan
The MEXT Consortium for the Promotion of IB Education publishes information on Japanese universities that use IB qualifications or scores in their admissions processes, together with details of the relevant admissions arrangements. The most recent information cited by the Consortium reflects admissions practices as of January 2025 and includes national, public, and private universities.
The use of IB qualifications differs among institutions. Some universities accept the IB Diploma as an admissions qualification. Others establish requirements for the overall DP score or for particular HL subjects, while some consider IB results together with other elements of the application.
Admissions requirements may change and can differ among faculties or degree programmes within the same university. Students should therefore consult the current admissions information published by each university when preparing an application.
The IB Diploma and International University Admission
The IB Diploma is widely recognised by universities internationally. Admission requirements vary by institution and degree programme and may include a specified overall Diploma score as well as particular HL subjects and minimum grades.
The IB Diploma is an international qualification, not one designed exclusively for a single national higher education system. This characteristic is particularly relevant for students considering universities in more than one country, since the qualification can be presented within different admissions systems while retaining a common academic framework.
Preparing for the Diploma Programme
DP students manage six academic subjects alongside TOK, the EE, and CAS. Assignments, research, assessments, and other requirements develop concurrently over the two years, making planning and independent management of academic work important aspects of the programme.
Preparing for the DP involves more than allocating a prescribed number of study hours. Students benefit from developing the capacity to formulate questions, investigate them independently, evaluate information critically, construct reasoned written arguments, and plan substantial assignments over extended periods.
Inquiry-based education, including the MYP, provides opportunities to develop these approaches to learning during secondary education. For students who continue through successive IB programmes, inquiry, thinking, communication, and self-management can develop with increasing sophistication as the academic expectations of each stage change.。
Building Foundations for Future Learning through the PYP at Yoyogi International School
Yoyogi International School is an authorised International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) school and a candidate school for the Middle Years Programme (MYP).
Within the PYP, students develop understanding through inquiry. They learn to formulate questions, investigate ideas, and refine their thinking through dialogue and engagement with others. The acquisition of knowledge remains important, together with the capacity to understand relationships between ideas and to apply learning in different contexts.
The PYP, MYP, and DP are distinct IB programmes designed for different stages of education. Across these programmes, inquiry, critical thinking, communication, and self-management develop in forms appropriate to the age of the student and the increasing intellectual demands of each educational stage.
At Yoyogi International School, the PYP provides a framework within which students learn to think independently, pursue questions through inquiry, and deepen understanding through dialogue with others. These experiences help build intellectual habits that can support students as they encounter more complex learning in subsequent stages of education. A school tour provides an opportunity to observe how the educational principles and curriculum of the PYP are reflected in classroom practice, student learning, and interactions between teachers and students.
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a two-year IB programme for students aged 16 to 19. Students study six academic subjects together with the three components of the DP core—TOK, the EE, and CAS. The programme combines breadth across disciplines with depth in selected subjects while developing critical thinking, inquiry, research, and self-management.
The IB Diploma is widely recognised for university admission in Japan and internationally. Requirements for overall scores, HL subjects, and individual subject grades differ among universities and degree programmes. As plans for higher education become more defined, students need to consider the relationship between their DP subject choices and the admissions requirements of the institutions they are considering.
Preparation for the DP also involves intellectual and academic habits that develop over time. The ability to formulate meaningful questions, evaluate information critically, construct well-reasoned arguments, and manage substantial work over an extended period is integral to the nature of learning within the programme.
The DP therefore extends beyond its role as a qualification for university admission. A fuller understanding of the programme requires attention to the educational experience itself: what students learn between the ages of 16 and 19, how they learn it, and how that experience prepares them for the intellectual demands of higher education and subsequent learning.
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Yoyogi IS's Curriculum
Our CurriculumYoyogi International School is an authorised IB World School for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme. IB World Schools share a common …
about the author
Yuko Muir Doctor in International Psychology Yoyogi International School | Founder and CEO
Founder and CEO of Yoyogi International School with over 27 years of experience in school leadership. Holds a Ph.D. in International Psychology and draws on extensive practical and academic background to explore key issues in education.
