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Diploma Programme (DP)

DP Students Sitting

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a challenging two-year curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. It leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities. . The DP is an inquiry-based liberal arts curriculum that incorporates the best educational practices from around the world. These practices focus on critical thinking and problem solving. The DP therefore prepares students for collegiate experiences and encourages them to:

  • ask challenging questions
  • learn how to learn
  • develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
  • develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.

Diploma candidates study six different academic areas. At least three and no more than four of those subjects must be studied at the higher level (HL), representing 240 teaching hours. The remaining two or three subjects are studied at the standard level (SL), representing 150 teaching hours. At Westlake Academy, all diploma classes are two school years in length. Westlake Academy also aligns its DP curriculum and requirements with the Texas Education Associations (TEA) standards. 

Additionally, there are three core requirements that are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme. The three core requirements are: Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and Creativity, Action, Service. You can find out more about the DP core here. 

At Westlake Academy, we believe in the IB-for all philosophy, which means all our Grade 11 and Grade 12 students are diploma candidates and sit for the diploma exams at the end of their Senior year. For the last four years, at least 90% of our graduating class have earned their prestigious IB diploma. The global pass rate is traditionally between 80 and 85%.