Click here to explore thousands of examiner marked IA, EE and TOK exemplars!
Starting your IB journey and feeling overwhelmed by the wide range of subject choices? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! In this post, we’ll provide a detailed guide to help you choose your IB subjects with confidence, setting you up for a smooth and successful academic journey
How to Choose IB Subjects
When deciding on IB subjects, it is imperative to first understand the requirements set out by the IB.
Students are required to choose one subject from each of the 6 subject groups:
- Studies in Language and Literature (e.g. English A Lang&Lit; English A Lit; etc.)
- Language Acquisition (e.g. French B; Spanish B; German ab initio; etc.)
- Individuals and Societies (e.g. History; Geography; Economics; etc.)
- Sciences (e.g. Biology; Physics; Chemistry; etc.)
- Mathematics (e.g. Math AA; Math AI)
- Arts (Music; Visual Arts; etc.)
An additional subject may be chosen from Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, or Sciences, instead of a subject in the Arts.
Students must take at least 3 and up to 4 subjects at higher level (HL), with the remaining subjects taken at standard level (SL).
A comprehensive guide to each IB subject can be found in our IB Subjects post.
Now that we've cleared that up, let's focus on how to choose IB Subjects.
Identify your interests
It is best to choose subjects you’re genuinely interested in. The IB is a tough program that lasts two years, so sticking with subjects you actually enjoy will make it much easier to stay motivated and do well. Think about the subjects you’ve studied before – were there any you really liked or felt you were good at? Those might be great ones to carry on with in the IB. However, don’t be afraid to try something you've never studied before. Remember that you can always switch subjects during the first month if something doesn’t feel right.
Identify your strengths
While it’s important to choose subjects you’re passionate about, basing your decision solely on interests isn’t enough. The IB is a challenging program, and your goal is to get the best score you can. That’s why you should also consider subjects you know you’re good at and that might feel a bit easier for you to succeed in. Think about the areas where you’ve always done well. If your were always good with maths you may consider taking Physics or Maths at Higher Level. If you’re better at writing essays or analyzing texts, you might want to consider subjects such as History. Choosing subjects that match your strengths can make the workload feel more manageable and boost your performance.
Consider your university requirements
One of the most important factors to keep in mind when choosing your IB subjects is the requirements for the university course you want to pursue. Many universities have specific subject requirements for certain courses, so it’s crucial to research these early. For example, if you’re aiming to study medicine, you’ll likely need biology and chemistry at Higher Level. Similarly, economics programs often require math at Higher Level.
Consider the difficulty of the available choices
When selecting your IB subjects, it’s important to think about how challenging each one might be. Some subjects are known for being more demanding and require a lot of time and practice to do well. For example, IB Physics HL or History HL have a reputation for their heavy workload while subjects like Business Management are often considered to have a lighter workload and can feel more manageable for many students. It’s crucial to balance out your subject choices so you’re not overwhelmed. If you pick too many difficult subjects, it might become hard to keep up with everything, especially when combined with core IB requirements like the Extended Essay and CAS. Make sure to check out our IB Subjects post to learn about the difficulty level of different subjects.
Research the available IB subjects
It is essential to research what each subject involves. Take the time to look into the content, syllabus, and topics covered in each subject to see if this is something you would like to be doing. Understanding what you’ll be learning will help you decide whether it’s something you’ll enjoy and succeed in over the next two years. We strongly recommend checking out our blog post on IB Subjects, along with our other blog posts that outline the syllabus and specific topics covered in various subjects.
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
The Fast Track To Your
Best IB Coursework & College Essays
All content on this website has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate and IB are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.