INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE WORLD SCHOOL

In 2015, Villanova Preparatory School was authorized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The Diploma Programme (DP) is a curriculum framework designed by the International Baccalaureate for students in their junior and senior years completing high school.

Villanova is the only boarding school in California that offers the IB Diploma Programme.

Students may choose to take individual courses in depth or challenge themselves to go for the full diploma. Students graduating with the full diploma are able to study at universities all over the world, often with advanced credit. These college courses in the Diploma Programme will enable our students to be more successful in the university setting through research, writing, critical thinking, time management, and self-confidence. More importantly, these skills are usually lifelong in giving the IB graduates an understanding and respect for other people, cultures, and ecological issues and their responsibilities towards them.

The Diploma Programme requires students to study six subjects (three at the standard level and three at the higher level) over two years and complete three additional core requirements: Theory of Knowledge(TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) hours outside of class. Additionally, students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 points on final assessments which are externally marked, in order to receive an IB diploma.