IB Environmental Systems and Societies SL course is a transdisciplinary (IB groups 3 and 4) Standard Level course. The course provides students with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies. Topics of study include systems and models, the ecosystem, human population, carrying capacity and resource use, conservation and biodiversity, pollution management, climate change, and environmental value systems. This course seeks to promote an understanding of environmental processes at a variety of scales, from local to global, provide a body of knowledge, methodologies and skills that can be used in the analysis of environmental issues at local and global levels, and enable students to apply the knowledge, methodologies and skills gained. Because the course is transdisciplinary it offers students requirements for both IB groups 3 and 4, leaving students the opportunity to study another subject from any group. This course meets two periods in the same year and carries two credits.
Prerequisites
B average in previous science courses. Open to all Grade 11 and 12 W-L students who meet the prerequisites.
This course prepares students for the required Standard Level IB examination in Environmental Systems and Societies, which is taken at the end of the course of study. Students will complete an Internal Assessment and sit for External Assessments (two papers/exams). This IB course is weighted by applying an additional 1.0 quality point value assigned to the final grade upon completion of the course.