Group 6: Electives
Art
Instead of the course being devised and moderated by the exam board the IB Visual Art course is constructed, in collaboration with you, by the art staff who teach you. You will then devise your own projects and design briefs in consultation with your teacher. This will reflect your personal interests and strengths. It should also reflect the schools resources and your local culture and environment.
You will relate your personal studies to the world around you, making connections to society and culture from other areas of the world to see the subject from a global perspective.
The course is then approved, monitored and assessed by the IBO.
It is suitable for students who have their own ideas about what they want to pursue and achieve.
Music
Unlike A Level, which involves the study of several set works, the IB involves the study of one set work in more detail. The course requires a knowledge of Western music, non-Western music from around the world and other popular music styles, and you will prepare a written presentation about a musical topic of your choice, comparing two musical genres. If you choose to study Music at Standard Level, you can choose between performance (solo or group) or composition.
IB has no specific examination in 'aural perception', unlike A Level, although you will be required to write critical responses on unprepared extracts of music as part of the Musical Perception and Analysis paper. A Level requires a higher level of aural perception skills as you will sit an aural perception paper which asks you to answer questions on unprepared extracts from a prescribed area of study.
Theatre Arts
The exciting aspect of the IB course is that you are given the opportunity to understand the nature of World Theatre; by making it as well as studying it, not only with your minds but with your senses, bodies and emotions. Unlike the A level course, you will explore three contrasting World Theatre traditions or practices and play texts from different cultures. The course will appeal to you if who have an appreciation of live theatre.
