International Education: The IB Diploma Program

Language and literature studies are offered at UWC Robert Bosch College in English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish and World literature (literature in the mother tongue). The teachers contribute their different cultural backgrounds and native language expertise. The aim of the courses is to promote enthusiasm for language and literature and to teach the ability to analyze literary and non-literary texts. To the IB definition.

A particular focus at UWC Robert Bosch College is on the natural sciences. This group of subjects consists of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Systems and Societies. In all of these subjects, the overarching theme of sustainability is the focus and is incorporated into the lessons; the connection between sustainability and technology is of particular interest. In order to provide sufficient space for practical aspects, the school has introduced the interdisciplinary Liveable Cities Project Week, which takes place once a school year. To the IB definition.

Language acquisition can be achieved in English, German and French. In contrast to language and literature studies, the focus here is on consolidating and expanding existing language skills. Using examples and topics from the respective cultural area, students develop their written and oral skills and improve their understanding of the language. To the IB definition.

Mathematics is a central component of UWC education and is offered as a standard and higher level course; students can choose between either the course Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation. While the former is of interest to young people with a focus on mathematics and science, the latter is suitable for students with a social science profile. About the IB definition.

The Extended Essay is a 4000-word academic paper that allows students to work independently on a topic of their choice and explore it in depth. Supervised by a teacher, they familiarize themselves with research and academic writing; visits to Freiburg’s university library and workshops on correct citation by our school librarian are also offered. About the IB definition.

The humanities at UWC Robert Bosch College include Economics, Environmental Science & Society, European History, Asian History, Political Science and Social and Cultural Anthropology. The aim here is to analyze and understand human experience and behavior and to recognize connections, for example between history and the present or our behavior and cultural influences. About the IB definition.

At RBC, we offer Theater and Visual arts. The aim of this group of subjects is to promote young people’s creative abilities and at the same time provide them with a sound basis for critical thinking and practical research in the various disciplines. About the IB definition.

In the CAS (Creativity, Activity & Service) program, the main focus is on developing young people’s extracurricular skills. Many of the Activities and Creativities are offered by the students themselves, while Services work together with municipal institutions. Above all, the focus is on experiential learning, crossing boundaries and identifying strengths and interests.

How do we know what we assume we know? The ‘Theory of Knowledge’ (TOK) course is an invitation to students to accept and critically question unfamiliar assumptions and embrace new perspectives. In this course, they learn that knowledge is based on assumptions, feelings, languages and logic and that there are different forms of knowledge. TOK is an interdisciplinary subject and is taught by teachers from all six subject groups. Get to the IB definition.