At District of Columbia International School (DCI), we are proud to be an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School that offers an IB-for-All education. This means that every student in grades 6-12 participates in IB classes – without any special applications or testing requirements. As a school community committed to social justice, we believe that all students deserve access to a rigorous, culturally relevant, and globally-minded education that prepares them for success in college, career, and life.
Because of our IB-for-All programming, students at DCI benefit from:
- Challenging academics that build critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving skills
- An international perspective that encourages respect for other cultures and a commitment to making the world a better place
- Opportunities for personal, social, and emotional growth, so students develop into compassionate, responsible global citizens
As an IB World School, DCI offers three of the IB’s internationally recognized academic programs:
- Middle Years Program (MYP) for students in grades 6-10: A foundation for academic and personal growth that encourages students to make interdisciplinary connections between their studies and the world around them.
- Diploma Program (DP) for students in grades 11-12: A challenging academic program that prepares students for success in post-secondary education through a well-balanced program of study with emphasis on research and reflection.
- Career-Related Program (CP) for students in grades 11-12: A rigorous yet flexible academic program that blends college-preparatory coursework with career-related learning, helping students explore their professional interests as they plan for the future.
At DCI, our IB curriculum supports academic excellence and intercultural understanding, helping our students thrive as lifelong learners and global citizens who embrace their potential to make a positive impact in the world.
The IB Middle Years Program provides an advanced academic experience in grades 6-10. Through the IB MYP, students gain both academic and real-world experience and skills. In grades 11-12, students will take courses that will lead to earning the IB Diploma and/or IB subject-specific certificates and/or the IB Career-Related Certificate (IBCP). Students who continue on the language track from their elementary education may also attain the IB Bilingual Diploma.
Students will be able to achieve the rigorous and world-respected IB MYP Certificate, IB Diploma, and/or IB Career Certification. Students who continue on the language track from their elementary education may also attain the IB Bilingual Diploma.
The MYP is implemented from grades 6-10: students are eligible to receive the MYP certificate at the end of 10th grade. Both the IBCP and DP Programmes follow in grades 11-12. Students take exams to earn either the certificate and degree at the end of 12th grade.
The IB MYP, for students aged 11 to 16, provides a framework of academic challenge encouraging students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world and to become critical and reflective thinkers. Students must study their “mother tongue” or “best-spoken language,” a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology/design. In Grade 8, students participate in a Community Project where they take action to improve the local and/or global community. In their final year (grade 10), students engage in a long-term personal project allowing them to demonstrate the understandings and skills they have developed.
At DCI, all of our students in grades 11-12 have the opportunity to enroll in the IB Diploma Program, one of the most highly respected academic programs in the world. The IB Diploma Program challenges students to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. When they graduate from DCI, our DP students are prepared not only for college, but for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and global citizenship.
Because of its emphasis on a balanced education, students in the IB Diploma Program complete coursework in six different “groups” or subject areas that provide breadth and depth in their program of study:
- Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature (English)
- Group 2: Language Acquisition (Chinese, French, or Spanish)
- Group 3: Individuals and Societies (History)
- Group 4: Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Systems and Societies, Physics, or Sports, Exercise and Health Science)
- Group 5: Mathematics
- Group 6: DP Electives
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- Film
- Music
- Theater
- Visual Arts
- Global Politics
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Another DP class from Group 2 (Language Acquisition)
- Another DP class from Group 4 (Sciences)
In addition to their academic coursework, students also take part in the DP Core, which is designed to help them apply their learning beyond the classroom:
- Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS): Extracurricular projects and experiences that promote personal growth, exploration and community engagement
- Extended Essay (EE): An independent and self-directed research project on any topic of the student’s choosing
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK): A transdisciplinary class that pushes students to think critically and question the foundations of how we know what we know
The IB Diploma Program is recognized by colleges and universities around the world for its academic rigor and emphasis on skills like research, writing, and critical thinking. Many universities offer college credit for IB coursework and/or give preference in admissions to IB Diploma candidates. At DCI, we are proud to offer this world-class program to all of our students as part of our commitment to academic excellence, equity and inclusivity.
In 11th and 12th grade, students choose either the IB Diploma Program or the IB Career Program to finish their studies at DCI. The IB Careers Program (IBCP) is an IB qualification which prepares students for college and careers.
The IB Career Program is DCI’s version of what many other schools call “Career and Technical Education,” or CTE.
IB CP students study 6 subjects:
- Group 1: Language and Literature in English
- Group 2: Second Language
- Group 3: Individuals and Societies (History)
- Group 4: Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Exercise Science, Environmental Science)
- Group 5: Mathematics
- Group 6: Coursework in Career-Related Studies
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Audio-Video Production
- Health Sciences (click here to learn more!)
If a student is more interested in a liberal-arts class as their group 6 option, they should consider the IB Diploma Program. Click here to read more about the IB DP.
Each of the career-related studies pathways has coursework aligned to an industry certification or college-credit-bearing exam at the end of the program. Click the links in each pathway to learn more about what courses and certifications are entailed in each.
Students also complete the CP Core, which consists of the Personal and Professional Skills class, Service Learning, and a Reflective Project final essay examining an ethical dilemma in the career field they are studying.
The Career Program is for students who are interested in one of our career-related studies pathways and who are considering pursuing that course of study in college or in their post-high school professional careers. Students can take introductory courses from our pathways in their 9th and 10th grade via their electives, to determine if being a CP concentrator is the right choice for them.
Work-Based Learning and Internships
Students in DCI’s Career Program classes will engage in Work-Based-Learning: learning that directly connects students to the working adult world outside of school. Work-based learning comes in several forms:
- Career Awareness
- In 9th and 10th grade classes, students learn about the structure of their industry and career options within that field. They also meet working professionals to learn about what it takes to do that work.
- Career Exploration
- Later, students move to learning more in detail about particular careers, including field trips to professional settings or job shadows.
- Career Preparation
- In Personal and Professional Skills class, students learn professional communication skills and professional ethics. They also prepare resumes and prepare for interviews.
- Paid Internships
- CP students have first access to paid internships in their CP pathway during the summer between junior and senior year. They can also participate in the Advanced Internship Program, in which they do a paid internship during their senior year as a replacement for one of their class periods.
Career-Technical Student Organizations and External Partnerships
Our CP Pathways strive to each have at least one career-technical student organization: a club or competitive team where students can expand and then showcase their skills to an external audience. The list below shows the current organizations that we partner with to bring even more real-world value to our coursework:
- Audio Video Production: Student Television Network, PBS Student Reporting Lab
- Health Sciences: Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA)
- Computer Science: FIRST Robotics, Amazon Future Engineers
- Engineering: FIRST Robotics, Engineering 4USAll (E4USA)