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International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

 
 
 

Introduction       

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) is a challenging curriculum offered to high school students around the world between the ages of 16 to 19. The curriculum is designed to prepare high school students for the transition into advanced post-secondary coursework.

High school students who participate in the IB program either complete a few IB courses, earning an IB certificate of completion for each course, or students can earn the full IB diploma. Students who complete the full DP program, may do so over the span of 2 years during their junior and senior years to earn the IB Diploma.

Students may also choose to take as few, or as many courses they wish and their high school allows. In such cases, students do not earn the IB diploma, but instead earn course credits and a series of IB scores referred to as Diploma Programme Course Results (DPCR). Moreover, students who attempt to earn the IB Diploma, but do not meet the diploma requirements also receive DPCR credit.

Course subjects are offered at two different levels: Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). SL and HL courses differ in scope, but are assessed in the same way. Standard Level subjects take up to 150 teaching hours, with Higher Level consisting of 240 teaching hours.

Students select IB courses from six different subject areas, and usually take 3 SL courses and 3 HL courses for a total of six IB courses.

Costs for these exams will vary by IB school.​

Assessment       

The grading scale for each IB course ranges from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Grades are earned based on the extent in which students master course content and demonstrate skills in critical thinking, presenting information, evaluating and constructing arguments, and conducting research. Written examinations are completed at the end of each course and are the foundation for final grading. 

To earn the IB Diploma, students must earn at least 24 points and complete the extended essay. The maximum points a student may earn in the full IB Diploma program is a total of 45 points. The highest possible point breakdown would consist of six courses each with a maximum score of 7 each, and 3 additional points for completing a core course. The optional core course offers students the opportunity to engage in an independent research project, further enhance their critical thinking skills, or participate in a service learning project.


IB Scores                           

The International Baccalaureate (IB) organization provides an official transcript of the student’s results for the IB Diploma Program. Transcripts are sent directly to colleges and universities. Official scores are not released to students directly. The IB organization releases exam results twice a year on the following dates:                                                   

    • July 5th for students who complete the IB exam in May
    • January 2nd for students who complete the IB exam in November    

Students who are interested in sending their official IB results to City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), for an evaluation of credit, must have the IB scores sent to the CCC campus they plan to enroll at. Official IB scores may be delivered to CCC through option 1 or 2 below:       

    1. Both the student and IB coordinator, at the student’s high school, arrange to have the IB scores delivered to one of the City Colleges of Chicago. All requests must be submitted by the coordinator at the high school where the student is taking IB coursework. These requests are sent to the IB organization and the scores are later released by the IB organization to CCC electronically with no cost to the student. Free scores may be requested only one time while the student is enrolled in high school.        
    2. Additional IB results may be requested by the student at www.ibo.org at a cost of $17.00 per transcript.
      Students may submit an online request for an IB replacement score here: https://rrs.ibo.org/replacement_orders/index.cfm          

Replacement scores must be sent to the CCC campus the student intends to enroll at. Once the request is submitted and paid for by the student, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization will deliver the official scores to CCC. Students may elect to have the IB transcript sent to a campus as a paper transcript, or they may also request for electronic delivery.      

Recognition of IB for college credit at City Colleges of Chicago                      

Each student must be admitted at CCC in order for IB scores to be properly evaluated and processed in the system. IB scores cannot be processed if there is no CCC student record.  

City Colleges of Chicago use official IB scores to award college credit to students in the form of credit by assessment. IB scores are official only when results are delivered by the IB organization directly to a CCC campus. Copies, printouts, scanned or emailed results delivered by students to CCC are considered unofficial. Unofficial IB results will not be accepted for an evaluation of credit.

Guidelines for awarding college credit for IB are based upon CCC faculty review of the IB course curriculum and an evaluation of learning outcomes. Faculty recommendations have established the course equivalencies for awarding college credit at CCC.

The recognition of IB credit at City Colleges of Chicago may differ from other two year colleges and four year universities. Each college and university establishes their own IB credit policies and procedures.

The IB course equivalency grid below demonstrates the credits awarded based on the IB subject and corresponding score. Each of these courses fulfill degree requirements at CCC in the form of general education coursework or elective credit.

For more information about the IB organization and their IB diploma program please visit www.ibo.org. For general questions on IB credit acceptance at City Colleges of Chicago, please contact the Office of the Registrar at any of the CCC campuses.   ​​​​​ 

Faculty & Staff

IB Course Equivalencies

Students admitted to City Colleges of Chicago will be awarded course credit in the amounts indicated below. Official International Baccalaureate (IB) transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Admissions when enrolling at CCC.

  1. There are no grades or quality points associated with the awarding of IB credit at CCC. IB course credit does not impact college GPA.
  2. Credit awarded through IB is not allowed for repeatable course credit, or allowed for grade forgiveness for the equivalent course if the equivalent course is also attempted at CCC.

Course equivalencies as of June 2023


IB Test

Min Score

Max Score

CCC Course Equivalent

Equivalent​ Course Title

Credit Hours

Group I: Language and Literature

English A: Literature

SL

4

7

English 101

Composition I

3

HL

4

7

English 101

Composition I

3

English A: Language and Lit

SL

4

7

English 101

Composition I

3

HL

4

7

English 101

Composition I

3

English A: Literature and Performance

SL

4

7

English 888

English Elective

3

Spanish A: Literature

SL

4

7

Spanish 101 and 102

First Course Spanish and Second Course Spanish

8

HL

4

5

Spanish 102 and 103

Second Course Spanish and Third Course Spanish

8

HL

6

6

Spanish 103 and 104

Third Course Spanish and Fourth Course Spanish

8

HL

7

7

Spanish 113 and 114

Spanish for Near-Native Speakers I and II

8

Spanish A: Language and Literature

 

SL

4

7

Spanish 101 and 102

First Course Spanish and Second Course Spanish

8

HL

4

5

Spanish 102 and 103

Second Course Spanish and Third Course Spanish

8

6

6

Spanish 103 and 104

Third Course Spanish and Fourth Course Spanish

8

7

7

Spanish 113 and 114

Spanish for Near-Native Speakers I and II

8

Spanish A: Literature and Performance

SL

4

7

Spanish 888

 

Spanish Elective

4

French A: Literature

SL

4

7

French 101 and French 102

First Course French and Second Course French

8

HL

4

5

French 102 and 103

Second Course French and Third Course French

8

6

7

French 103 and 104

Third Course French and Fourth Course French

8

French A: Literature and Performance

SL

4

7

French 888

 

French elective

4

French A: Language and Lit

SL

4

7

French 101 and French 102

First Course French and Second Course French

8

French A: Language and Lit

HL

4

5

French 102 and French 103

Second Course French and Third Course French

8

6

7

French 103 and French 104

Third Course French and Fourth Course French

8

Polish A: Literature

 

SL

4

7

Polish 101 and Polish 102

First Course Polish and Second Course Polish

8

HL

4

5

Polish 102 and Polish 103

Second Course Polish and Third Course Polish

8

6

7

Polish 103 and Polish 104

Third Course Polish and Fourth Course Polish

8

Group II: Language Acquisition

Language AB Initio - Spanish

SL

4

7

Spanish 101 and 102

First Course Spanish and Second Course Spanish

8

Language AB Initio - French

SL

4

7

French 101 and 102

First Course French and Second Course French

8

Language B: Arabic

SL

4

7

Arabic 888

Arabic elective

4

HL

4

7

Arabic 888

Arabic elective

4

Language B Cantonese

SL

4

7

Chinese 888

Chinese elective

4

HL

4

7

Chinese 888

Chinese elective

4

Language B Japanese

SL

4

7

Japanese 888

Japanese elective

4

HL

4

7

Japanese 888

Japanese elective

4

Language B Mandarin

SL

4

7

Chinese 888

Chinese elective

4

HL

4

7

Chinese 888

Chinese elective

4

Language B Spanish

SL

4

7

Spanish 101 and Spanish 102

First Course Spanish and Second Course Spanish

8

HL

4

5

Spanish 102 and Spanish 103

Second Course Spanish and Third Course Spanish

8

6

6

Spanish 103 and Spanish 104

Third Course Spanish and Fourth Course Spanish

8

7

7

Spanish 113 and Spanish 114

Spanish for Near-Native Speakers I and Spanish for Near-Native Speakers II

8

Language B French

SL

4

7

French 101 and French 102

First Course French and Second Course French

8

HL

4

5

French 102 and French 103

Second Course French and Third Course French

8

6

7

French 103 and French 104

Third Course French and Fourth Course French

8

Group III: Individuals and Societies

Business Management

SL

4

7

Business 111

Introduction to Business

3

HL

4

7

Business 111

Introduction to Business

3

Economics

HL

4

7

Economics 201 and Economics 202

Principles of Economics I and II

6

Environmental Systems and Societies

SL

4

7

Environmental Studies 888

Environmental Studies elective

3

Geography

SL

4

7

Geography 201

Physical Geography

3

HL

4

7

Geography 201

Physical Geography

3

Global Politics

SL

4

7

Political Science 888

Political Science Elective

3

HL

4

7

Political Science 888

Political Science Elective

3

History

SL

4

7

HIST 888

History Elective

3

HL

4

7

HIST 888

History Elective

3

Philosophy

SL

4

7

Philosophy 106

Introduction to Philosophy

3

HL

4

7

Philosophy 106

Introduction to Philosophy

3

Psychology

SL

4

7

Psychology 201

General Psychology

3

HL

4

7

Psychology 201

General Psychology

3

Social and Cultural Anthropology

SL

4

7

Anthropology 202

Cultural Anthropology

3

HL

4

7

Anthropology 202

Cultural Anthropology

3

World Religions SL

SL

4

7

Philosophy 108

Philosophy of Religion

3

Group IV: Experimental Sciences

Biology

SL

4

7

Biology 121

Biology I

5

HL

4

7

Biology 122

Biology II

5

Chemistry

SL

4

7

Chemistry 121

Basic Chemistry I

4

Chemistry

HL

4

5

Chemistry 201

General Chemistry I

5

6

7

Chemistry 201 and Chemistry 203

General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II

10

Computer Science

SL

4

7

Computer Info Systems 101

Computer Science 101  

3

HL

4

7

Computer Info Systems 101 and 144

Computer Science 101 and Java-Programming

6

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)

SL

4

7

Computer Information Systems 888

Computer Information Systems elective

3

HL

4

7

Computer Information Systems 888

Computer Information Systems elective

3

Physics

 

 

SL

4

7

Physics 235

Engineering Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion

5

HL

4

5

Physics 235

Engineering Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion

5

6

7

Physics 235 and Physics 236

Engineering Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion and Engineering Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

10

Sports Exercise & Health Science

SL

4

7

Health 888

 

Health elective

3

Group V: Mathematics

Mathematics

SL

4

7

Math 207

Calculus and Analytic Geometry I

5

HL

4

7

Math 207

Calculus and Analytic Geometry I

5

Mathematical Studies

SL

4

7

Math 888

Mathematics elective

4

HL

4

7

Math 888

Mathematics elective

4

Further Mathematics

HL

4

7

Math 888

Mathematics Elective

4

Group VI: The Arts

Dance

SL

4

7

Physical Education 888

Physical Education Elective

3

Film

SL

4

7

Fine Art 104

The World of the Cinema

3

HL

4

7

Fine Art 104

The World of the Cinema

3

Music

HL

4

7

Music 101 and Music 102 and Music 103

Fundamentals of Music Theory and

Music Theory II and III

9

Music� Composition

SL

4

7

Music 121

Introduction to Music

3

Music Group

SL

4

7

Music 121

Introduction to Music

3

Music Solo

SL

4

7

Music 121

Introduction to Music

3

Theatre

SL

4

7

Theater 888

Theater elective

3

HL

4

7

Theater 888

Theater elective

3

Visual Arts

SL

4

7

Art 144

Two-Dimensional Design

3

HL

4

7

Art 144

Two-Dimensional Design

3
​

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