The IB Diploma Programme is taught in the last two years (11th and 12th grade). The IBDP is internationally recognized for university admission, including Austria. The IB Diploma (IBDP) is offered at the LISA in addition to the Austrian Reifeprüfung (“Matura”).
Find out more about the IB Diploma Programme: ibdp_en
Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS)
Creativity, Activity, and Service, better known as CAS is a pillar of the LISA experience. Completing the program is a requirement of the International Baccalaureate, but here at the LISA, we want to move beyond checking the IB requirements boxes and create a program that allows students to enrich their lives while better preparing them for life after they graduate.
What is CAS? CAS is a self-directed program that requires students to conceive, plan, complete, and reflect on a number of activities over the course of their last two years at the LISA. Students are required to evenly divide their experiences between artistic interests (Creativity), sports pursuits (Activity), and bettering their school, local, or world community (Service). Our philosophy at the LISA is to give students as much latitude as possible in choosing how they fulfill these requirements, so they feel comfortable in going beyond themselves and explore a wide variety of experiences.
What is the CAS project? Additionally, students have to plan, manage and reflect on a month-long collaborative project in one or more of the CAS strands. This gives students the opportunity to be creative in focusing their energy on a lengthy project that suits their particular interests.
What do our students gain from the CAS program? First, CAS is designed to nudge students out of their comfort zones and inspire them to do things they might not have done on their own. In many cases, students discover a passion for an activity that continues to enrich their lives long after graduating from the LISA.
Secondly, the CAS program helps students develop skills needed to manage long-term projects. Whether the student is destined to visit the university or trade school or go straight into the job market, completing this program gives them organizational skills that will serve them well in life.
From a practical standpoint, CAS gives students an advantage when applying for admission to a university, trade school, or for a job. A well-conceived and managed CAS program provides students with a set of experiences that set them apart from other applicants by virtue of the fact that they can clearly demonstrate a number of skills and abilities that admissions officials and personal directors are looking for.
How does CAS develop better citizens? Essential to the LISA philosophy is that the CAS experience in sum encourage students to develop depth to their personalities and serve as a conduit that allows them to unlock their own full potential. In combination with the international flair of the LISA, the CAS program plays a vital role in developing LISA students into citizens who are well equipped to participate in the world community and embrace its great cultural diversity.
Please contact our CAS-Coordinator Mr. Greenway for further information about the CAS-Program: gr@europagym.at
IB DP Subjects
LISA is one of only 10 schools in Austria and the only one in Upper
Austria, offering the IB. LISA prepares students for the IB diploma as
well as for the Austrian “Reifeprüfung”. LISA is an approved “IB World
School”.
To earn an IB diploma the following criteria must be fulfilled:
- “External Assessment”: final exams in 6 subjects (see below)
- “Extended Essay”: a depth study relying on independent research
- “CAS Program”: Creativity, Action, Service program. Each student must work 150 hours outside of school.
- “Internal Assessment”: a portfolio of work must be completed for each chosen subject
- “Theory of Knowledge”: An essay examining how knowledge and meaning is constructed
The examination for the Diploma requires candidates to take six subjects, each normally studied over a period of two years. At least three and not more than four must be taken at Higher Level (HL) and the others at Standard Level (SL). The six subjects must be chosen by selecting from each of the following subjects:
IB Subject Choice
IB subjects are choosen in year 6 (6. Klasse) for the upcoming two school years. The IB Diploma Programme will take place during the last two school years (years 7 and 8). In order for students to be able to choose a wide range of IB Diploma Subjects, preparation for the IB Diploma Programme (and the Austrian Matura) will start in year 5.
The IB Core
Group 1: Studies of Language and Literature
Group 2: Language acquisition
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
- Business and Management HL
- Economics SL
- Geography SL/HL
- Digital Society SL/HL
- History SL
- History HL
- Psychology SL
Group 4: Experimental Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts
Examples:
- HL: German A1, English B, History – SL: Maths, Biology, Theatre Arts
- HL: German A1, English B, Maths – SL: Physics, History, French B
- HL: German A1, English B, Geography – SL: Maths, Physics, Art/Design
- HL: English A1, German B, Biology – SL: Economics, Chemistry, Maths.
- more combinations are of course possible
Additional Requirements:
- Extended Essay: 4000 words; supervised by the teacher, assessed by an examiner.
- Theory of Knowledge: critical reflection on what
the student claims to know and what is professed as knowledge by others.
Assessed by the TOK teacher and an examiner. - CAS – Programme: Creativity: e.g. arts, drama,
musical instruments,… Action: e.g. sports, outings, organising, …
Service: e.g. social service, welfare, environment, … Assessed by
the CAS coordinator and monitored by the IB Regional Office.
