Like the Diploma Programme, the IB CP is an academic option open to students entering their final two years of secondary school. There are two main components to the IB CP: a rigorous academic course-load and a career-related program, which students complete concurrently. These two components are bridged by a set of specially-designed IBCP core requirements.

IB CP students take at least two IB courses, which they may select from any subject group, and also study a world language. While completing these classes, they also embark on a two-year professional program of their choice. The program is ideal for students who are particularly interested in a specific career because it offers the opportunity to gain hands-on professional experience while also staying on track to succeed academically and attend university.

Also called vocational, technical, or professional studies, a career-related education is a course of study that prepares the student for a specific career or position. Although IB CP students are free to choose any field that interests them, they are required to participate in an accredited professional program. St

The academic and career-related components of the program are tied together by the IB CP core, which comprises the foundational Personal & Professional Skills course, a 50 hour community and service requirement, a reflective project, and language development. Personal & Professional Skills, a course specifically developed for the IB CP, focuses on building skills needed to operate successfully in society and in the workplace. The career-related portion of the program culminates in a reflective project through which students explore an ethical issue related to their career study. Finally, in keeping with the IB’s commitment to creating globally-minded learners, the IB CP requires students to study a modern language over the two years of the program (though they need not take an IB language course).

There are a few notable differences between the core requirements for the IB DP and the IB CP. One of them is the reflective project: unlike the IB DP’s Extended Essay, the project can be presented in any format. Students explore an ethical dilemma and use the skills that they have cultivated through their career-related education to find answers. The Personal & Professional Skills course helps students develop intercultural understanding, communication and leadership skills, and a personal code of ethics. In contrast to the IB DP’s Theory of Knowledge, which has a completely different focus, Personal & Professional Skills aims to teach quantifiable and practical skills that students will need in the workplace and beyond.

Overall, the IB CP core is more customizable than the IB DP requirements are because it is meant to connect the student’s academic course-load and career-related program.

​One of the major advantages that the IBCP offers students is flexibility: it allows them to both pursue challenging academics and gain professional skills. IB CP lets students design their own course of study and prioritizes their interests while still providing a structured and rigorous environment.

IB CP graduates are prepared for a wide range of post-secondary options, including going on to university, working in the “real world”, and pursuing further professional studies. Many students who may not have chosen the Diploma Programme because their interests lie in professional training choose the IB CP because it offers the best of both worlds.