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IB Philosophy: the syllabus, exam papers and the internal assessment

A guide to IB Philosophy: the core theme on being human, optional themes, the prescribed text, HL vs SL, the exam papers and the internal assessment on a non-philosophical stimulus.

IB Courses Academic Team2 min read

IB Philosophy is a group 3 subject that trains students to construct and evaluate arguments about fundamental questions. Its marks reward rigorous argument, precise use of philosophical concepts and balanced evaluation — not opinion. Success in the Diploma Programme comes from reasoning carefully and engaging with counter-arguments. For one-to-one support see IB Philosophy tutoring.

Syllabus structure

The course centres on a compulsory core theme, Being Human, which asks what it is to be a person. Students also study one or more optional themes (such as ethics, philosophy of religion, political philosophy or aesthetics) and a prescribed philosophical text studied in depth. HL adds the study of philosophy itself as a second-order activity.

HL vs SL

SL and HL share the core and options; HL studies more optional material and adds an additional paper on the nature and methods of philosophy (doing philosophy). HL therefore demands meta-level reflection on how philosophical inquiry works.

The exam papers

  • Paper 1: essays on the core theme and optional themes, built on argument and evaluation.
  • Paper 2: an essay on the prescribed text, requiring close knowledge of its arguments.
  • HL Paper 3: on the nature, function and methodology of philosophy.

The internal assessment

The Philosophy IA analyses a non-philosophical stimulus (a film, image, article or piece of music) to draw out and examine a philosophical issue. A strong IA identifies a genuine philosophical question in the stimulus and develops a rigorous argument, rather than describing the stimulus.

What earns marks

  • Argue, don't assert: every claim needs reasoning; unsupported opinion earns little.
  • Engage counter-arguments: top-band essays evaluate the strongest opposing view.
  • Use concepts precisely: deploy philosophical terminology and named positions accurately.
  • Know the prescribed text closely: Paper 2 rewards detailed command of the text's arguments.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need prior philosophy to take IB Philosophy?
No; the course starts from first principles. What helps most is a willingness to argue carefully and engage with views you disagree with.
What is the Philosophy IA?
An analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus (such as a film or image) that identifies and examines a philosophical issue through a developed argument.
How do I move up the mark bands?
Build tight arguments, evaluate the strongest counter-position and use philosophical concepts precisely. Practising timed essays against the assessment criteria is the fastest route.

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