History is a dynamic, contested, evidence-based discipline that involves an exciting engagement with the past.
History is an exploratory subject that fosters a sense of inquiry. It is also an interpretive discipline, allowing opportunity for engagement with multiple perspectives and opinions. Studying history develops an understanding of the past, which leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of humans and of the world today.
The Diploma Programme (DP) history course is a world history course based on a comparative, multi-perspective approach to history and focused around key historical concepts such as change, causation and significance. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills. In this way, the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past.
The DP history course requires students to study and compare examples from different regions of the world, helping to foster international mindedness. Teachers have a great deal of freedom to choose relevant examples to explore with their students, helping to ensure that the course meets their students’ needs and interests regardless of their location or context.
History is available at both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL).
Please click on the arrow for a detailed breakdown:
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR HISTORY | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Additional Details | Length of time. | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Paper 1 The Move to Global War Case study 1: Japanese expansion in East Asia (1931–1941) | What caused Japanese expansion? | Students will examine Japanese social, economic and political developments from the 19th and 20th Centuries in the lead up to WW2. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template source – identify questions (5 marks), compare and contrast question (4 marks), content/origin/purpose question (6 marks). It will be marked /15. | 15 Lessons | Open Minded students will consider the impact that Japanese domestic and foreign policy had on regional and international relations |
| What domestic issues did Japan face? | ||||
| How did Japan react to regional instability in China? | ||||
| What were their actions in the Manchurian Crisis & Sino/Japan War | ||||
| What was the international response to Japanese foreign policy? | ||||
| Paper 1 The Move to Global War Case Study 2: German and Italian expansion (1933-1940) | How did Fascism cause Italian expansion? | Students will examine Italian and German social, economic and political developments from the 19th and 20th Centuries in the lead up to WW2. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template source – identify questions (5 marks), compare and contrast question (4 marks), content/origin/purpose question (6 marks), synthesis question (9 marks) It will be marked /24. | 15 Lessons | Knowledgeable Students will develop a conceptual understanding of Italian and German domestic and foreign policy, and impact it had in a geopolitical context |
| How did economic issues cause Italian expansion? | ||||
| How did economic issues cause German expansion? | ||||
| How did European issues cause German expansion? | ||||
| What were Germany’s actions within their expansion | ||||
| What were Italy’s actions within their expansion | ||||
| What was the international response to Germany’s actions? | ||||
| What was the international response to Italy’s actions? | ||||
| Paper 2 World History Topic 10 : Authoritarian States (Germany-Hitler) | Students will examine the social, political and economic totalitarianism of the German authoritarian state under the leadership of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template – an extended essay exam question. It will be marked /15. | 25 Lessons | Thinker Students will use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse the emergence, consolidation of the German authoritarian state. | |
| What defines an authoritarian state? | ||||
| How did the authoritarian state emerge? | ||||
| How was the authoritarian state consolidated? | ||||
| What were the aims and policies of the authoritarian state? | ||||
| How do you answer an extended essay question for Paper 2? | ||||
| IA – Independent Assessment | Students will undertake their discovery and question setting phase of the Independent Assessment (IA). At the conclusion of this introductory period they will submit their Source Evaluation section for detailed feedback. | 4 Lessons | Inquirer Students will develop their analytical and source analysis skills by undertaking research discovery for an IA topic of their choice | |
| How do we formulate a strong IA investigation question? | ||||
| How do we critically analyse source material for IA investigation? | ||||
| How do we use content origin and purpose in IA? | ||||
| Paper 2 World History Topic 10 : Authoritarian States (China – Mao) | What issues existed in early 20th Century China? | Students will examine the social, political and economic factors that lead to the rise and consolidation of the Chinese authoritarian state under the leadership of Mao Tse Tung and the Nazi Party. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template – an extended essay exam question. It will be marked /15. | 25 Lessons | Balanced Students will take a balanced approach to evaluating the emergence of the Chinese authoritarian state, while comparing and contrasting it with the German equivalent |
| How did the authoritarian state emerge based on post war problems? | ||||
| What were the key factors that led to the emergence of Mao’s state? | ||||
| How was the authoritarian state consolidated? | ||||
| What were the aims and policies of the authoritarian state? | ||||
| How do you answer an extended comparative essay question for Paper 2? | ||||
| Paper 2 World History Topic 12 : The Cold War | Students will evaluate diffeing political ideologies to understand how they led to a global Cold War conflict that endured for decades. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template – an extended essay exam question. It will be marked /15. | 25 Lessons | Open Minded Students will take an open minded approach to evaluating the Cold War conflict, while comparing and contrasting differing political ideologies. | |
| What were the ideological differences existed before the Cold War? | ||||
| What events led to the breakdown of the Grand Alliance? | ||||
| What steps led to the start of the Cold War? | ||||
| What Cold War conflicts were significant for global politics? | ||||
| What were the key post Cold War developments? | ||||
| THE LEARNING JOURNEY FOR HISTORY | ||||
| Unit / Block of work | Key Episodes / Questions | Additional details | Length of time. | Learner Attribute(s) |
| Paper 3 HL Option 4: History of Europe 8. The French Revolution & Napoleon (1774-1815) | What were the crises of the Ancient Regime? | Students will examine the social, political and economic issues within 18th Century France that lead to the overthrow of the monarchy and the French Revolution. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template – a focused, extended essay exam question. It will be marked /15. | 25 Lessons | Caring Students will show empathy, compassion and respect when evaluating the difficulties for differing elements of French society in the lead up to and during the French Revolution. |
| What were the short term causes of the French Revolution? | ||||
| What role did the monarchy play in the revolutionary events? | ||||
| What were the major events of the French Revolution? | ||||
| What impact did the Directory have on society? | ||||
| What were the key events within Napoleonic France? | ||||
| What impact did the Napoleonic Wars have on French leadership? | ||||
| Paper 3 HL Option 4: 14: European states in the inter-war years (1918–1939) | What were the primary societal issues in post WW1 Spain? | Students will examine the progress of selected European states between WW1 and WW2, evaluating how politics, economic developments, social initiatives, and foreign policy impacted the lives of the citizens of those nations. At the end of the unit students will be assessed using the IB History examination past paper assessment template – a focused, extended essay exam question. It will be marked /15. | 30 lessons | Principled Students will act with integrity and a sense of fairness and justice when examining the experience of citizens during the evolution of European states between WW1 and WW2 |
| What were the key components of Franco’s Spanish rule? | ||||
| What were the primary societal issues in post WW1 Italy? | ||||
| How did Mussolini rise to and consolidate power? | ||||
| How did German society cope after the devastation of WW1? | ||||
| Who were the key political proponents in Germany between the wars? | ||||
| Paper 1,2 and 3 Revision | Students will evaluate their academic progress across their chosen Standard or High Level programs by utilising individual and shared resources. At the end of the unit students will sit their final external examinations for the course. Paper 1 – /24, Paper 2 – /30, Paper 3 – /45 | 15 Lessons | Reflective Students will reflect on their studies and academic performance as they revise and practice examination specific material | |
| What are the key components of answering Paper 1 questions? | ||||
| How do you structure a Paper 2 comparative question? | ||||
| How is historiography effectively deployed in Papers 2 & 3? | ||||
| What are the essential timing breakdowns for exam across papers? | ||||