International Baccalaureate
Middle Years Programme Subject Brief
Individuals and societies
From 2014
The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is designed for students aged 11 to 16. It provides a framework of learning
that emphasizes intellectual challenge and encourages connections between studies in traditional subjects
and the real world. The MYP focuses on “learning how to learn” through the systematic development
of approaches to learning (ATL) skills for communication, collaboration, organization, self-
management, reflection, research, informational literacy, media literacy, creative and critical
thinking, and transfer of learning. It also fosters intercultural understanding and global
engagement—essential qualities for young people today.
Interdisciplinary teaching and learning builds a connected curriculum that addresses
the developmental needs of students and prepares them for further academic study
and life in an increasingly interconnected world. The MYP uses concepts and contexts
as starting points for meaningful integration and transfer of knowledge across eight
subject groups.
For students seeking a formal qualification at the end of the programme’s
Year 5, the IB offers eAssessments that lead to the IB MYP certificate or course results
for individual subject areas. To earn the MYP certificate, students must complete
2 hour on-screen examinations in each of the following: language and literature,
individuals and society, sciences, mathematics and interdisciplinary learning; submit
an ePortfolio in language acquisition and one of the following: design, arts or physical
and health education; complete a moderated personal project; and complete school-based
expectations for service as action (community service).
I. Course description and aims II. Curriculum overview III. Assessment criteria IV. MYP eAssessment
I. Course description and aims • develop inquiry skills that lead towards conceptual understandings
of the relationships between individuals, societies and the
The MYP individuals and societies subject group incorporates disciplines environments in which they live.
traditionally studied under humanities and social sciences. This subject
group encourages learners to respect and understand the world around
them, and equips them with the necessary skills to inquire into historical,
II. Curriculum model overview
geographical, political, social, economic, and cultural factors that affect For MYP individuals and societies, schools develop courses in integrated
individuals, societies and environments. humanities, history, economics, geography, philosophy, sociology/
anthropology, business management, psychology, and world religions.
The study of individuals and societies helps students to appreciate
critically the diversity of human culture, attitudes and beliefs. Courses The MYP promotes inquiry in these subjects by developing conceptual
in this subject group are important for helping students to recognize that understanding within global contexts.
both content and methodology can be debatable and controversial, and
for practising the tolerance of uncertainty. Key concepts such as change, global interactions, time, place and space,
and systems broadly frame the MYP curriculum.
The IB’s approach to this subject area includes a strong focus on inquiry
and investigation. Students collect, describe and analyse data; test Related concepts promote deeper learning grounded in specific
hypotheses; and learn how to interpret increasingly complex information, disciplines. Examples of related concepts in MYP individual and societies
including original source material. This focus on real-world examples, include causality, globalization, culture and sustainability.
research and analysis is an essential aspect of the subject group and
relevant to their lives and be encouraged to apply it to new situations. Students explore key and related concepts through MYP global contexts
The aims of MYP individuals and societies are to encourage and enable • Identities and relationships
students to: • Orientation in space and time
: • Personal and cultural expression
• appreciate human and environmental commonalities and diversity • Scientific and technical innovation
• un d e r s t an d th e inte r ac ti o ns an d inte rd e p e n d e n ce • Globalization and sustainability
of individuals, societies and the environment • Fairness and development
• understand how both environmental and human systems operate
and evolve
• identify and develop concern for the well-being of human
communities and the natural environment
• act as responsible citizens of local and global communities
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2021
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The MYP curriculum framework offers schools flexibility to Examination blueprints define the structure of tasks that simulate,
determine engaging, relevant, challenging and significant content that replicate and sample formative internal assessments. In MYP individuals
meets local and national curriculum requirements. This inquiry-based and societies courses, on-screen examinations comprise three tasks.
curriculum explores factual, conceptual and debatable questions in
the study of individuals and societies.
Task Assessment criteria Marks
The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each
subject area in each year of the programme. For students Investigating Student s will evaluate an 26
participating in MYP eAssessment, the IB recommends investigation and plan their
70 hours of guided learning each year in MYP years 4 and 5. own. Students are also asked to
demonstrate knowledge and
understanding, either from
III. Assessment criteria their course or from information
presented in source material.
Each individuals and societies objective corresponds to one of (Criteria A and B).
four equally weighted assessment criteria. Each criterion has eight
Communicating The communicating task 18
possible achievement levels (1–8), divided into four bands with unique
requires students to engage
descriptors that teachers use to make judgments about students’ work.
creatively with a given topic or
context, presenting information
Criterion A: Knowing and understanding
and ideas effectively using an
Students develop factual and conceptual knowledge about individuals and
appropriate style for the audience
societies.
and purpose and in a way that
is appropriate to the specified
Criterion B: Investigating
format. (Criteria A and C)
Students develop systematic research skills and processes associated
with disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Students develop Thinking critically The final task assesses students’ 36
successful strategies for investigating independently and in collaboration abilit y to think about and
with others. discuss issues, arguments and
perspectives through structured
Criterion C: Communicating questions culminating in an
Students develop skills to organize, document and communicate their ex tended piece of writing.
learning using a variety of media and presentation formats. (Criteria A, C and D)
Criterion D: Thinking critically
Students use critical-thinking skills to develop and apply their understanding MYP individuals and societies on-screen examinations are aligned
of individuals and societies and the process of investigation. with understanding and skills that prepare students for high levels of
achievement in IB Diploma Programme courses in individuals and
societies.
IV. MYP eAssessment
Students seeking IB MYP course results or the IB MYP certificate must Sample questions (from history eAssessment)
demonstrate their achievement of the subject group’s objectives by
completing an end-of-course on-screen examination. On-screen • Explain one value or one limitation of source B for a student
examinations are formal external examinations, and are available in researching protests.
history, geography and integrated humanities. • Compare and contrast source C and source D in terms of their
usefulness in studying protest movements.
Topics explored in MYP individuals and societies on-screen examinations • To what extent do you agree that gaining support from different
include: groups in society is the most important factor in making sure a
protest movement is successful?
• demographics and human movements
• settlement and urban morphology
• superpowers, empires, and supra-national alliances
and organizations
• significant individuals
• warfare and peacekeeping
• rights and social protest
• trade, aid and exchange
• economic agents and their interests and role in the economy:
consumers, producers, governments, banks
• measurements and trends
• industrialization and technological developments.
About the IB: For over 45 years, the IB has built a reputation for high-quality, challenging programmes of
education that develop internationally minded young people who are well prepared for the challenges of life in the
21st century and are able to contribute to creating a better, more peaceful world.
For further information on the IB Middle Years Programme, and a complete list of MYP subject briefs, visit: www.ibo.org/en/myp.
Complete subject guides can be accessed through the the IB store: https://ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/the-ib-store-has-moved/.
