At a glance

International Baccalaureate provides educational programs for public and private schools that emphasize writing, broad themes and questions, and world cultures.

► The two-year Diploma Programme is offered in the United States to high school juniors and seniors, culminating in subject exams that qualify students for college credit from some schools.

►There is also a Middle Years Programme, for ages 11 to 16, and a Primary Years Programme, for ages 3 to 12. In 2010, a fourth ­program, the IB Career-related ­Certificate, was added for vocational students.

SOURCE: www.ibo.org