<p>That’s why, in addition to our creative UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas in Art &amp; Design (equivalent to three A-Levels), this year we’re undertaking authorisation<strong>*</strong> to join an international network of over 4,700 schools and education providers as an International Baccalaureate World School, so that we can also offer students aged 16 to 18 the International Baccalaureate Career related Programme (IBCP) alongside their Extended Diploma, which delivers academic excellence with vocational skills – combining the best of both worlds.</p> <p>The IBCP is an internationally-recognised framework of career-related education for post-16 students that seeks to develop confident, critical thinkers who are prepared for modern life and equipped with the cross-cultural skills needed to succeed in their future careers, within the UK and across the world.</p> <p>The IBCP is best suited to students aged 16 to 18 who have completed GCSEs in English and Maths and are ready to progress onto an A-Level equivalent course specialising in one of our creative subjects, with plans to go on to a competitive university or ambitious career. But it will still be possible for students who haven’t achieved the necessary GCSEs in English and Maths to study our world-class creative Extended Diplomas, which are all assessed by coursework, without also completing the IBCP.</p>

<h4><strong>WHAT IS THE IBCP?</strong></h4> <p>The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) is an internationally-recognised framework of career-related education for post-16 students that seeks to develop confident, critical thinkers who are prepared for modern life and equipped with the cross-cultural skills needed to succeed in their future careers, within the UK and across the world.</p> <p>Our new IBCP incorporates our acclaimed creative UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas, equivalent to three A-levels, into a framework that also includes two International Baccalaureate Diploma subjects, each broadly equivalent to either an A-Level or AS-Level, and core IBCP skills and competencies that align with our existing Character Project to help develop students with the integrity, communication and personal skills necessary for success in a rapidly-changing world.</p>

<p>In addition to the high number of UCAS points available on completion of the programme, the IBCP gives students a competitive advantage when entering Higher Education or moving directly into their chosen professional industry – recent research has shown that IBCP students “enroll and persist in university at higher rates than the national average” and more than half go on to attend very competitive or better higher education institutions, demonstrating that the IBCP prepares students to attain some of the most selective university places in the world.</p> <p>21st-century life places complex demands on graduates looking for work – the IBCP empowers students to become self-confident, skilled, and principled learners, ready to pursue careers on an international stage.</p>

<h4><strong>WHY ARE YOU OFFERING THIS NOW?</strong></h4> <p>We believe that the IBCP offers an excellent framework to enhance our existing UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas, because it delivers academic excellence alongside vocational skills – combining the best of both worlds.</p><h4><strong>DOES THE IBCP REPLACE YOUR CREATIVE EXTENDED DIPLOMAS?</strong></h4> <p>No, the IBCP does not replace our Extended Diplomas – it offers a framework to enhance them and offer you even more. Each IBCP student at Palace Court will still continue to work towards an Extended Diploma of their chosen specialism, from filmmaking and animation to fashion and textile design, or in performing and production arts, new for 2019.</p> <p>Alongside the Extended Diploma, IBCP students will complete two IB Diploma subjects, choosing from English Literature, Film, History, Business Management, Mathematics, Environmental Systems &amp; Societies, Visual Arts, or Psychology. The IB Diplomas will be taught at either Higher Level or Standard Level, broadly equivalent to A-Level or AS-Level. All IB Diplomas and the Levels that they are taught are subject to demand - for this reason, applicants must list three IB Diplomas on their application, in order of preference.</p>

<p>All students at our Palace Court campus will learn additional skills through our <a href="http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/ualawardingbody/2018/01/10/theres-nothing-soft-about-soft-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Character Project’</a>, designed to empower their learning experience and prepare them to develop the resilience and interpersonal skills needed to succeed at work and life beyond education. And through the IBCP core, designed to create exceptionally well-rounded learners with an international perspective on the world, these interpersonal skills will be formalised and accredited for IBCP students.</p>

<ul><li><a href="https://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/courses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find out more about the International Baccalaureate Diplomas</a></li><li><a href="https://www.plymouthart.ac.uk/open-days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up for an Open Day or Open Evening to talk about your options</a></li></ul><p><strong>*International Baccalaureate World School Status</strong></p> <p>Plymouth College of Art was awarded International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status in Spring 2019, becoming the first non-private education provider in the South West to offer the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), which will be taught in conjunction with its existing A-Level-equivalent UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas. From September 2019, 16 to 18-year-olds in the region will have access to this world-class framework of education, combining vocational skills with academic excellence. Applications for the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) are now open.</p> <p>IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering challenging, high quality programmes of international education that share a powerful vision. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit <a href="https://ibo.org/programmes/career-related-programme/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.ibo.org</a>.</p>