Brief outline

World studies comes under the heading of interdisciplinary extended essays. There are three possible type of interdisciplinary extended essays. Two of them cover the two particular interdisciplinary subject combinations that students can take as part of their diploma programme. These are environmental systems and societies and literature and performance. These do not involve chemistry. However the third type, world studies could well involve chemistry as one of the two interdisciplinary subjects.

Essentially an extended essay in world studies gives students the opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary study of an issue of contemporary global significance. This involves drawing on the the methods, concepts and theories of two IB Diploma Programme subjects one of which could be chemistry. Such an world studies essay would most likely be registered for assessment under the heading of “science, technology and society” although it could conceivably come under one of the other five possible headings such as “health and development” or “environmental and/or economic sustainability”.

The chosen topic must address an issue of global significance and must be capable of an interdisciplinary approach. The best topics involve connections between specific or local places, people, phenomena or experiences and the larger global framework in which they take place. The essay provides the opportunity for the student to explore and advance his or her global consciousness. Inspiration for a suitable research question may come from CAS activities or from local or global issues they have engaged with through the news, the Internet or social media for example.