IB Diploma Programme Computer Science

DP Computer Science (2027) — SL / HL

Component-based qualification

Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-09-21. Both tiers modeled in full, for the new computer science course (launched February 2025, first teaching August 2025, first assessment May 2027), read from the IB's own Computer science guide, first assessment 2027, "Assessment outline—SL" (p.46) and "Assessment outline—HL" (p.47), at ibo.org on 2026-09-21. SL: external assessment 2 hours 30 minutes, 70%; Paper 1 (1 hour 15 minutes, 50 marks) 35%; Paper 2 (1 hour 15 minutes, 50 marks) 35%; internal assessment, the computational solution (30 marks, 35 hours) 30%. HL: external assessment 4 hours, 80%; Paper 1 (2 hours, 80 marks) 40%; Paper 2 (2 hours, 80 marks) 40%; the same internal assessment (30 marks, 35 hours) 20%. Every figure is printed in the guide. Recorded as current because teaching began in August 2025, so it is the course a new student follows, although its first exams have not been sat; DP Computer Science (2014) is examined for the last time in 2026.

DP Computer Science (2014) — SL / HL (being withdrawn)

DP Computer Science (2014) is being withdrawn in favour of DP Computer Science (2027). Final assessment opportunity: 2026.

Component-based qualification

Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-09-08. Both tiers modeled in full, for the computer science course first assessed in 2014. Recorded as being taught out from 2026-09-17 under the site's rule that a specification is current once its first teaching has begun: the IB computer science updates page says the new course 'will be launched in February 2025 for first teaching in August 2025' with 'First assessment ... in May 2027', so a learner starting now follows that course, while this one is examined for learners partway through it (the IB's own DP computer science page summarizes this course "for last assessment in 2026", read on 2026-09-21, so 2026 is recorded as its last examination year). The newer course (first assessment 2027) does not yet have its own assessment record here – a genuine, explicitly scoped gap (its official curriculum-updates page and subject brief give the papers, durations and weightings (SL Paper 1 and Paper 2 each 1 hour 15 minutes at 35%; HL each 2 hours at 40%; the computational solution 20-30%) but neither publishes mark totals, re-checked 2026-09-17, since it has not yet been examined and no specimen papers with mark totals were found). Weighting and duration figures are read directly from the IB's own official public subject briefs for Higher Level and Standard Level (both titled "First assessments 2014", read on 2026-09-08). Mark totals – not published in either subject brief – were independently confirmed against real, genuine IB markschemes read on 2026-09-08: HL Paper 1 (M23/4/COMSC/HP1) totals 100 marks (Section A 25 + Section B 75); HL Paper 2 (M19/4/COMSC/HP2) totals 65 marks ("Candidates are required to answer all questions in one Option. Total 65 marks", stated verbatim in the markscheme); HL Paper 3 (M19/4/COMSC/HP3) totals 30 marks (Q1 4 + Q2 8 + Q3 6 + Q4 12, explicitly stated as "Total: [30]"); SL Paper 1 (M19/4/COMSC/SP1) totals 70 marks (Section A 25 + Section B 45); SL Paper 2 (M19/4/COMSC/SP2) totals 45 marks ("Total 45 marks", stated verbatim). The Internal Assessment (a computational solution to a self-identified problem for a real client, word-limited written commentary plus product) is marked against five criteria – Planning (6), Solution Overview (6), Development (12), Functionality and Extensibility (4), Evaluation (6) – 34 marks total, identical at both tiers; this breakdown was read in the IB's own Computer science guide (first examinations 2014) at ibo.org on 2026-09-21, which heads the criteria "Criterion A: Planning (6 marks)", "Criterion B: Solution overview (6 marks)", "Criterion C: Development (12 marks)", "Criterion D: Functionality and extensibility of product (4 marks)" and "Criterion E: Evaluation (6 marks)" (printed pp.83-84).