International Baccalaureate Exams

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program, typically studied in the last two years of high school, emphasizes the philosophy of learning. It is a comprehensive curriculum allowing its graduates to fulfill requirements of the various international systems of education. The advanced level at which subjects are taught motivates academically talented students toward greater achievement.

Most subjects offered have syllabi for two levels of accomplishment. The Higher level (HL) syllabus includes material which typically requires two years of preparation for the exam. The Standard (subsidiary) level (SL) syllabus requires about half as much preparation time.  Students who have taken International Baccalaureate courses may choose to take International Baccalaureate exams.  These exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest performance.  UW-Green Bay acknowledges the achievements of students who have successfully completed HL International Baccalaureate exams (score of 4 or higher) by awarding credit, as shown in the Table below.  Additional credit for SL International Baccalaureate exams is also listed below.  All elective credit shown below is lower-level credit unless otherwise noted.

UW-Green Bay International Baccalaureate Exam Equivalencies

(Updated April 22, 2023)

International Baccalaureate Examination Exam Level Score Required UW-Green Bay Course Equivalency # of credits Notes Gen Ed Fulfilled
English A: Language & Literature HL & SL 4,5,6,7 ENG 104 & WF 100 6 1,2,4 HUM
English A: Literature HL & SL 4,5,6,7 ENG 104 & WF 100 6 1,2,4 HUM
Latin HL 4,5,6,7 HUM STUD elective 8 1 HUM
Latin SL 4,5,6,7 HUM STUD elective 4 1 HUM
French A or B HL 4 FREN elective 3 3,4  
French A or B HL 5,6,7 FREN elective 6 3,4 GC
French ab or A or B SL 4 no credit awarded 0 3,4  
French ab or A or B SL 5,6,7 FREN elective 3 3,4 GC
German A or B HL 4 GERMAN elective 3 3,4  
German A or B HL 5,6,7 GERMAN elective 6 3,4 GC
German ab or A or B SL 4 no credit awarded 0 3,4  
German ab or A or B SL 5,6,7 GERMAN elective 3 3,4  
Spanish A or B HL 4 SPAN elective 3 3,4  
Spanish A or B HL 5,6,7 SPAN elective 6 3,4 GC
Spanish ab or A or B SL 4 no credit awarded 0 3,4  
Spanish ab or A or B SL 5,6,7 SPAN elective 3 3,4  
Business & Mgmt HL 4,5,6,7 BUS ADM 202 3   SOC
Economics HL 4,5,6,7 ECON 202 & 203 6 1,2 SOC
Env. Systems & Societies SL 4,5,6,7 EPP 102 3   SUSP
Geography HL & SL 4,5,6,7 GEOG 102 & 210 6   SOC & QL
Global Politics HL 4,5,6,7 POL SCI 100 3   SOC or GC
History SL 4,5,6,7 HIST elective 3 1,2 HUM
History: Africa & the Middle East, Americas, Asia/Oceania, or Europe HL  4,5,6,7 HIST elective 3 1,2 HUM or GC
Information Tech in a Global Society HL 4,5,6,7 INFO SCI 308 3    
Philosophy HL 4,5,6,7 PHILOS 101 3   HUM
Psychology HL & SL 4,5,6,7 PSYCH 102 3 1,2 SOC
Social & Cultural Anthropology HL & SL 4,5,6,7 ANTHRO 100 3   SOC or GC
Biology HL 4,5,6,7 BIOL 201 & 202 4 1,2 BIO
Chemistry HL 4,5,6,7 CHEM 211/213 & 212/214 10 1,2 NAT & QL
Computer Science HL 4,5,6,7 COMP SCI elective 3 1  
Computer Science SL 5,6,7

COMP SCI
elective

3 1  
Design Technology HL 4,5,6,7 DESIGN 236 3    
Design Technology SL 4,5,6,7 ART 106 3   FIN
Physics HL 4 PHYS 103 with lab 203 waived 5 1 NAT or QL
Physics HL 5,6,7 PHYS 103 & 104 with labs 203 & 204 waived 10 1 NAT & QL
Physics SL 4,5,6,7 PHYS 180 3 1 NAT
Sports, Exercise & Health Science HL 4,5,6,7 HUM BIOL UL elective 3   BIO
Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL 4,5,6,7 HUM BIOL 102 3   BIO
Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches SL 4,5,6,7 MATH 104 4 2 MATH COMP
Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches HL 4,5,6,7 MATH 202 4 2 QL & MATH COMP
Mathematics: Applications & Interpretation SL 4,5,6,7 no credit awarded 0 2  
Mathematics: Applications & Interpretation HL 4,5 MATH 104 4 2 MATH COMP
Mathematics: Applications & Interpretation HL 6,7 MATH 202 & MATH 260 8 2 QL & MATH COMP
Further Mathematics HL 4,5,6,7 MATH UL elective 3 1,2 MATH COMP
Mathematics HL 4,5 MATH 202 4 1,2 QL & MATH COMP
Mathematics HL 6,7 MATH 202 & 203 8 1,2 QL & MATH COMP
Mathematics SL 4,5,6,7 MATH 104 4 2 MATH COMP
Mathematics Studies SL 4,5,6,7 MATH 104 4 2 MATH COMP
Dance HL & SL 4,5,6,7 THEATRE elective 3   FIN
Film HL 4,5,6,7 HUM STUD 110 3   HUM
Music HL & SL 4,5,6,7 MUSIC elective 3 1 FIN
Theatre HL & SL 4,5,6,7 THEATRE elective 3   FIN
Visual Arts HL 4,5,6,7 ART elective 6   FIN
Art/Design HL & SL 4,5,6,7 ART elective 3 1 FIN

For score of 28+, full diploma recipients receive 3 elective credits in addition to the credits awarded for passing scores on their Higher Level and Standard Level Exams (see Equivalency Table, above).

Notes To Accompany The Equivalencies Table:

Students taking SL courses, where no credit has been granted, but want to earn credit at UW-Green Bay, are encouraged to consider the following options. Please note that the option numbers correspond to the numbers in the “Notes” column of the preceding table.

1. Advanced Placement exams are available for these subjects, and are accepted for credit at UW-Green Bay. Contact the Coordinator of Testing Services at UW-Green Bay for details.

2. CLEP exams are available for these subjects, and are accepted for credit at UW-Green Bay. Contact the Coordinator of Testing Services at UW-Green Bay for details.

3. Advanced Placement and CLEP exams are available for these subjects, and are accepted for credit at UW-Green Bay. Students with more than two years of high school foreign language are strongly encouraged to pursue retroactive credit instead of credit by exam. Students can earn up to 14 retroactive credits in a foreign language at UW-Green Bay, depending on the course in which they are placed at UW-Green Bay and their final grade in the course.

4See Department Chair upon enrollment for more information. 

General Note: Students who have taken SL courses for which there is no Advanced Placement or CLEP exam option, may ask a UW-Green Bay faculty member to provide a Challenge Exam. Faculty members are not required to fulfill student requests for Challenge Exams.

Contact the International Baccalaureate Organization for more information