Is it a MUST to choose EE topic from a HL subject?

[Provence_87]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum, and I just started IBDP in the beginning of this year.

I just chose my subjects, but I heard that the EE topic must be chosen from one of the HL subjects. Is this true?

If it is true, my HLs are not there for me to write an EE then...

My subjects are:

Chinese A HL

English B HL

Math HL

Business & Management SL

Chemistry SL

Biology SL

Oh, and I want to study Business in university. It's not a must but it shall be great if I took B&M in HL right?

However, I never studied Business in GCE O'LEVEL.. Will it be difficult for me to study B&M HL?

Lastly, is an EE on Business difficult to write?

Hope someone who has experience can help me!! Please!! I really don't know how to decide...

[Brenda Wijaya]

Hey there, it's not a 'must' for you to write an EE on your HL subject.

However, it is going to be 'better' if you do write an EE over your HL subject as you will spend 240 hours for HL and 150 hours for SL.

Thus it means you will have a broader and in-depth knowledge about it. Therefore, the most often case is that EE comes from HL subject.

Taking B&M HL will be helpful in a sense that you will study all the syllabus and spend more time on it.

I've taken IGCSE Business studies in my previous year and it does help. However, most of the stuffs I've learned are 'reviewed' again in the IB course.

So, I don't think you should be afraid in taking B&M HL if you are really keen and interested in it.

It might not be easy but it it's not that very difficult.

The thing that I find most challenging in studying B&M HL compared to my other subjects is the fact that it requires you to be 'creative' when it comes to the case study.

I am actually planning to take B&M as my EE latter but still unsure about it yet, so I have no idea whether it's difficult or not.

But on top of that, it's better for you to decide your EE based on your interests, not in terms of its difficulty (at least not the top concern) as you will write a 4000 word long essay on it.

If you are interested, it shouldn't be difficult.

I hope I helped.

Good Luck!

[TykeDragon]

You don't need to write your EE from one of your Higher Levels, it is just usually the case for two reasons: firstly, as stated above, you spend the most time on it so it is expected that this is where you learn the most and perform well in. Secondly, your highers are usually what you enjoy most, often continuing to University. For example, history is one of my higher levels. I spend a lot of time on it, and I enjoy it a lot, and I would be considered fairly good at it. Also, I intend to study law at university and they say history is one of the closest subjects you can get to law at IB, what with all the analytical essays, massive amounts of detailed information and political reforms! Therefore, my EE was about the Berlin Wall and Cold War, a topic I find interesting, within a subject I find interesting!

Secondly, it could be wise to take Business and Management at HL, especially if you will be applying to universities to study B&M... they may find it slightly odd it's just a standard but I wouldn't be the expert to give an opinion on if it would affect your chances - maybe not. However surely if it is what you have a passion for, study it at higher level? You'll get more time with it and increase your B&M skills further. My school has a large amount of students in B&M. Some are excelling, some fall behind, but the fact is NONE of them could do a B&M GCSE here before. So I would say it won't hinder you at all, and if you study hard and enjoy it, you'll enjoy success too.

I would perhaps suggest switching B&M and Maths in terms of HL/SL, unless you have a particular aptitude and passion for Maths. It's often discouraged to those who don't fully realise what they are getting themselves into - it is incredibly challenging with coursework that looks hellish to me (lots of nerdy Cambridge engineer type friends who love maths/physics at my school ), and I know and have watched many people drop from higher maths to methods, and methods to studies. Hell, a girl even started in my studies class only a few months ago - and our exams are in May and she started in higher!

[Provence_87]

Hey there, it's not a 'must' for you to write an EE on your HL subject.

However, it is going to be 'better' if you do write an EE over your HL subject as you will spend 240 hours for HL and 150 hours for SL.

Thus it means you will have a broader and in-depth knowledge about it. Therefore, the most often case is that EE comes from HL subject.

Taking B&M HL will be helpful in a sense that you will study all the syllabus and spend more time on it.

I've taken IGCSE Business studies in my previous year and it does help. However, most of the stuffs I've learned are 'reviewed' again in the IB course.

So, I don't think you should be afraid in taking B&M HL if you are really keen and interested in it.

It might not be easy but it it's not that very difficult.

The thing that I find most challenging in studying B&M HL compared to my other subjects is the fact that it requires you to be 'creative' when it comes to the case study.

I am actually planning to take B&M as my EE latter but still unsure about it yet, so I have no idea whether it's difficult or not.

But on top of that, it's better for you to decide your EE based on your interests, not in terms of its difficulty (at least not the top concern) as you will write a 4000 word long essay on it.

If you are interested, it shouldn't be difficult.

I hope I helped.

Good Luck!

Thank u!! I'm taking B&M HL most probably, cause I really like it!

Yeah.. creativity.. My teacher also told me about that. I shall start to think out of the box! LOL!

[Provence_87]

You don't need to write your EE from one of your Higher Levels, it is just usually the case for two reasons: firstly, as stated above, you spend the most time on it so it is expected that this is where you learn the most and perform well in. Secondly, your highers are usually what you enjoy most, often continuing to University. For example, history is one of my higher levels. I spend a lot of time on it, and I enjoy it a lot, and I would be considered fairly good at it. Also, I intend to study law at university and they say history is one of the closest subjects you can get to law at IB, what with all the analytical essays, massive amounts of detailed information and political reforms! Therefore, my EE was about the Berlin Wall and Cold War, a topic I find interesting, within a subject I find interesting!

Secondly, it could be wise to take Business and Management at HL, especially if you will be applying to universities to study B&M... they may find it slightly odd it's just a standard but I wouldn't be the expert to give an opinion on if it would affect your chances - maybe not. However surely if it is what you have a passion for, study it at higher level? You'll get more time with it and increase your B&M skills further. My school has a large amount of students in B&M. Some are excelling, some fall behind, but the fact is NONE of them could do a B&M GCSE here before. So I would say it won't hinder you at all, and if you study hard and enjoy it, you'll enjoy success too.

I would perhaps suggest switching B&M and Maths in terms of HL/SL, unless you have a particular aptitude and passion for Maths. It's often discouraged to those who don't fully realise what they are getting themselves into - it is incredibly challenging with coursework that looks hellish to me (lots of nerdy Cambridge engineer type friends who love maths/physics at my school ), and I know and have watched many people drop from higher maths to methods, and methods to studies. Hell, a girl even started in my studies class only a few months ago - and our exams are in May and she started in higher!

Thnx!!

Yeah, I'll choose to study B&M HL anyway, and to write an EE on it too. Maybe it'll be difficult, but I like it!

Umm.. For Math, I don't really like it. But in order to get into Business course in university I need Math HL..

That's why I'm taking it.

Just noticed that ur exam is in this year, wish u can get ur desired score! Good luck!

[t.r. barrows]

It's in your interest to write the EE in a subject that's especially familiar and interesting to you -- it doesn't have to be one of your HL subjects. Let's be honest, the IB is rigorous beyond just the HL/SL perimeters; it's not as though the HL students have extra skills that will help them write a better EE in that topic, unless their research question directly relates to some of the extra material HL students will cover. In general, the HL syllabi are mostly wider, not deeper; therefore, choosing to write an EE in one of your HL subject is only advantageous if your research question IS one of those things that only HL students take. Even then, however, it's not as though you couldn't learn those things through your research. I might be so bold to say it doesn't matter at all.

Basically Higher Level subjects mostly involve an extra assessment, and that won't really affect a student's ability to write a quality EE in the subject. You may have a particularly good question in one of your SL subjects that you feel would interest you more. IF that's the case, write the EE in that subject. Either way, you will need to spend considerable time planning, reading, researching, writing, and editing. You could still score pretty high if you work hard. The EE is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Megan D]

Like the others mentioned, if you're planning to study Business in university, it will probably be better to take Business HL.

I'm pretty new as well, and having come from an IGCSE background I understand where you're coming from.

Personally, it isn't too hard; the HL lessons.

I'm sure you'll do fine

[TykeDragon]

By no means do you need HL Maths to get into Business perhaps things are different in England, but my friend who wants to do business is currently taking methods, and not even doing very well in methods... he is getting offers. I thought Economics was the one you needed HL maths for, but not even all universities ask for HL maths for that, just the top ones, as far as I'm aware. If you don't like maths, don't kill yourself with HL maths just because you think you need it for uni, when I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need it!!

[kbresler4]

Btw, your EE subject doesn't even have to be the one you've chosen. I write EE on Music because I'm interested in this topic and for me it will be definitely easier than writing on the subjects that I have on HL - Biology, Chemistry and English B.

[Provence_87]

It's in your interest to write the EE in a subject that's especially familiar and interesting to you -- it doesn't have to be one of your HL subjects. Let's be honest, the IB is rigorous beyond just the HL/SL perimeters; it's not as though the HL students have extra skills that will help them write a better EE in that topic, unless their research question directly relates to some of the extra material HL students will cover. In general, the HL syllabi are mostly wider, not deeper; therefore, choosing to write an EE in one of your HL subject is only advantageous if your research question IS one of those things that only HL students take. Even then, however, it's not as though you couldn't learn those things through your research. I might be so bold to say it doesn't matter at all.

Basically Higher Level subjects mostly involve an extra assessment, and that won't really affect a student's ability to write a quality EE in the subject. You may have a particularly good question in one of your SL subjects that you feel would interest you more. IF that's the case, write the EE in that subject. Either way, you will need to spend considerable time planning, reading, researching, writing, and editing. You could still score pretty high if you work hard. The EE is a marathon, not a sprint.

Wow! Ur points are really persuasive!!

Thank u!!

[Provence_87]

Like the others mentioned, if you're planning to study Business in university, it will probably be better to take Business HL.

I'm pretty new as well, and having come from an IGCSE background I understand where you're coming from.

Personally, it isn't too hard; the HL lessons.

I'm sure you'll do fine

Thnx!!

But I just changed my B&M to SL..

Cause I can't guarantee that I'll get a 6 for B&M,

but for Chinese A HL yes.. or maybe a 7.

And in our school, only 4 students got a 7 for B&M last year..

After a quite long consideration,

I think I shall choose my strongest subject,

so that I can get a very high overall score.

[Provence_87]

By no means do you need HL Maths to get into Business perhaps things are different in England, but my friend who wants to do business is currently taking methods, and not even doing very well in methods... he is getting offers. I thought Economics was the one you needed HL maths for, but not even all universities ask for HL maths for that, just the top ones, as far as I'm aware. If you don't like maths, don't kill yourself with HL maths just because you think you need it for uni, when I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need it!!

Yeah, true..

But comparing to science subjects,

I like math more.

So I think math is my choice,

I need to work harder though. LOL.

[Provence_87]

Btw, your EE subject doesn't even have to be the one you've chosen. I write EE on Music because I'm interested in this topic and for me it will be definitely easier than writing on the subjects that I have on HL - Biology, Chemistry and English B.

Wow! Really??

Cause my teacher told me a totally different story..

Umm, I'll talk to her about it.

Thank u!!