The IB DP Computer Science syllabus, topic by topic
The whole course for first assessment 2027: two themes, 8 topics and the recommended hours behind each, with the guiding question every topic exists to answer and a clear line between standard and higher level.
- 150 hours SL
- 240 hours HL
- 8 topics
Free to use. Students join their class with a code from their teacher; teachers can create classes and track progress.
What is inside
- Themes A and BConcepts of computer science, and computational thinking and problem-solving, with every subtopic listed.
- Standard and higher levelSwitch level and the 5 higher level only subtopics filter out, along with the HL-only topic.
- Where the hours goRecommended hours per topic, plus the case study, the internal assessment and the collaborative sciences project.
Preview
Hours by topic
The recommended teaching time behind each topic, and how far apart the two levels are.
| Topic | SL | HL |
|---|---|---|
| A1 Computer fundamentals | 11 | 18 |
| A2 Networks | 11 | 18 |
| A3 Databases | 11 | 18 |
| A4 Machine learning | 5 | 18 |
| B1 Computational thinking | 5 | 5 |
| B2 Programming | 40 | 42 |
| B3 Object-oriented programming | 7 | 23 |
| B4 Abstract data types | — | 23 |