IB Computer Science HL case studies

IB Computer Science HL is the higher-level subject course in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, assessed through two external written papers and an internally assessed computational solution. It suits students who want to understand how computer systems are built and managed, and who are willing to design, code and document a substantial piece of software of their own. The syllabus moves from system fundamentals, computer organization and networks into computational thinking and programming, then into the HL extensions: abstract data structures such as stacks, queues, linked lists and binary trees; resource management, including memory, storage and processor scheduling; and control, covering centralised and distributed systems, autonomous agents and how systems are controlled and secured. The internal assessment carries the largest single share of the marks, so sustained project work matters as much as exam technique. The IB Computer Science HL case studies are 5 cases and about 3,272 words.