Group 3: Individuals & SocietiesSL AvailableHL Available

IB Global Politics

Study of power, sovereignty, and international relations in a globalized world.

IB Global Politics develops understanding of political activity at local, national, and global levels. Students analyze how power operates, examine international organizations, and engage with contemporary political issues. The current course was first assessed in 2026.

SL & HL
Levels offered
90 min
One-to-one lessons
$95
Lowest rate per lesson
Max 6
IB group programs
Prices and optionsRequest a tutor
Whiteboard in an IB Global Politics HL lesson: power in international relations, institutions and governance, rights and justice against state sovereignty, and case-study notes on climate change governance and the Paris Agreement.
From a live online one-to-one IB Global Politics HL lesson at the TestPrep Group
Course Introduction

Why Global Politics Matters

Your grade in IB Global Politics counts toward the 45-point Diploma, and many university courses ask for a particular grade in the subject, often at Higher Level.

Foundation for political science and IR degrees
Develops critical analysis of current events
Understanding of global governance
Valuable for policy and diplomacy careers
Whiteboard in an IB Global Politics SL lesson: types of power, international institutions from the UN to the EU, rights and justice anchored on the 1948 Universal Declaration, and case-study notes on the Responsibility to Protect and Libya in 2011.
Standard Level
SL Overview

SL covers the core, understanding power and global politics, three thematic studies and an engagement project in 150 hours.

Higher Level
HL Overview

HL adds the HL extension on global political challenges, assessed in Paper 3, in 240 hours.

Career Pathways

PoliticsDiplomacyInternational OrganizationsNGOsJournalismLawPublic PolicyAdvocacy

Global Politics syllabus topics

The topics of the subject guide. Lessons follow your school's order and level.

Unit 1
Core and Thematic Studies
  • Understanding power and global politics
  • Rights and justice
  • Development and sustainability
  • Peace and conflict
Unit 2
Engagement Project
  • A political issue explored through engagement and research
Unit 3 (HL)
HL Extension: Global Political Challenges
  • Case studies of global political challenges

How lessons approach Global Politics

Understanding the concepts, and answering the papers the way the markscheme rewards.

Conceptual Understanding
Deep mastery of core concepts
  • Follow current international news daily
  • Analyze events through multiple perspectives
  • Understand key political theories
  • Connect theory to contemporary examples
Exam-Specific Techniques
Targeted preparation for IB assessments
  • Practice stimulus-based analysis
  • Develop detailed case study knowledge
  • Plan the engagement project early
  • Know assessment criteria thoroughly

Past papers and markschemes

IB Global Politics past papers, used in lessons alongside the questions from your own school.

How marks are won in Global Politics

1
Use precise political terminology
2
Cite specific contemporary examples
3
Engage with multiple perspectives
4
Connect theory and practice
5
Document the engagement project thoroughly

IB Global Politics: lessons, prices and how to start

One-to-one lessons are 90 minutes, live online. Prices are set per program, so they are the same for every IB Diploma subject.

IB Global Politics one-to-one tutoring packages
Single lesson$100Per lesson: $100Buy a lesson
10 lessons$970Per lesson: $97Buy package
20 lessonsLowest rate$1,900Per lesson: $95Buy package

Group options

IB group teaching runs as three programs, priced by the number of subjects you take, in groups of at most 6:

IA, EE and TOK supervision is one-to-one, from $100 for a single lesson.

How do you start?

Request a free consultation: it is a conversation about your goals and timeline, not a lesson or a test. There is no separate diagnostic test for IB Diploma, because no single test stands in for a school syllabus. The first lesson does the assessment: your tutor works through your recent marked work and past-paper questions from your own specification, and reads where you stand. It is a normal paid lesson, not a free trial, and it teaches as it assesses.

Request a free consultation

Refunds

Not satisfied after your first private lesson? Full (100%) refund. No score is guaranteed. Full terms.

Every IB Diploma priceAll IB Diploma subjects

IB Global Politics — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between IB Global Politics SL and HL?
Standard Level: SL covers the core, understanding power and global politics, three thematic studies and an engagement project in 150 hours. Higher Level: HL adds the HL extension on global political challenges, assessed in Paper 3, in 240 hours. The choice matters for university admission as much as for workload — many courses require the subject at HL specifically.
How is IB Global Politics assessed?
Externally assessed: Paper 1 (SL: 30% / HL: 20%), Paper 2 (SL: 40% / HL: 30%), Paper 3 (HL) (HL: 30%). Internally assessed: Engagement Project (SL: 30% / HL: 20%). The internal assessment is marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB, and because it is completed over months rather than in an exam hall it is the component students most often leave too late.
What topics does IB Global Politics cover?
The syllabus covers 3 topics: Core and Thematic Studies, Engagement Project and HL Extension: Global Political Challenges. Lessons follow your school's order, so tutoring supports your class rather than running alongside it.
Does IB Global Politics count for university credit?
May grant credit for introductory political science. Recognition varies by university and usually applies to Higher Level only, so check the policy of each institution you are applying to.
Where does IB Global Politics lead?
It is commonly taken by students heading towards Politics, Diplomacy, International Organizations, NGOs and 4 more. If your intended degree lists the subject as a requirement, taking it at Higher Level is usually what admissions expects.