Table of Contents
- What’s Changing in the IB History Curriculum
- Updated Assessment Model for 2026
- Why the IB Has Updated History for 2026
- How Teachers Can Prepare for the Transition
- Student Experience: What Will Feel Different
- Over 20 New IB History Textbooks Coming in 2026
- IB History 2026 Rollout Checklist
- Final Thoughts
The New IB Diploma History 2026: Everything Teachers Need to Know
First teaching: August 2026
First assessment: May 2028
The International Baccalaureate (IB) has officially announced a full redesign of the IB Diploma History curriculum for first teaching in August 2026. The new guide transforms how students study history, with a stronger focus on inquiry, conceptual understanding, and flexible content choices.
With over 20 new IB History books from Oxford University Press, Pearson Baccalaureate, and Hachette Learning (formerly Hodder Education), teachers will have fresh, fully aligned resources to support the transition.
What’s Changing in the IB History Curriculum
The revised syllabus is built around four key historical concepts that run through every unit and assessment:
Cause and Consequence
Continuity and Change
Perspectives
Significance
These core ideas encourage students to “think like historians,” evaluating evidence, understanding complexity, and constructing well-supported arguments.
Flexible New Course Structure
The content model has been completely reimagined:
Paired Case Studies – Replacing the old prescribed subjects; used for Paper 1’s source-based exam.
Global Themes – Replacing world history topics; schools select one overarching theme and design their own case studies within it.
Regional In-Depth Topics (HL only) – Replacing traditional HL options; focus on one of four world regions (Africa & the Middle East, the Americas, Asia & Oceania, or Europe).
This new architecture gives teachers more autonomy and allows schools to tailor learning to regional or national contexts while meeting global IB standards.
Updated Assessment Model for 2026
IB Diploma History 2026: Complete Guide to the New Curriculum, Assessment & Resources
The new IB History assessment structure is clearer, more conceptual, and more balanced across skills.
Paper 1 (SL/HL): Source-based paper centered on the chosen paired case studies, now guided by inquiry questions that highlight context and perspective.
Paper 2 (SL/HL): Combines conceptual short-response questions and extended essays on the selected global theme.
Paper 3 (HL only): Essay paper focusing on the regional in-depth topics; reduced to two essays drawn from different topics.
Internal Assessment (IA): Simplified to three sections—Inquiry Question, Sources & Perspectives, and Synthesis & Evaluation. The previous reflection section has been removed, making the IA more focused and concise.
Why the IB Has Updated History for 2026
The IB conducts curriculum reviews roughly every seven years to ensure each subject reflects current educational research.
For History, this redesign emphasizes:
Disciplinary thinking: how historians analyze, interpret, and synthesize evidence.
Global perspectives: integrating diverse voices and narratives.
Relevance: enabling schools to localize case studies and link them to global themes.
The result is a course that’s both academically rigorous and culturally responsive, preparing students for university-level historical study.
How Teachers Can Prepare for the Transition
Select Pathways Early – Decide which case study pair, global theme, and regional topics you’ll teach.
Update Assessments – Redesign quizzes and mock exams around the new command terms and question types.
Revise the Internal Assessment – Adopt the new 3-section model and update your student guides.
Book IB Professional Development – The 2026 workshops will focus specifically on implementing the new guide.
Review New Textbooks – As publishers release new titles, align your course plans and digital resources accordingly.
Student Experience: What Will Feel Different
Students entering the new IB History 2026 course will notice:
More conceptual discussion: every unit connects to core ideas like continuity, cause, and perspective.
Greater choice and ownership: teachers can integrate national histories and regional contexts.
Improved clarity in assessment: the new command terms and IA structure provide a clearer roadmap for success.
Deeper source analysis: Paper 1 encourages richer engagement with historical voices and interpretations.
Over 20 New IB History Textbooks Coming in 2026
Three major publishers will support the curriculum rollout with fully aligned print and digital materials:
Oxford University Press (OUP): Producing new IB Diploma History titles in partnership with the IB, including global themes, case studies, and digital support through OxfordAQA.
Pearson Baccalaureate: Launching comprehensive SL and HL resources authored by IB examiners, plus assessment workbooks.
Hachette Learning (formerly Hodder Education): Producing 12 new Access to History for the IB Diploma titles in partnership with the IB, including three titles for the Paper 1 Focused Study; two titles for the Paper 2 Thematic Study and seven titles for the Paper 3 Regional Study for the Americas
Expect publication schedules to align with the official guide release in early 2026, ensuring schools have materials ready for August 2026 teaching. IB Diploma History 2026: Complete Guide to the New Curriculum, Assessment & Resources
IB History 2026 Rollout Checklist
✅ Confirm your case study pair, global theme, and regional topics.
✅ Redesign assessments to match new Paper 1–3 formats.
✅ Update IA templates to the new 3-section model.
✅ Schedule IB PD workshops on the new guide.
✅ Pre-order Oxford, Pearson, and Hachette Learning resources once titles are released.
Final Thoughts
IB Diploma History 2026: Complete Guide to the New Curriculum, Assessment & Resources
The IB Diploma History 2026 update represents one of the most significant curriculum shifts in recent years. By weaving together conceptual understanding, local flexibility, and global inquiry, the IB is setting a new standard for historical study.
For teachers, the key is preparation—exploring the new structure, updating assessments, and choosing the right resources early. With high-quality materials from Oxford, Pearson, and Hachette Learning on the way, schools will be well-equipped to bring the next generation of IB History to life.
Find out more at www.myibsource.com
IB DP History: Protest and Change Course Companion (NYP Due March 2026)
$75.00
Oxford Resources for IB DP History: Protest and Change Course Book (2026 Syllabus) Prepare students for success in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) History course with Oxford Resources for IB DP History: Protest and Change Course Book. This… read more
IB DP History: The Americas Course Companion (NYP Due February 2026)
$89.00
Oxford Resources for IB DP History: The Americas Course Book (2026 Syllabus) Prepare students for success in the IB Diploma Programme History course with Oxford Resources for IB DP History: The Americas Course Book. This comprehensive and expertly written resource… read more
