The IB Business Extended Essay Has Changed: Here’s What You Need to Know
- alisoneyer
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
It’s been a long time since the IB Business Extended Essay changed. In fact, this is the first major update since I started teaching IB Business eight years ago. So whether you’ve been guiding students through the EE for years or you’re completely new to it, these changes will take a bit of adjustment.
From my years of experience marking and teaching the EE, one of the most common issues I’ve seen is students choosing topics that sound impressive but lack focus or access to strong research. A well-chosen topic with reliable data and clear application of business theory will always outperform something that tries to cover too much ground. That's why the new EE guide seems challenging at first as students can and are even encourage (more than previously) to combine their topic with another subject. As teachers, how do we help guide them with this if we don't know much about the other subject?
Students also often underestimate how important it is to use high-quality academic research. Finding credible academic sources not only strengthens analysis but also demonstrates initiative and academic rigor. They often use pre-made analyses like SWOT or PEST from websites and don't show their own ability to analyze and evaluate.
My upcoming live courses will walk teachers through all these changes, comparing the old and new versions of the EE, sharing examples of good topic choices, and showing how to support students with interdisciplinary integration. I’ll also be giving my best practical tips for helping students build analysis that actually meets the top criteria, without overwhelming them. And as always, there will be plenty of time for a question and answer at the end!
I’ve scheduled multiple sessions to fit different time zones, and for the first time, some will be on weekends to make them more accessible. I know how hard it can be to find time for professional development, and as one person with a full-time teaching role, I’ve done my best to make sure there’s an option that works for everyone.
Without further ado, here are the live IB Business EE course dates:
Sunday, November 9 (Americas focus)
20:00 CET | 16:00 Brasília / Buenos Aires | 14:00 Eastern | 11:00 Pacific
Tuesday, November 18 (Europe weekday)
19:00 Madrid / Paris / Berlin | 18:00 London | 21:00 Istanbul
Saturday, December 7 (Oceania and Asia)
09:00 CET | 16:00 Singapore / Hong Kong | 19:00 Sydney / Melbourne
If you’d like to feel confident, clear, and ready to start EE season, join one of my live courses this fall. Spaces are limited to keep the sessions interactive and supportive.
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