Grad Requirements

Graduation Program

  • The graduation program extends opportunities for students in Grade 10-12 to earn credit through challenge, equivalency and external credits.
  • Career Life Education (CLE 10) and Career Life Connections encourages students to explore a range of career options, connect to community and plan their future and develop skills in areas such as employability, healthy decision-making, and financial management.
  • Grade 10 courses count for credits towards graduation.
  • Students will be required to write a Graduation Literacy Assessment in grade 10
  • Students will be required to write a Graduation Numeracy Assessment in grade 10.
  • Students will be required to write a Graduation Literacy Assessment in grade 12 starting in 2020-21.

To review BC Graduation Requirements, please visit the Ministry site.

In order to graduate, students in Grades 10-12 will need to earn 80 credits (equivalent to twenty 4-credit courses).

Of these, 52 credits come from Required Courses which include the following:

  •  Language Arts 10 (4 credits)
  • Language Arts 11 (4 credits)
  • Language Arts 12 (4 credits)
  • Social Studies 10 (4 credits)
  • Social Studies 11 or 12 (4 credits)
  • Science 10 (4 credits)
  • Science 11 or 12 (4 credits) – Numerous choices exist
  • Mathematics 10 (4 credits) – Workplace Math 10 or Foundations of Math & Pre-Calculus 1
  •  Mathematics 11 or 12 (4 credits) – Workplace Math 11, Foundations of Math 11, or Pre-Calculus 11
  • Physical Education 10 (4 credits)
  • Fine Arts or ADST (Applied Design, Skills and Technologies) 10, 11 or 12 (4 credits) – Numerous choices are available to students
  •  CLE 10, formally Planning 10 (4 credits
  •  CLC, formally Graduation Transitions (4 credits)

Students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 can also earn credits through the following:

Independent Directed Studies (IDS)

These are courses developed by students in collaboration with an online teacher and must be based on Ministry or BAA outcomes. They allow students to explore areas of interest in greater depth. Students may obtain 1, 2 or 4 credits depending on the depth and time involved.

Equivalency

Courses taught outside the BC school system that substantially match the learning outcomes of Ministry-Developed, Ministry-Approved Language Template or BAA Grade 10, 11 or 12 courses are eligible for credit through equivalency. For example, a student who completes a course in Alberta may receive credit for a comparable course in BC through equivalency.

Courses That Qualify for Equivalency

Equivalency is only granted for courses (or programs) that meet all of the following requirements:

  • The course matches approximately 80 percent or more of the prescribed learning outcomes of a Ministry- Developed, Ministry Approved Language Template or a BAA course.
  • The student provides documentation that the learning outcomes of the course were successfully completed.
  • The course was taken at another institution or in an education jurisdiction outside the regular BC school system.

Challenge

A student can challenge a course if:

  • Currently enrolled in the school district, registered as a home schooler, or enrolled in the Online Learning school where the challenge is being requested; and
  • Not already challenged the course and received a passing grade, or completed the course through previous enrolment, or been granted equivalency for the course; and
  • Provided compelling evidence that the student will succeed in the challenge assessment.

Prior to engaging in a challenge process, schools must review any documentation of prior learning that a student presents in order to determine if credit can be awarded through equivalency.

External Credit

External credits recognize credentials earned by students for the successful completion of a wide variety of Ministry approved programs and or activities offered outside the BC school system.

In all cases, students who are interested should contact their counselor for more details.

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