BC’s education landscape is constantly changing. The curriculum is frequently updated to match the modern era, and the BC graduation requirements often change with it.
This post will help you keep track of the BC graduation requirements for high school students. It seems like a ton of work to meet every requirement, but it doesn’t have to be! We’ll share some tips to make it even easier to get those valuable high school credits.
How Many Credits Do Students Need?
Every ministry-approved grade 10, 11, and 12 course awards students with graduation credits. Term-long courses are usually worth 2 credits while semester-long courses are usually worth 4. As of now, the BC graduation requirements state that students must earn a total of 80 credits to get their Dogwood diploma.
How Can Students Earn Credits?
As mentioned above, high school students can earn credits by passing ministry-approved grade 10, 11, and 12 courses. In order to pass a course, students must achieve a minimum grade of C- (50%) or higher. That’s good to know, but what counts as a ministry-approved course?
In BC, a ministry-approved course is any course offered at a BC school and taught by a certified teacher. This includes online schools and other alternative learning programs. Thanks to new developments in education, the term “ministry-approved” can extend to courses not normally offered in traditional schools.
Meet BC Graduation Requirements…With a Twist!
Allow us to introduce you to IDS courses. In short, an IDS course allows students to learn about almost anything they want. As long as they fulfill the learning outcomes of a ministry-approved course, students can study whatever they’re interested in. The best part? High school students are eligible to receive graduation credits for taking IDS courses! How sweet is that?!
Our founder, Amber Scotchburn, has had great success with IDS courses. Her eldest son, River, participated in IDS courses throughout high school, and it made his education experience a unique and exciting one. If you would like to learn more about IDS courses, we encourage you to read River’s story.
Extracurricular Activities Count Too!
Kids have lives outside of school, and the BC graduation requirements account for that. High school students who participate in organized extracurricular activities can earn credits for doing the things they love.
Some of these extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Music lessons
- Driver’s ed
- Cadets
- Lifeguard training (Bronze Cross)
- Girl Guides
- Dance
- Sports
If you’re not sure whether your child’s extracurricular activities qualify for credits, we recommend contacting the school to find out. We know your kids work hard outside of school, and they deserve to be rewarded for that!
Which Courses Do Students HAVE to Take?
While students in BC have many ways to earn credits, there are certain courses every student must take. These courses are highlighted below.
Physical Education
- Physical Education 10
Math
- Math 10 (Foundations & Pre-Calculus OR Workplace)
- Math 11 (Foundations OR Pre-Calculus OR Workplace)
Science
- Science 10
- Science 11 (Chemistry OR Earth Science OR Life Science OR Physics OR Environmental Science)
Social Studies
- Social Studies 10
- Social Studies 12 (20th Century World History OR Law OR Social Justice OR Genocide Studies OR Comparative Cultures OR First Peoples OR Philosophy OR Geography)
English Language Arts
- English 10 (Composition OR Creative Writing OR Literary Studies OR New Media OR Spoken Language OR First Peoples)
- English 11 (Composition OR Creative Writing OR Literary Studies OR New Media OR Spoken Language OR First Peoples)
- English 12 (English Studies OR English First Peoples)
Career Education
- Career Life Education
- Career Life Connections
- Capstone Project
Arts, Design, Skills, or Technology Education
- One approved grade 10, 11, or 12 course
The Arts, Design, Skills, or Technology Education requirement can be fulfilled by any elective that fits one of those categories. Classes such as Woodwork, Computer Programming, Culinary Arts, Textiles, and Accounting all fit the bill. There are tons of electives for students to choose from these days, and that makes the BC graduation requirements feel much less restrictive.
Each mandatory course is worth 4 graduation credits for a total of 52 credits. That means students will need to earn 28 credits from elective courses, IDS courses, and extra-curricular activities. In order to get credits for completing courses, students must achieve at least a C- (50%). However, many university programs require at least a C+ (67%) for admission, so the higher the better!
Career Education
Career Education is one of the newer BC graduation requirements. Previously known as Planning 10, Career Education helps students plan ahead and develop ideas about their future careers. This course earns its own paragraph because we want to emphasize its importance. It’s much more than just another BC graduation requirement, so we encourage students to take it seriously. Career Education can genuinely help students prepare for the future, and that means a lot!
Career Life Connections also includes a mandatory work experience/volunteer component. This allows students to explore potential careers and get a feel for real-world working environments. Work experience placements can be anything from veterinary clinics to law firms, so kids are encouraged to follow their dreams!
The capstone project is a summation of a student’s experience both inside and outside of school. Students first come up with an inquiry question: something they’re interested in and would like to know more about. This could be related to absolutely anything the student likes, so long as they could see themselves pursuing it as a career in the future. They then embark on a journey of research to develop an answer to their inquiry question, creating a body of work to present before their peers and a board of judges. The capstone is a true passion project!
We’re Here to Help with BC Graduation Requirements
Graduation is the most important part of a student’s life. We can make sure it’s not the most stressful part too! If reading and writing are not part of a child’s predominant learning styles, school can be tough. Not only do we wish to help them meet the BC graduation requirements, but we would like to help them enjoy learning as well!
Our twisted tutors are happy to help with any and all subjects, including life skills and university prep. If you could use a little assistance helping your kids meet the BC graduation requirements, don’t hesitate to contact us. You’ll be glad you did!
We’ll be updating this page as the BC graduation requirements change, so you can bookmark it and check back to see the latest developments. For everything else happening in the world of education, head over to our Facebook page!