Dual credit programs are Ministry of Education approved programs that allows students who are still in secondary school, to take college or apprenticeship courses. When the course is successfully completed, two credits are recorded - one toward your high school diploma and the second on the college transcript.
Dual Credit courses
There are two categories of Dual Credit courses:
In a team-taught dual credit course, an Ontario secondary school course is taught jointly by a high school teacher and a college instructor. The high school teacher delivers the curriculum from the high school course and a college instructor delivers the college curriculum. Students are eligible to receive credit for the college course, which is recorded on the student's college record, and for the secondary course, which is recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript.
In a college-delivered dual credit course, students take a college course or a Level 1 apprenticeship course. This course is delivered by solely by a college instructor and supported by a secondary school teacher. Students, if successful, earn both a college credit, which is recorded on the college record, and a high school credit which is recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript. College-delivered dual credits are delivered primarily through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and the Centre for Success Program.
Benefits of Dual Credit Programs
Students benefit from a Dual Credit Program in a number of ways:
- students experience a college course while still in high school;
- increased awareness of the various college and apprenticeship programs available;
- students visit the college in order to tour the campus and learn about opportunities in college;
- students experience a positive transition to college life, should they pursue this pathway, as they gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of post-secondary expectations;
- students' costs for textbooks and bus transportation are covered by the program;
- students earn a college credit while still in high school.
How do students apply?
Students are referred to a Dual Credit course by the school's Student Success team. Students also learn about dual credit opportunities during course selection presentations and through discussions with Guidance Counsellors or Student Success Teachers.
The Dual Credit program is funded by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for:
- students who have the potential to succeed, but are at risk of not graduating from high school;
- students who are academically capable of completing college level work as demonstrated by success in college level courses;
- students who will benefit from exposure to post-secondary pathways which will assist in the planning of their post-secondary years;
- students enrolled in Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs; and
- students enrolled in Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP).