Want more information about a course?

Course outlines for all courses are available from your school principal. You can also get copies of the Ontario Curriculum Policy documents on the Ministry website.

Do I need to take courses in a particular order?

Many courses in grades 11 and 12 have prerequisites which must be met before admission to the course is normally allowed. Students and parents / guardians should try to plan ahead by finding out what courses require certain knowledge and skills. Knowing this information may allow more flexibility in course selection as the student moves from year to year.

“Corequisite” and “Recommended Preparation” courses are listed in the school section for some courses. Students will be more successful if certain courses (corequisite courses) are taken at the same time, or prior to (recommended courses) the course they selected. More information is available from the Student Services Office and department head in the secondary school.

Can I change courses part way through the year?

Yes. To make a course change, see the counsellors in the Student Services department at your school. The course change policy for each school is in the school section of this Course and Program Calendar.

OSR – The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is the record of a student’s educational progress through schools in Ontario. All students and their parents/guardians have access to the OSR. If students move to a new school, the OSR is transferred to that school.

OST – The Ontario Student Transcript (OST), is an official record of the Ontario secondary school credits completed by students. Successful completion of grade 9 and 10 courses is recorded on the OST. For grade 11 and 12 courses, successful and unsuccessful attempts are recorded.

Academic

Applied – develop students’ knowledge and skills by emphasizing practical, concrete applications of essential concepts. Theoretical applications are incorporated as appropriate.

Open – designed to provide students with a broad educational experience. These courses prepare students for grades 11 and 12, and for everyday life. Open courses are offered in subject areas where academic and applied courses are not offered.

LDCCs – Locally Developed Compulsory Credits are designed to meet students’ learning and career needs not addressed by the Ontario curriculum. These courses are designed for students whose knowledge and skills require additional development before enrolling in academic and/or applied courses in grades 9 and 10. LDCC courses are relevant and practical. They enable students to improve their literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills. These courses prepare students for success in workplace preparation courses in grades 11 and 12. A student may count a maximum of six locally developed courses as compulsory credits in English (grades 9 and 10), Mathematics (grades 9 and 10), Science (grade 9) and History (grade 10). Information on locally developed courses is available in the school section of this course and program calendar.

Open – courses in the senior grades give students the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills in a particular subject that may or may not be directly related to their postsecondary goals. These courses are appropriate for all students regardless of postsecondary destination. They are designed to provide students with a broad educational base, to prepare them for further study, and to equip them for active participation in society.

Workplace – designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need for direct entry into the workplace or for admission to most apprenticeship and other training programs. They provide teaching and learning experiences that emphasize workplace applications of the course content and explore the theoretical material that underlies these practical applications.

University – designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for university programs and prepare for related careers. They provide teaching and learning experiences that emphasize theoretical aspects of the course content, but also include some concrete applications.

University / College – course content is relevant for both university and college programs. These courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for specific university and college programs, and prepare for related careers. These courses provide teaching and learning experiences that emphasize both theory and related concrete applications.

For an OSSD, it’s as easy as…
(Ontario Secondary School Diploma)

1. 30 credits in total
2. 40 hours of community involvement
3. completion of the Literacy Requirement

F.Y.I. optional credits of students choice***
What’s It Take? (OSSD)
* A maximum of 3 English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) may be counted toward compulsory English credits. The fourth must be a Grade 12 compulsory English credit.
** A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education can count as compulsory credits.
*** May include up to 4 credits achieved through approved Dual Credit Courses.

For an OSSC
(Ontario Secondary School Certificate)

7 compulsory credits
plus
7 optional credits

For an OSSCA
(Ontario Secondary School Certificate of Accomplishment)

This certificate recognizes achievement for students who plan to pursue certain vocational programs or other kinds of community integration.

Substitutions: Principals may replace up to three compulsory credit courses with courses from the list of 18 courses that meet the requirement. Substitutions are granted on an individual basis.

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If you would like to print a copy: PDF