A credit is granted in recognition of the successful completion of a course that has been scheduled for a minimum of 110 hours. For the purpose of granting a credit, "scheduled time" is defined as the time during which students participate in planned learning activities (other than homework) designed to lead to the achievement of the curriculum expectations of a course. A credit is granted to a student by the principal of a secondary school on behalf of the Minister of Education.

Requirements for Ontario Secondary School Diploma
In order to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), a student who enters Grade 9 must complete the following requirements:

• earn a minimum of 30 credits, including 18 compulsory credits and 12 optional credits.
• complete the 40 hours of Community Service
• successfully complete the Grade 10 Test of Reading and Writing Skills

CREDITS REQUIRED

18 Compulsory Credits

4 credits English
3 credits Math (at least 1 senior math)
2 credits Science
1 credit Arts
1 credit Canadian Geography
1 credit Canadian History
1 credit French as a Second Language
1 credit Health & Physical Education
½ credit Civics
½ credit Career Studies

An additional credit in one of:
The Arts, Business Studies, Health and Physical Education

An additional credit in one of:
Canadian & World Studies, English, Social Science, Third Language

An additional credit in one of:
Senior Science, Technological Education (Gr. 9-12)

An additional credit in:
Cooperative Education

12 Optional Credits
In addition to the 18 compulsory credits, students must earn 12 optional credits, selected from the courses listed in the school Course Calendar.

Other Secondary School Programs

• Students in Grade 9 take a Provincial (EQAO) Mathematics test at the applied or academic level. Results from the test are forwarded to parents/students and a portion of the Provincial test is used in the final evaluation for the Grade 9 course.
  
  
• Students are expected to take a full program (i.e. 4 credits each semester) in grades 9, 10 and 11. No student will be allowed to drop a course until he or she acquires 24 credits.
  

Compulsory Courses Needed to Graduate

Questions to Consider from Grades 10 to 12

• Do you have a required Arts credit?
  
  
• Do you have a Business, or second Arts, or second Physical Education course?
  
  
• Do you have an additional English, third Language, Social Science,
  or Canadian World Studies course?
  
  
• Do you have a Technology (Gr. 9-12), or Science (Gr. 11-12) course?
  

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