Graduation Requirements
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS - GRADES 9, 10, 11, & 12
2005/06
1. Four years of secondary school study are required, during
which time a minimum of 23.5 credits must be earned in approved
secondary school courses.
2. Students must include the following courses in the 23.5 required credits:
A) English: 4 credits required, to be met through taking at least one English course each semester.
- 9th grade - English 9
- 10th grade - British Literature
- 11th grade - American Literature
- 12th grade - any one of the following courses:
- A.P. English or two Senior Seminars. Students must take at
least one English course in each semester of their senior year.
B) Mathematics: 3 credits required, each student to complete the sequence through Precalculus.
C) Science: 3 credits required, 6 semesters of science
courses, four of which must be taken in the first two years of high
school. Students must take Biology I in their first semester of
9th grade, followed by Biology II in the second semester.
Chemistry I must be taken in 10th grade, as well as another science
course from the acceptable choices. Either Physics I or AP
Physics is required for graduation. A student may take two
science courses simultaneously if schedule permits. See Science
Department information for prerequisites.
D) History: 3 credits required, to consist of Western
Civilization, American History, World Civilizations and one other
semester elective course offered by the History Department.
Transfer students who enter after the ninth grade year are not
required to take World Civilizations but must take two elective
courses offered by the History Department. One semester of A.P.
Art History may count toward the history requirement if both
semesters of the course are successfully completed.
E) Foreign Languages: 3 high school credits required in one
of the foreign languages: French, Spanish or Latin; or 2
high school credits in 2 of the foreign languages offered.
F) Fine Arts: 1/2 credit required in Music Literature &
Listening, Music Theory, Introductory Art History, A.P. Art
History, Technical Theatre, Improvisation, On Line Play Writing,,
Seminar Art, or Digital Graphics.
G) Alternate Day: 3 credits required. One of these
credits must be earned in the performing art courses, i.e. Introductory
2D & 3D, Concert Choir, Select Choir, Pep Band, Jazz Band, Acting
for the Camera, Physical Theater, Beginning Theater, Theater II,
Dance, Painting, Introductory Photography, Filmmaking, Mixed
Media, Drawing, Ceramics, Digital Graphics, and Seminar Art.
H) Physical Education/Sports/Health & Wellness: 1
credit required (1/2 credit 9th grade; 1/2 credit 10th grade).
One sport is equivalent to one semester of PE.
ALL STUDENTS 9 - 12
The remaining 3 credits may be selected from any electives offered from year to year.
3. In addition to the above, 11th & 12th grade students may
elect to take an Independent Study course or a course at the university
level.
4. All students must carry five academic classes each semester
plus at least one alternate day course. Exceptions to the
graduation requirement and all Independent Studies must be approved by
the Academic Dean or the Head of the High School.
5. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (equivalent to a C
average) in the academic classes is required in order to remain in good
academic standing at University School.
6. Students who enter University School following the ninth grade
year will have requirements prorated. The grade point average is
computed from work done only in courses taken in grades 9-12 at
University School.
7. Courses taken during summer school will not normally fulfill
graduation requirements. If a student wishes to take a summer
course as a substitute for a required USN course, permission for this
arrangement must be given by the Head of the High School and the
Academic Dean before the student enrolls in the course
REQUIRED COURSES DURING HIGH SCHOOL YEARS
English History
Math Science Foreign
Language: Fr., Span., Latin Phys. Ed./
Sports Alternate Day Course
9th English 9 World Civiliz. a. Algebra I
b. Geometry
c. Advanced Geometry Biology I and
Biology II a. Level I
b. Level II 1 credit (4 semesters) from any dance course, Rock-
Climbing, Dance, Weight
Training,
Yoga, Walking for Fitness, Physical Ed. Class or 4 semestersof sport participa-
tion , Cheerleading, USN Dance Team, Pilates
or 4
semesters combining the above. At least one
required each semester. Choices include such courses as
Newspaper,
Yearbook, Literary Magazine, Jazz Band, Band, H.S. Chorus, Show Choir,
Introductory 2D&3D, Theatre Arts, Physical Theatre, Scene Study,
Debate, Youth in Govt., Psy:Topics for Teens, Web Design
Creative Writing, Peer Educators, Intro. Photography, Ethics, Human Development,
Multimedia Presentations,
Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, Ceramics, Film making, Seminar Art, Computer Animation, C++, Java Programming, Service Learning:
3 credits are required for graduation - 1 of which must come from the Performing Arts.
10th British Literature Western Civilization
AP European History a. Geometry
b. Algebra II
c. Adv. Alg. II
Chemistry I &
a choice of 1 of the electives listed below(*) a. Level II
b. Level III
11th American Literature American History a. Algebra II
b. Precalculus
c. Advanced Precalculus Physics I (may take AP
Physics in 12th grade) and choice of Physics II, Biomedical Physics or
courses listed below.
a. Level III
b. either Level IV or A.P. Level course
12th One English course each semester. Choices include:
AP English,
The Search For Meaning,
Literature&Music,
The Journey,
Rattling the Cage,
The Field of Battle,
The Wisdom of Youth, Magical Mystery Tour
one of several courses, to be chosen from such
courses as African History, Asian History, Latin American History,
Social Conscience, Economics, Psychology, Harlem Ren., A.P. American
Govt., A.P. Com. Pol., Great Issues, and Comparative Religions, Middle
Ages & Beyond a. Precalculus
b. A.P. Calculus AB (recommended but not required)
c. A.P. Calculus BC (recommended but not required)
d. A.P. Statistics (recommended but not required)
Must complete
Precalculus or Accelerated Precalculus AP Physics
(year course) or Physics I (if not taken in 11th) & choice of 1
elective below (*)
*Microbiology
*Chem. II
*Environmen-tal Chem. II
*Geology
*Astronomy
*Fossils&Life Through Time
*Env. Biology
AP Biology & AP Chemistry are offered in the 11th & 12th
grade Study of a foreign language is not required at
this level, but students may take either a Level IV course, Level V or
an A.P. Level course
4 credits
3 credits
3 credits 3 credits in the
high school (4 sem)
1 credit
A Fine Arts Course is required some time during the high school years
(Introduction to Art History, Music Listening and Literature, On line
Play Writing, Music Theory, A.P. Art History, Technical Theatre,
Improvisation, Digital Graphics, or Seminar Art).
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