Grades 10-12

Students in Grade 11 (graduating in 2025) and Grade 12 (graduating 2024) will continue to work towards graduate requirements found in Policy 316A.

Students expected to graduate in 2026 and beyond will have different graduation requirements. Policy 316B indicates that as of 2026, graduates must:

• have met learning requirements prescribed in Grade 9 curriculum
• have completed compulsory credit-hours in Grades 10 through 12
• have accumulated 100 credit-hours to apply for graduation
• have developed a documented career-life plan

Students can begin to accumulate credit-hours in courses once they have met the learning requirements prescribed for the Grade 9 curriculum in the corresponding subject area or equivalent. Students will be eligible to graduate when the graduation requirements are met. 

The minimum acceptable grade of 60% is required in the learning expectations for high school courses. Students are required to accumulate the minimum credit-hours in each of the seven subject area clusters and acquire a literacy credential by achieving a successful rating on the English Language Proficiency Assessment. Schools may apply to have a student exempt from the ELPA if the student is learning English as an additional language at A1-A2 levels in reading/writing. Students at B1 level and above should attempt the ELPA with universal accommodations.

Students are required to accumulate:

• 80 total credit-hours from the list of compulsory courses and options in the cluster areas (72 credit-hours from list of compulsory outcomes + 8 credit-hours from any cluster).
• a minimum of 20 additional credit-hours which may include elective courses, up to 8 credit-hours from Challenge for Credit Courses, 4 credit-hours for Independent Study, and/or 8 credit-hours for Locally Developed Courses
• French Immersion students must complete 50% of the Grade 9 curriculum in French, and 40 credit-hours in Grades 10-12 French

Graduation requirements for a student with a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) may vary. A PLP can contain one or more of the following:

• Accommodated: Accommodations are strategies, technologies or adjustments without
• which a learner would not be able to access the curriculum or demonstrate their knowledge.
• Individualized: Planning that supports student’s skill development and does not follow
• the prescribed curriculum.
• Adjusted Curriculum: A course is adjusted when grade level curriculum outcomes of a subject have been changed or deleted to address the specific needs of the learner. The integrity (general intent) of the course is maintained while the depth of treatment of the outcomes has been altered or deleted.

Learn more about compulsory credits.

Credit-hours are based on both outcomes and hours of instruction. Up to the 2022-23 school year, the credit system has been based on one credit per 90 hours of instruction. Now, credit-hours provide a more flexible system in which four credit-hours are based on the previously established 90 hours courses and prescribed outcomes for Grades 10-12 courses. All courses where credits were earned since 2018 will be updated to make equivalent four credit-hours for each one credit earned. Each prescribed course in Grades 10 – 12 is designed for 90 hours (four credit-hours) of instruction.

Credit-hours provide more flexibility to offer courses that do not run for an entire semester or that may continue beyond a semester. These alternative course lengths may be designed to award credit-hours outside the standard four credit-hours.

• Courses can only meet the requirements of a single cluster.
• Grade 10, 11 and 12 courses will:
  • Be listed on the transcript
  • Include a mark on the 100% scale. In select courses, a Pass may replace 60% or higher.
  • Show four credit-hours, unless another credit-hour value has been approved
• Personal Interest 1 and 2 courses can be used by schools to support meeting cluster requirements as indicated in the course options lists provided in the table here.
• Develop and Lead 110 can be tailored to student leadership in any course cluster to meet non-compulsory options.
• Application for Locally Developed Courses are required for schools to be granted permission and provided the appropriate course codes.
• he six high school EAL courses Essentials, Connections and Expressions are part of the Language Arts cluster.
• Mi’kmaq/Wolastoqey may replace French as the language requirement for Indigenous Students. Newcomers in high school with English language levels of A1-B1 on the CEFR may take EAL classes in place of Post-Intensive French 10.

Learn more about courses and cluster options.
 

High school students have a variety of options to personalize their education and receive credit for learning that occurs outside of the traditional classroom.

Opportunities may include internships, apprenticeships, leadership programs, camps and other accredited experiences.

For more information about Opportunities for Credit, please contact [email protected].

Locally Developed Course Options

Locally developed courses (LDCs) are unique, stand-alone courses that serve to fill a particular need unmet by currently prescribed high school curriculum. A student may count two approved LDCs for their graduation requirements.

Personal Interest 1 and 2 / FI Personal Interest 1 and 2

Personal Interest 1 and 2 courses provide the opportunity for students to pursue an individual interest or passion. Students will determine the focus of their learning with help from educators and other mentors in the school or local/global community. Schools may offer this as a class, or learners may apply to complete the course independently. This can meet elective cluster requirements.

Challenge for Credit

Challenge for Credit offers opportunities to receive high school course credit for learning that a student has acquired independently, outside of school.

"Fast track" options

Fast Track options provide learners with four credit-hours by simply submitting proof of completion. Current "fast track" options include: CADET level 4, Scout Exploration Activity Award, Duke of Edinburgh Award – Young Canadian’s Challenge (Silver or Gold), Imagine NB, National Lifesaving Society Certification, Girl Guides Trailblazer Award (Silver or Gold), Coach NB (5 course program), Junior Achievement “Be Entrepreneurial” Program, Université de Moncton Explore Jeunesse and Junior High Programs, the Immersion Program of Université Saint-Anne, Les Jeunes chanteurs d'Acadie, YMCA Community Action Network (YCAN), YMCA Summer Work Student Exchange Program (SWSE), and the YMCA Youth Exchanges Canada Programs (Virtual and Travel).

Dual credit courses

Dual credit courses allow students to earn high school course credit at the same time as post-secondary credit or apprenticeable hours towards an apprenticeship in a recognized trade.

Independent study

Independent Study is an opportunity to extend learning beyond high school courses through a student developed course. Students collaborate with a supervising teacher or mentor to create learning outcomes, activities, and a plan for assessment.

Early Start Credits

Early Start Credits provide Grade 12 students who are on track to graduate the option to enroll in an online course from University of New Brunswick, St. Thomas University, Mount Allison University, or The New Brunswick Community College. Tuition costs apply, although funding options are available. The school counsellor can direct students to the list of courses from each institution, as well as information about admission requirements and process. 

Essentials Skills Achievement Pathway (ESAP)

The Essential Skills program is an outcomes-based graduation pathway that combines skills-based learning, content area courses and experiential learning.  This program supports students to be prepared for work, learning and life.

Documented Career-life plan and myBlueprint

Documented Career-life plan refers to a comprehensive education, career and life plan that documents the learning needs, interests and aspirations of all students. A recommended and provincially supported student tool is the online career-life planning tool, myBlueprint .

Effective September 2023, schools will have access to a Hopeful Transitions model and tool to support the planning process with all learners. Learn more about Hopeful Transitions here.

Early Application to Graduate Process

Students who have met the graduation requirements in Policy 316 Appendix A or B have the option of applying to graduate. This provides flexibility for students, regardless of age or grade level.

Students shall be permitted to attend school-sanctioned activities during their current graduation year, provided they are in good standing with the school and district.

Students who graduate before June of their graduation year will be permitted to participate in all regular graduation activities, provided students have met all of the school’s requirements, which may include graduation fees.

Students are recommended to have a plan that can include work, college, university, GAP, exchange, or another school, family and student agreed upon plan.

The process for graduating early will require both a signed letter, review of graduation status and post-secondary requirements by the school, family/guardian and student.

The signed letter will include confirmation of:

• Graduation status
• Post-secondary entrance requirement comparison to completed courses
• Signatures of the following:
  • School Counsellor
  • Administration
  • Parent and/or Guardian
  • Student
• Acknowledgment of all agreed upon parties that the student has met graduation requirements and will not be attending school after the signed date.

Online Courses

New Brunswick Virtual Learning Centre (NBVLC) offers online courses to all high school students in the province, which can be accessed anywhere, anytime. Read more about the choices available through NBVLC here.