Students

How many credits do I need to graduate? What courses are compulsory?

You need 30 credits to graduate from high school in Manitoba. If you have successfully completed the 30 credits, including all the compulsory courses, you get a provincial high school graduation diploma. Here is a list of the compulsory courses at each level.

*Please note that the number of credits has increased from previous years and increased to 30 in 2009-10 as physical education became mandatory at the grade 11 and 12 levels. More information is available here:

Compulsory Courses

In addition to the above courses, you need enough electives to total 30 credits. The electives can be from any grade level.

For complete information, visit the Department of Education website page on this topic.

What else do I need besides the basic graduation requirements?

As long as you have the above noted 30 credits, you can graduate. However, you should also become familiar with the entrance requirements of the various colleges and universities. It is possible to graduate without meeting post-secondary entrance requirements.

Some programs require that you have completed a pre-calculus math for example. Others require a certain number of advanced level grade 12 courses. That means you need to find out about entrance requirements for the programs in which you think you might be interested.

See the sidebar at the top of this page to get the admissions departments for the major colleges and universities.

What electives can I take?

Electives, or optional courses, are courses that you take in addition to the compulsory courses (highlighted in the chart above). You have to take enough electives to make you eligible for graduation. Of course, we teach many electives at the school, but you have other avenues open to you as well. You should speak to your school counsellor about things like online courses or independent study course, or even about how to develop a student initiated project - which involves designing your own course around an area of personal interest.

Can I get accepted to college or university?

As mentioned earlier, you need to check the posters or online for the entrance requirements for that college or university.

Some programs work on a "first come, first served" basis, so apply early. Other programs have limited enrollments and may require you to submit a portfolio, attend an interview, submit proof of immunization or complete courses at a university. Applying early gives you time to prepare, which is the best way to improve your chances of getting into the program you want.

What if the course I want to take is not offered in the regular timetable?

We offer a wider selection of courses than most schools this size, but it may happen from time to time that a student wants / needs to take a course that we are not offering. If it is a course that is offered in rotation, that is, every other year, then the student is advised to simply enroll in the course when it is offered. In special circumstances, this is just not an option, so these other approaches are usually available:

Online Learning: Various online courses are offered in our school division and students can take them free of charge. We are sometimes able to enter into agreements with other school divisions to make their online courses available to our students as well. .

Independent Study: The Independent Study Option (ISO) is also known as correspondence. Students register and pay* for a course they want and upon successful completion, the Department of Education contacts us and a credit is awarded. Students truly work in an independent fashion, and as there is no teacher assigned to the course and no regular schedule to follow, this option should only be selected by students who are self-motivated and able to organize their time efficiently. Follow this link for more information.

Inter-campus courses: We have developed a strong inter-campus program between Arborg Collegiate and Riverton Collegiate. Students are eligible to take selected option courses at either campus and travel on the bus each way.

Please note: ISO, and some Web courses require that the student pay a registration fee to either the Department of Education or to the school division that is hosting the Web course.

*Registration costs are the responsibility of the student, however if this is a required course that is not taught at either ACI or available at RCI through our shared-campus program, ACI may consider reimbursing these costs. The following must be provided:

• A copy of the original receipt issued by the Department of Education, and
• Proof the credit was successfully completed.

These arrangements need to be made with the school in advance. Students / parents should discuss this with the school before registering for these courses.

Manitoba Diploma: Student who achieve 30 credits (by June 2010 and thereafter) and meet Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth graduation requirements.

Evergreen Diploma: Student who achieve 32 credits (by June 2010 and thereafter), meet Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth graduation requirements.

Evergreen Diploma with Distinction: Students who meet the requirements for the Evergreen Diploma and achieve an average of 80% or greater in Grade 12 courses (minimum five Grade 12 credits, interpreted as the best five Grade 12 credits achieved, including ELA and Math).

How do I get considered for the awards and bursaries they present at grad?

You are required to fill in an application to be considered for the community awards. This application is available in early April and once completed, is submitted to the school counsellor.

What is the difference between all of the different Math courses? Which one should I take?

There are a number of different Mathematics courses, including Essentials, Pre-Calculus, and Applied.

You need to know if the post-secondary program you plan to take one day requires a particular type of high school Math course as a prerequisite. It is of course very difficult to take a challenging Math credit at the higher grade levels if you do not have the previous grade level credit.

Here is a listing of all the Math credits and the paths that you can follow in completing your Math program.

What about other credits, like community service, private music, or correspondence courses?

Community Service

You may earn a credit for volunteer work in the public sector - the Community Service Student Initiated Project (CSSIP). To do this, you must first register for the credit with the school counsellor. You are required to complete 55 hours to earn a half credit and 110 hours to earn a full credit. Volunteer means nonpaid work.

Correspondence Courses

You can take a correspondence course - or independent study. You are responsible for any costs involved in doing so, but if we have resources you need, such as a textbook, you can sign that out from the school. Here is a list of all the independent study courses.

Private Music Option

To earn credits in the private music option, you need to provide us with proof of successful completion of programs in the Royal Conservatory of Music or the Conservatory Canada program. View the Department of Education guidelines for more information.

Cadets

The conditions for recognition are as follows:

• One credit can be recognized on the basis of successful completion of the cadet basic training program. Basic training program for Air Cadets is defined as successful completion of the Level Two program;
• An additional credit can be recognized on the basis of successful completion of the cadet advanced training program. Advanced training program for Air Cadets is defined as successful completion of the Level Four program;
• These credits will be recognized only as additional credits beyond the minimum credits for school graduation.

Follow this link for more information.