TYPES OF COURSES
The types of courses available in the secondary school program:
- In Grades 9 and 10, three types of courses are offered: academic courses, applied courses, and open courses. Academic courses emphasize theory and abstract problems. Applied courses focus on practical applications and concrete examples. Both types of courses set high expectations for students while preparing them for studies in the senior grades. Open courses are described below.
- In Grades 11 and 12, courses offered to prepare students for their postsecondary destinations include: university preparation courses, developed in close collaboration with universities; university/college preparation courses, developed in close collaboration with both universities and colleges; college preparation courses, developed in close collaboration with colleges; and workplace preparation courses, developed in close collaboration with representatives from a variety of workplaces. Open courses are also offered in Grades 11 and 12 (see below).
- Open courses, offered in all secondary school grades, are designed to prepare students for further study in certain subjects and to enrich their education generally. Like the other types of courses, open courses are credit-based and are counted towards the 30 credits required to meet diploma requirements.
View a brief description of courses offered in grades 9-12 by choosing the specific grades below.
Visit the Ontario Ministry of Education for all curriculum information (all possible courses for grades 9 through 12).
