Academic Upgrading Grades 7 to 12

Program Overview

NorQuest College is an accredited high school and offers courses that follow the Alberta Education curriculum. As a post-secondary institution, we also offer high school equivalency courses that are accepted by Alberta universities and colleges under the Alberta Council for Admissions and Transfer agreement, and by Canadian post-secondary institutions.

The Academic Upgrading Grades 7 to 12 program is offered in a friendly, mature, and student-oriented environment. We will help to make your college experience pleasant and successful.

We will assess your skills and your prior learning by reviewing your transcripts and/or having you write a placement assessment so that you begin at the level that is right for you. Our qualified staff will help you design an individual learning plan to meet your specific needs and to ensure that you understand your educational path. If you experience learning difficulties or are physically challenged, we will work with you to accommodate your needs.

Career Potential Academic

Upgrading increases your job opportunities and enables you to meet the specific academic course requirements for certificate, diploma, or degree programs at post-secondary institutions such as NorQuest, NAIT, Grant MacEwan University, or the University of Alberta.

eCampusAlberta Upgrading

NorQuest College is proud to be part of this exciting online learning initiative that gives students access to a wide range of courses and programs from 15 colleges and technical institutes throughout the province. When you register with NorQuest for an eCampusAlberta upgrading course, you will have access to the College’s excellent student support services, including online tutoring, the Learner Centre, and the library.

Visit the eCampusAlberta website at www.ecampusalberta.ca for more information.

Career Potential

Academic Upgrading increases your job opportunities and qualifies you for certificate, diploma, or degree programs at institutions such as NorQuest, NAIT, Grant MacEwan University, or the University of Alberta.

Support Services

To assist you with your academic studies and personal needs, we provide the following support services:

• Career and personal counselling
• Admissions services
• Supports for students with disabilities
• Excellent library services including Internet access and career information
• Drop-in computer labs, including computer-assisted instruction
• An excellent and supportive teaching staff
• Drop-in study rooms with tutoring available
• Free drop-in tutoring available
• Online tutoring by appointment

Tutorial Services

5th Floor, Learner Centre
For information: 780.644.5864

Get extra help with class material, writing assignments, or homework in the Tutorial Centre. You can receive assistance with your courses Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Your instructor can refer you, or you can drop in when you need help. Additional tutoring for evening students may be available from 5:30 to 6:30 PM Monday through Thursday. Tutorial support is available free of charge to all NorQuest students in upgrading courses as well as career programs.

Services include:

• One-on-one tutoring in all math, science, English, social studies, financial management, and computer classes
• Online tutoring by appointment for online classes
• Workshops in response to student needs such as pronunciation/ conversation, diploma exam preparation, and the development of skills identified in the Canadian Language Benchmarks

Transferability

At NorQuest, students may take either Alberta Education credit courses or NorQuest high school equivalency courses at the Grade 12 level. Alberta Education credit courses appear on both the Alberta Education transcript and the NorQuest College transcript. High school equivalency courses appear only on the NorQuest College transcript.

Alberta Education vs. NorQuest Equivalency Courses

NorQuest equivalency courses follow the same curriculum as the Alberta Education courses, but students do not have to write the Alberta Education final exam. High school equivalency courses are accepted in lieu of Alberta Education courses for admission purposes by most postsecondary institutions in Alberta and Canada. To ensure this acceptance, all courses are reviewed and approved by the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT). A listing of all acceptable equivalency courses is published annually. Visit the ACAT website located at www.acat. gov.ab.ca to view the current list. This guide is used by both Alberta and Canadian post-secondary institutions to evaluate equivalency courses for admission to their postsecondary programs.

NorQuest College offers Alberta Education credit courses that can be used to attain your high school diploma. Students taking Alberta Education courses at the 30 level must write the Alberta Education diploma exam in order to receive a final grade in the course. The final grade is calculated by blending the class mark and the diploma exam mark and is recorded on a student’s Alberta Education transcript. The NorQuest transcript will state only the final class grade.

Admission Requirements

• Alberta Education high school transcript or NorQuest placement assessment
• Minimum 17 years of age

Credential

After successfully completing the academic requirements of their Individual Program Plan with a minimum of six courses taken consecutively and/or concurrently at NorQuest College, students will be awarded a NorQuest certificate.

Students obtaining a certificate will meet an academic level that coincides with the career goal they identified during their program, which may be less than a high school diploma.

Achieving a High School Diploma

Students at NorQuest have several options to achieve a high school diploma credential. An academic advisor can assist in determining the right diploma route for you.

The following routes to a high school diploma are available:

• NorQuest College Grade 12 Equivalency diploma (General and Advanced)
• Alberta High School diploma (granted by Alberta Education)
• Alberta High School Equivalency diploma (granted by Alberta Education)
• GED (General Educational Development) (granted by Alberta Education)

NorQuest High School Equivalency Diplomas

New this year, NorQuest offers two high school equivalency diplomas that are accepted by post-secondary institutions, trade schools, and employers. Students may take either Alberta Education credit courses or NorQuest high school equivalency courses to qualify for either diploma. If you are lacking Alberta Education high school credits, this high school diploma option may be for you, as a minimum number of credits is not necessary.

Possession of an equivalency high school diploma does not guarantee admission to a post-secondary institution. Students who intend to enter a post-secondary institution must check the calendars of these institutions for appropriate admission requirements and plan their senior high school courses accordingly.

NorQuest Grade 12 General Equivalency Diploma

The Grade 12 Equivalency diploma (issued by NorQuest College) can be awarded to students who aim for a high school credential by taking the “applied” or non-academic Grade 12 stream.

Students must successfully complete the following requirements with a grade of 50% or greater in each course. A minimum of three courses must be completed with NorQuest College.

1. One of English 30-1, 30-2, 030-1, or 030-2
2. Two more approved subjects at the 30 level
3. A minimum of one science course
4. A minimum of one mathematics course
5. One additional high school course from the following list:
   a. Social Studies 10-1, 10-2, 20-1, 20-2, 30-1, 30-2, 030-1, or 030-2
   b. Science 10
   c. Physics 20, 30, or 030
   d. Chemistry 20, 30, or 030
   e. Biology 20, 30, or 030
   f. Aboriginal Studies 10 or 20
   g. Cree and Culture 10, 20, or 30
   h. Business Essentials (5 credits)
   i. Financial Management (5 credits)
   j. Information Processing (5 credits)
   k. Legal Studies (5 credits)
   l. Health Essentials (5 credits)

NorQuest Grade 12 Advanced Equivalency Diploma

The Grade 12 Advanced Equivalency diploma (issued by NorQuest College) is awarded to students who aim for a high school credential by taking the “pure” or academic Grade 12 stream.

Students must successfully complete the following requirements with a grade of 50% or greater in each course. A minimum of three courses must be completed with NorQuest College.

1. One of English 30, 30-1, or 030-1
2. Pure Math 30 or 030
3. Two courses from the following list:
   a. Social Studies 30, 30-1, or 030-1
   b. Biology 30 or 030
   c. Chemistry 30 or 030
   d. Physics 30 or 030
   e. Math 31
   f. Cree 30
4. One course from the following list:
   a. Information Processing (5 credits)
   b. Financial Management (5 credits)
   c. Legal Studies (5 credits)
   d. Aboriginal Studies
   e. Any other course not used from Section 3 (above)

Alberta High School Diploma

An Alberta High School diploma (issued by Alberta Education) requires a minimum of 100 credits, including the following:

• Grade 10, 11, and 12 English (either -1 or -2)
  
• Grade 10, 11, and 12 Social Studies (either -1 or -2)
  
• Math (10 credits)
  
• Science (10 credits)
  
• Physical Education (3 credits)
  
• Career and Life Management (3 credits )
  
• 10 additional credits in any of the following: CTS, Fine
  Arts, Second languages, Physical Education 20 and/or
  30, RAP courses, or IOP credit
  
• 10 additional credits in any 30-level courses (in addition
  to English and Social Studies)

Alberta High School Equivalency Diploma

An Alberta High School Equivalency diploma (issued by Alberta Education) may be obtained two ways:

1. Transcript Evaluation

Students must accumulate 100 Alberta Education credits to qualify for an Alberta High School Equivalency diploma. A minimum of 60 credits must be gained through classroom instruction in a school or other institution accredited by or acceptable to Alberta Education (for out-of-province students), offering approved senior high school courses, as follows:

• One high school course in mathematics (5 credits)
  
• One high school course in science (3 credits)
  
• English Language Arts 30-1 or English Language Arts
  30-2 (5 credits)
  
• One other 30-level course, other than English Language
  Arts (5 credits)
  
• Additional high school courses (42 credits)
  

A minimum of 40 additional credits, which must be earned
as follows:

• Additional high school courses
  
• Additional approved adult education courses under recognized
  agencies such as public colleges, institutes of
  technology, extension divisions of universities, adult evening
  classes and/or
  
• A maximum of 15 credits for maturity, according to the
  following scale:
  • Age 21-24 inclusive (5 credits)
    
  • Age 25-29 inclusive (10 credits)
    
  • Age 30 and over (15 credits)
    
• A maximum of 5 credits for extensive travel
  
• A maximum of 5 credits for extensive reading

If you are 18 years or older as of September 1 of the current school year, out of school for 10 consecutive months or more, have taken Alberta Education courses through a high school and/or NorQuest College, but lack the necessary 100
credits for an Alberta High School Diploma, this option may be possible for you.

Please contact NorQuest Assessment Services at 780.644.6095 for more information. There is a $50 fee for this service. Out-of-province transcript evaluation, a necessary step in this process for anyone applying non-Alberta
credits toward their diploma, is an additional $25.

2. GED (Tests of General Educational Development)

The second method of obtaining a High School Equivalency diploma requires that you complete and pass five subject tests. The five General Educational Development (GED) tests are:

• Language Arts - Writing Test (Part I and Part II)
  
• Social Studies
  
• Science
  
• Language Arts - Reading Test
  
• Mathematics (Part I and Part II)

To be eligible to write the GED, you must be 18 years or older and out of school for at least 10 consecutive months. You must pass all five tests with a minimum standard score of 450 or better in each test.

Please see the following link for more information: http://
education.alberta.ca/students/grad/hsed/alternative1.aspx

NorQuest College is an accredited GED testing centre; see page 43 for GED writing dates. Please note that students must apply to write the GED exams and pay appropriate GED testing fees.

NorQuest also provides GED preparation classes, both during the day and the evening. See the Prep for GED program. A GED Prep course is also available as a continuing education course in the evening.

Tuition and Fees

2009/2010 Tuition and Fees (pdf)

Funding Your Education

Students in this program may be eligible for Alberta government funding including costs for tuition, books, and living expenses.

Course Listing (2009/10)

Not all courses are offered each year.

Grades 7 to 9

Grades 10 to 12

Last updated: October 30, 2009