Dual Credit at TCHS

Dual credit is a college-level course offered to high school students, where students earn both high school and college credit.

Juniors and seniors can take dual credit courses at TCHS. (There are also a few limited options for 9th and 10th graders to take dual-credit courses. Ask Mrs. Futrell for more information.)

Dual credit courses begin around mid-August for the fall and mid-January for the spring. This may or may not coincide with the TCHS schedule. Students are responsibility for knowing when each class begins with the college.

Some dual-credit courses are taught by TCHS instructors, so those courses will be held at the high school. Other courses are online through our educational partners: Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) and Murray State University (MSU). For online courses students need to log on to their account to access course materials.

Some benefits to taking dual-credit courses are:

-saving money on college tuition,

-students can earn a degree faster after high school, and

-it increases the chances of completing a college degree.

-It can also increase your high school GPA because dual credit courses get 8 points added on to the final college grade. So, it's possible to earn higher than a 100 for your high school grade in DC classes.

Choosing College Courses

Below are two resources to help students choose which college courses to take. The first is a video that explains how to determine what college courses are needed at the school of the student's choice and how to figure out how courses transfer. The second is a list of transfer equivalencies for Hopkinsville Community College courses. Check transfer information as universities sometimes make changes.

Registering for Dual Credit

Hopkinsville Community College

If you have already applied to HCC, see the next step. If you are new to taking dual credit through HCC, you first need to apply online. Be sure to make note of your Student ID# and other information. Check out their great dual credit website for more information.
Once your online application is complete, determine the course(s) you will take by reviewing this list. To determine if you have met the prerequisites, view this information. A TCHS requirement starting in 24-25 is that 11th grade students must meet English and Reading ACT benchmarks to be able to take ENG 101 or 102. For 12th grade students, they must meet the English and Reading ACT benchmarks or meet GPA requirements (like earlier in this paragraph). Students in 11th grade must also meet the Reading ACT benchmark to take BIO 112/113, which is an online course.
Students who plan to pursue the Associates in Arts (AA) or Associates in Science (AS) degree and/or transfer to a university should complete the Dual Credit General Education Pathway. Please click here to learn more.
Additional courses taught at TCHS include:
- ENG 101/102 (juniors must meet English and Reading ACT benchmarks; seniors must either meet English and Reading ACT benchmarks or have a qualifying GPA - see the second paragraph above)
- HIS 109 - History of the U.S. since 1865
- AHS 115 - Medical Terminology
- NAA 100 - Nursing Assistant Skills
- CAD 100
- CAD 200
- BRX 120
Complete the HCC Add/Drop Form (available in Guidance or linked here) and return to Janay Futrell at TCHS by Thursday, March 28, 2024 for fall 2024.
Review all HCC online orientation information at this website. Be sure to fill out the form at the bottom of that site to signal to HCC that you have completed orientation.
Important dates for HCC are available here.
The presentation from the 3-14-24 HCC Dual Credit Night is available here.

Murray State University - Racer Academy

To take dual-credit classes at MSU you must have a 3.0 GPA or be ranked in the top half of your class.
If you have already applied to MSU, see the next step. If you are new to taking dual credit through MSU, first go to MSU's Racer Academy website and click on "start here." Complete the free application.
MSU has revised their University Studies courses. These are the core classes that students will need no matter what they major in. Here is the list.
Determine which of the following course(s) you will take:
- AGR 100 - Animal Science
- AGR 130 – Agricultural Economics
- AGR 133 - Field Applications for Agriculture
- AGR 140 - Plant Science
- AGR 160 - Horticultural Science
- AGR 182 - Introduction to Veterinary Science
- AGR 185 - Agricultural Leadership and Life Knowledge
- AGR 199 - Contemporary Consumer Issues in Food, Fiber, & Natural Resources
- CIV 201 - World Civilizations I
- CNM 135 – Introduction to Cybersecurity and Network Management
- COM 161 - Introduction to Public Speaking
- ECO 190 - Consumer Economics
- EDP 260 - Psychology of Human Development
- EDU 180 - Exploring the Teaching Profession
- EDU 280 - Educating for Human Development
- EES 110 - World Geography
- EES 125 – Weather and Climate
- EES 199 - Earth Science
- NTN 230 – Introductory Nutrition
- PCH 201 – Introduction to Public and Community Health
- POL 140 – American National Government (5 spots)
- POR 101 – Fundamental Communication in Portuguese (1st half semester, 8/20-10/09)
- POR 102 – Social Interactions in Portuguese (2nd half semester, 10/14-12/06)
- POR 201 – Intercultural Communication in Portuguese (1st half semester, 8/20-10/09)
- POR 202 – Practical Applications in Portuguese (2nd half semester, 10/14-12/06)
- SOC 133 – Introduction to Sociology (5 spots)
- SPA 101- Fundamental Communication in Spanish
- SPA 102 - Social Interactions in Spanish
- SPA 201 - Intercultural Communications in Spanish
- SPA 202 – Practical Applications in Spanish
- THD 104 - The Theatrical Experience

Complete the Registration Request form and return to Janay Futrell by Thursday, March 28, 2024, for fall 2024. (Note, one of the MSU forms may show different dates for the deadlines, but we will strictly follow the March 28, 2024 TCHS deadline for forms.)
To determine how courses will transfer from HCC to MSU, visit their transfer website here.

Paying for Dual Credit

While dual-credit courses cost significantly less than college courses, students are still responsible for paying for them. The maximum per credit hour cost of one college credit hour for 2023-2024 is $93. (We do not yet know the cost for '24-25, but we will update this site once that information is determined this summer at the state level.) Most college classes are 3 credit hours, but some (like science courses) are 4 credit hours. So, each college course will cost $279 or more. There will likely also be additional charges for instructional materials, books or online instructional codes. HCC dual credit payments for anything not covered by a scholarship will be due Oct. 1, 2024. MSU bills are due at the time of receipt for those not receiving a dual-credit scholarship. It is the student's responsibility to check their college online accounts for any updates or deadlines.

Dual-Credit Scholarships & Rotary Reimbursement

Below are 3 options for assistance to pay for dual-credit courses. It is the student's responsibility to apply to access these.

Kentucky Dual-Credit Scholarship - Administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), students are eligible to receive a scholarship for a maximum of two (2) dual credit courses per junior and senior year. Students must apply at www.kheaa.com by Oct. 1 for the fall and March 1 for the spring. Students are required to watch a counseling session video, click here.
Work Ready Dual-Credit Scholarship - Administered by KHEAA, students are eligible to receive the scholarships for up to two approved Career & Technical Education (CTE) dual-credit courses per year (grades 9 - 12). Courses that are approved for the Work Ready Dual Credit Scholarship are listed here. Keep in mind that not all courses are offered every semester. You must check the course lists for each school (see above in the school section) to ensure the course will be offered online or at TCHS for select courses (such as AHS 115, NAA 100, CAD 100, CAD 200 and BRX 120). Students must apply at www.kheaa.com by Oct. 1 for the fall and March 1 for the spring. Students are required to watch a counseling session video, click here.
Rotary Reimbursement per Year - Rotary will reimburse eligible students up to $279 for the cost of dual-credit classes and materials (books, etc.) each year.
- Juniors and Seniors: If you meet 2 of the 3 ACT/KYOTE benchmarks, you may receive up to $279 reimbursements.
- Seniors Only: If you meet all 3 ACT/KYOTE benchmarks, you may receive up to $558 reimbursements.
- To receive reimbursement, students must first pay for the class/book, etc. Students should then turn in a copy of the itemized statement and receipt to Ms. Young at the high school. Receipts may also be emailed to denise.young@trigg.kyschools.us. Be sure the student’s name is included in the email or on the receipt. They will process so that students can get reimbursed. (Students can be reimbursed as needed. In other words, if a student pays for a book in the fall semester that costs $54, after receiving the reimbursement the student would have $225 remaining to use in the spring.) All requests for Rotary reimbursement must be received by May 1.

Each student/parent will be required to complete a Paying for Dual-Credit form as part of the dual credit enrollment process.

What if I fail or withdraw from a dual-credit course?

If a student drops a dual-credit course after the midterm, the student will be given a grade of 69 (with no dual-credit weight added, i.e. 8 points) on their transcript. If the student drops the course prior to the midterm, the student will be enrolled in a CBI course to be completed by the end of the semester

If you used a Dual Credit or Work Ready Scholarship, you will pay the high school for that course. We recommend that you retake and pass the course so you will then have a passing grade on your transcript. However, you will need to pay for the course when you retake it because you cannot use a scholarship for a course you previously failed or withdrew from.

If you withdraw from a course after the refund deadline, you will still have to pay HCC or MSU for that course (if you did not receive a scholarship, which is covered above).

Keep in mind that failing one or more dual-credit courses could affect your ability to get financial aid when you go to college. Read about Satisfactory Academic Progress to learn more.

NOTE: Students should NOT take classes during the summer through a college/university for two reasons. 1. They will not be counted as dual credit courses for high school. 2. This would make the student ineligible to receive a first-time freshman scholarship at most colleges/universities. (The only exception would be if you want to take classes at the college/university you plan to attend after graduation. In that case, consult with the college/university.)