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Grades 9-12 Course Selection

And High School Graduation Requirements

Course Selection

This page explains the course selection process for Grades 9 to 12, and also the graduation requirements and process.

Please note that graduation requirements are in their base form, some schools which offer specialized programs have more rigorous graduation requirements, for example, the R.H King Future Leaders program, which requires students to obtain at least 100 community service hours, instead of the standard 40 hours.

For High Schoolers

Your course requirements for graduating high school are in the pdf linked below, but the requirements are also below for you to see. There are eight courses you take per year, with an additional option of summer school or a 5th year* to take more elective courses, or to make up for failed courses.

*Note: The 5th year option is only available in schools offerring the Collegiate program. Schools with a Collegiate Institute, Collegiate, or C.I. at the end of their name, like Riverdale C.I, SATEC @ W.A. Porter C.I, etc are Collegiate schools. Schools like Earl Haig Secondary School, are NOT Collegiate schools, and do not offer additional semesters beyond Grade 12. Most high schools in Toronto are Collegiates, however.

TDSB Secondary School Information Guide

Includes a 2 page comprehensive visual description of what courses you need in high school, credit requirements, plus the different pathways (Uni, College, Apprentinceship, Workplace, etc). This is a very basic visual description/list, and by no means is a comprehensive guide.

(Here's the requirements below anyways but in a more basic form)

Tips for Course Selection:

Plan for the long term: Plan out your courses for the next years ahead as well, even up to grade 12: Work using a reverse-approach. What courses would you need for a University program (plan out what programs you need too). Then, what courses would you need in Gr 12 and 11? What prerequisites do those courses require, in Gr 9 and 10, etc. (In Gr 9, you don't have to worry too much because most of your courses are already pre-selected).

- Do research on uni programs. If you're planning for a science program, pick many science courses (bio, chem, phys, earth and space sci), if you're aiming for an IT program, do IT courses (Com Sci, Com Eng, CISCO Networking...), etc.

Keep your options open. I know this runs almost counter to my previous point, but just make sure you take into account many things can happen (That's why you have two Alternate courses to substitute if any two of your elective courses aren't offered). Don't box yourself into one field.

- For example if you're interested in Physics, still take Chemistry and Biology too, which gives you more science credits and allows you to switch paths later to chem or bio if you want.

Pick courses you know you'll be interested in

Take related courses

Pick French courses (If you do Core French all four years, you'll get a French diploma and can do some uni courses French)

Take Science courses like Chemistry, Physics, and Biology in Gr 11 and 12. If you can, take all three. Trust me.

If you're taking Computer courses or Tech courses, take Science courses as well. Business courses may also complement Tech courses well, and so does the Media Arts course.

Don't forget about Arts courses. Some will be really cool and useful, such as Media Arts, a great companion course to the Tech field.

If you're absolutely unsure, talk to your guidance counselor and the heads of each department at your school (Sciences, Arts, Business, etc)

Total Requirements

See this link for complete info: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/GradesExamsDiplomas/Getting-your-Diploma

^Electives are courses not included as explicit requirements: eg Art, Business, Tech, etc

*Note, via summer school program, you can take courses earlier than intended (provided you have all prerequisites). Eg, you can take the Grade 11 English course in the summer of Grade 10. Each summer session composes 1 month, and has one course slot. (Civics and Careers is the exception to this rule as they compose a half credit each, and both can be taken in one summer session)

*Group 1: English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course), French as a second language, classical languages, international languages (You can take courses on specific languages, like Greek, Spanish, Sinhala, Tamil, etc), Native languages, Canadian and world studies, Native studies, social sciences and humanities, guidance and career education, cooperative education

*Group 2: French as a second language, the arts, business studies, health and physical education, cooperative education

*Group 3: French as a second language, science (Grade 11 or 12), computer studies, technological education, cooperative education

Note: The following conditions apply to selections from the above three groups:

A maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language may count as additional compulsory credits, 1 credit from Group 1, and 1 credit from either Group 2 or Group 3.
A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education may count as additional compulsory credits, selected from any of Groups 1, 2, or 3.

Additional:

These requirements are mandatory (except for e-learning) for your graduation as well as the course requirements

Get at least 40 Volunteer Hours: (See here for information)

You can get these by getting a volunteer form, signing up to volunteer at a specific organization approved by your school board (if not in the list, ask your guidance counselor if its approved: Don't worry, 99% of the time whatever organization you will work at will probably be approved, so long as whatever you're doing is legal.), and then getting your supervisor to sign the form, and then submit the form.

You do NOT need to get all your hours from the same organization, and in fact it's encouraged to diversify your volunteer experience.

Yes, you can earn more than 40 hours, and it's common, and encouraged to do so. However, it will not show up on your transcript, but it's good to put on your resume.

Depending on the school/specialized program, you may be required to earn more than 40 hours, such as R.H King's Future Leaders Program, for example

Pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) in Grade 10

This will be taken in February or March of your Grade 10 Year, and will cover English concepts from Grade 7 to Grade 9. It is run by EQAO, and unlike the usual EQAO tests, the OSSLT does affect your graduation. If you fail, you are allowed to retake the test in Grade 11, if you fail again, you can take it in Grade 12. It is very easy for the most part, it is designed the vast majority of students pass comfortably on their first try. No letter grades are given, just a pass or fail result

Get 2 E-Learning Credits (Optional)

As of 2022, a new requirement has been introduced to all those who entered high school in 2020 or later, where at least 2 of your courses must be e-learning courses. This requirement is optional and if you wish to opt-out of this requirement, there is a form you can fill, at any time, and send to your guidance counselor before graduation. It will NOT affect your ability to graduate: TDSB E-Learning Opt Out Form

E-learning courses MUST be asynchronous - (Mostly independent learning, with only 1 - 2 hrs of instructional time at most per day, per course)

Course-types considered:

E-Summer School (Link to apply to summer school)
E-Learning Day School: Like a regular semester credit, except, for those who need more flexibility (working, etc), e-learning day courses take place online at non-fixed time periods per day.

Course types NOT considered:

Courses administered by TDSB Virtual School (They are synchronous learning: you're present in a class like in-person school, but over the Internet)
- EXCEPTION: ONE of your two e-learning credits can be taken from TDSB Virtual School E-School, if you were learning during the pandemic, during the province-mandated school closure from 2020 to 2021. Any one TDSB Virtual course taken during the 2020-2021 school year can be counted.

Please seek assistance from your guidance counselor or Vice Principal if you have completed the E-learning requirement but it does not show up on the updated transcript on the back of your final (not midterm) report card. There is probably an error with the newly registered Student Information System, which probably doesn't register the 2020-2021 exception credit.

Grade 9

In Grade 9, you have 8 courses. 6 of them are already decided for you, these are the mandatory courses. The other 2 courses can be selected. Electives can be like arts courses, tech courses, business courses, eg. Make sure to plan out your timetable using a software like myBlueprint.com, (see your guidance counselor about that), so you know which courses you take in grade 9 and beyond, because courses in later grades often require prerequisites from the previous one. So make sure you take the necessary prerequisites

Grade 9 English

Grade 9 Mathematics

Grade 9 Science

Grade 9 Core French*

Grade 9 Physical Education and Health (co-ed)

Grade 9 Geography

Elective 1

Elective 2