Ministry Policy Site

Fine Arts and Applied Skills Requirements in the Graduation Program

SECTION 1: 1995 GRADUATION PROGRAM

This section applies to students who begin Grade 10 before July 1, 2004.

Please see Section 2 for details of this policy as it applies to the 2004 Graduation Program, which applies to students who begin Grade 10 on or after July 1, 2004.

Issued and in effect January, 2004.

Current policy

In order to graduate from the British Columbia school system, a student must earn credits in the Fine Arts and Applied Skills subject areas as outlined in Ministerial Order 205/95, the Graduation Requirements Order.

The purpose of this policy is to describe the requirements for earning and reporting credits for Fine Arts and Applied Skills, and to explain options for students as outlined in Ministerial Order 205/95, the Graduation Requirements Order, for the 1995 Graduation Program.

See Ministerial Order 205/95, the Graduation Requirements Order.

Definition - "Fine Arts:" The Fine Arts subject areas include Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts.

Definition - "Applied Skills:" The Applied Skills subject areas for the 1995 Graduation Program include Business Education, Home Economics, Technology Education, Information Communication Technology, and in some cases, Physical Education.

In order to graduate, students are required to earn a minimum of 2 credits of Grade 11 or Grade 12 Fine Arts and a minimum of 2 credits of Grade 11 or Grade 12 Applied Skills. This can be accomplished through Ministry-authorized courses or external credentials, courses based on the learning outcomes of the Applied Skills 11 or Fine Arts 11 program guides, or from a limited list of courses that fulfill both the Fine Arts and Applied Skills requirements. These courses are listed in the Course Information Book.

Ministerial Order 205/95, the Graduation Requirements Order

Handbook of Procedures

Course Information Book

If you have any questions relating to the Fine Arts and Applied Skills Requirements in the Graduation Program Policy, please contact Robert Lazar, Student Transitions Coordinator, Initiatives Department.

SECTION 2: 2004 GRADUATION PROGRAM

This section applies to students who begin Grade 10 on or after July 1, 2004.

Please see Section 1 for details of this policy as it applies to the 1995 Graduation Program, which applies to students who begin Grade 10 before July 1, 2004.

Issued January, 2004, and in effect July 1, 2004

Current policy

In order to graduate, a student must earn a minimum of 4 credits in the Fine Arts and/or the Applied Skills subject areas as outlined in the Graduation Program Order.

This policy provides guidelines for earning and reporting the required credits in the Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills subject areas. The policy description clarifies the changes from the 1995 requirements, as outlined in the Graduation Program Order.

See Ministerial Order 302/04, the Graduation Program Order

Definition - "Fine Arts:" The Fine Arts subject areas include Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts.

Definition - "Applied Skills:" The Applied Skills subject areas for the 2004 Graduation Program include Business Education, Home Economics, Information Communication Technology, and Technology Education. Applied Skills do not include Physical Education or Second Language courses.

The purpose of this policy is to describe the requirements for earning credits for Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills as part of the requirements for graduation outlined in the Graduation Program Order. Students have several options to earn the required 4 credits in the Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills subject areas to meet the requirements of the 2004 Graduation Program. Options are described below. Procedures for reporting credits in these subject areas are explained in detail in the Handbook of Procedures, and courses that meet the requirements are listed in the Course Information Book.

Students may earn the required 4 credits toward the Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills requirement in Grade 10, 11 or 12, or through Ministry-authorized external credentials. This may include 4 Ministry-authorized credits from any of the applicable subject areas (see definitions, above) or 2 Ministry-authorized credits from each of Fine Arts and Applied Skills.

Schools have the flexibility to deliver programs in these subject areas that meet the needs of their students and communities. However, Boards of Education are required to offer a choice of a Fine Arts and an Applied Skills educational program to all students in the 2004 Graduation Program.

Program guides for Grade 10 subjects in the Fine Arts and Applied Skills areas are designed to provide flexibility in organizing and implementing curriculum, and to acknowledge the existing programs already in place in BC schools. The learning outcomes in Grade 10 Fine Arts and Applied Skills Integrated Resources Packages (IRPs) can be delivered within a number of program models. For example, the learning outcomes for Technology Education 10 may be delivered as Technology Education 10 - Woodwork, Technology Education 10 - Drafting, or Technology Education 10 - Metalwork.

In some cases, students may earn credits for more than one course based on these Grade 10 Fine Arts and Applied Skills IRPs. Each course should address both the prescribed learning outcomes and the required content specific to the particular program model offered. Required Program Model Content charts (available in 2004 as part of the relevant IRP) outline content for each program model, which provides the framework within which the prescribed learning outcomes are delivered. If students take more than one course particular to a subject area, they must satisfy the learning outcomes in relation to the content for each program for which they receive credit. These course names are listed in the applicable Handbook of Procedures and Course Information Book beginning with the school year 2004/05.

For Grade 10, 4-credit courses should consist of 100 - 120 hours of instruction, and 2-credit courses should consist of 50 - 60 hours of instruction, or the equivalent.

Students may earn credits toward the required 4 credits for Fine Arts and/or Applied Skills, as set out in the Course Information Book, by successfully completing:

Handbook of Procedures

Course Information Book

2004 Graduation Program web site

If you have any questions relating to the Fine Arts and Applied Skills Requirements in the Graduation Program Policy, please contact Content and Achievement Unit