Academics
GRADUATING FROM AN ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL
Earning an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or OSSD is usually the accumulation of four years of study in Ontario secondary schools. Upon successful completion of three main requirements, the Ontario Secondary School Diploma is awarded.
These three requirements include successful completion of the following:
- a minimum of 30 credits (18 compulsory and 12 optional)
- 40 hours of community involvement activities
- the provincial literacy requirement
30 Credits:
- a single Ontario credit is the equivalent of 120 hours of instruction in a particular subject.
- 18 of the required credits are compulsory and prescribed according to subject area
- 12 of the required credits are optional and are selected by the student from the school’s course
- The chart below shows in more detail the breakdown of subject areas and number of courses needed
| COMPULSORY CREDITS (TOTAL OF 18) |
| 4 credits in English ( 1 credit per grade) |
| 3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12) |
| 2 credits in science |
| 1 credit in the arts |
| 1 credit in Canadian geography (Grade 9) |
| 1 credit in Canadian history (Grade 10) |
| 1 credit in French as a second language |
| 1 credit in health and physical education |
| 0.5 credit in career studies |
| 0.5 credit in civics |
| 3 additional credits, consisting of 1 credit from each of the following groups:
Group 1: English (including the OSSLC), French as a second language, classical languages, international languages, 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 |
| Plus 12 Optional Credits from the School Course Offerings |
To meet this requirement, students are expected to take and successfully complete the Ontario Secondary Literacy Test (OSSLT) in Grade 10. Students who do not successfully complete the OSSLT will have additional opportunities to meet this requirement before graduation.
40 Hours of Community Involvement Activities
Students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities, as part of the diploma requirement. The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to develop an awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities. Students will plan and select their community involvement activities in consultation with their parents
The Provincial Literacy Requirement
All students are required to meet the secondary school literacy graduation requirement in order to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The requirement is based on the expectations for reading and writing throughout the Ontario curriculum up to and including Grade 9.
Secondary School Pages
