Requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma

In order to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), a student must:

  • Earn 30 credits (18 compulsory and 12 optional credits),
  • Complete 40 hours of community involvement activities,
  • Meet the provincial secondary school literacy diploma requirement through successful completion of the Ontario Secondary

School Literacy Test, Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course or Adjudication Process.

 

Compulsory Credits (Total of 18)

 

4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)

  • The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) may be used to meet either the Grade 11 or the Grade 12 English compulsory credit requirement.
  • The Grade 11 Contemporary Aboriginal Voices course may be used to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
  • For English language learners the requirement may be met through earning a maximum of 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English literacy development (ELD); the fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course,

 

3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)

 

2 credits in science

 

1 credit in the arts

  • The Grade 9 Expressing Aboriginal Cultures course may be used to meet the compulsory credit requirement 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

  • Students who have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school may use a Level 1 or 2

Native language course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for 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 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course), 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

 

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,

Compulsory Credits (Total of 18)

In addition to the 18 compulsory credits, students have to earn 12 optional credits in courses of their choice, selected from the full list of courses available in the school. Optional credits allow students to build an educational program that suits their individual interests and meets university, college, apprenticeship, or work requirements.

Provincial Secondary School Literacy Requirement

40 Hours of Community Involvement Requirements