Graduation Requirements

Medium

Graduation Requirements

NDCDE will accept and transfer credits from other accredited secondary schools. Accredited schools include those approved by state departments of education and/ or those that maintain regional or national accreditation. An official transcript from the accredited secondary school must be received by NDCDE in order for credits to be transferred. Our guidance department will then determine the acceptance and transfer of these credits.

Units of credit are expressed in Carnegie units. All NDCDE courses (unless stated otherwise) are one-half-unit courses and are equivalent to one semester (1/2 credit). Please contact Jocelyn Kolle at 701-630-1885 or by using our Contact NDCDE Staff Form if you have any questions or concerns about credit requirements at NDCDE.

NDCDE Graduation Requirements
Subject Requirements
 English/Language Arts

 

  4 units
 Social Studies

 

  • American History
  • American Government
  • Economics with Financial Literacy
  • Any other social studies, which may include civics, civilization, 1 unit or geography and history, multicultural studies, ND studies, psychology, sociology, and world history.
  3 units

 

  • 1 unit
  • 1/2 unit
  • 1/2 unit
  • 1 unit or 2 half-units
 Foreign/Native American Language, Fine Arts, or Career and Technical Education  3 units
 Science

 

  • Physical Science
  • Biology
  • Any other science

OR

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  3 units

 

  • 1 unit
  • 1 unit
  • 1 unit or 2 half-units

 

  • 1 unit
  • 1 unit
  • 1 unit
 Mathematics

 

  • May take approved Computer Science Course (Not currently offered at NDCDE.)
  3 units

 

  • 1 unit
 Physical Education

 

  • Physical Education (One half of the Physical Education requirement may be met by taking Health.)
  1 unit

 

  • 1 unit
 Electives  5 units
 ND Civics Test  No units
 Total  22 units

Optional High School Curriculum Requirements

Beginning August 1, 2025 all students will be required to have 1 credit of cybersecurity. This credit can fulfill 1 credit towards the CTE requirements or 1 credit toward the Elective requirements.

If after completing at least two years of high school a student has failed to pass at least one-half unit in 3 subject areas, that student may request that the student’s advisor, guidance counselor, or principal meet with the student and the student’s parent(s) to determine if the student should be permitted to pursue an optional high school curriculum, in place of the requirements set forth above.

If a student’s parent consents, in writing, to the student pursuing the optional high school curriculum, an alternative plan may be considered. For more information about the optional high school curriculum requirements, please contact Jocelyn Kolle at jocelyn.kolle@k12.nd.us