What Is a High School Credit and Why Does It Matter?

A high school credit represents the amount of coursework a student has completed, reflecting both instructional time and mastery of the subject. Most schools, including AHE, use standardized credits to track progress toward graduation because they ensure students meet graduation requirements, help colleges evaluate transcripts, and allow parents and schools to monitor academic progress. Credits are earned when course objectives are completed, and grades are submitted.  If a student fails, the credit attempted does not become credit earned, and an F is recorded on the student’s permanent academic record.

How Credits are Measured

1.0 Credit

• 120–150 hours of instruction

• About 180 lessons (typically one lesson per school day)

0.5 Credit

• 60–75 hours of instruction

• About 90 lessons

0.25 Credit

• 30–38 hours of instruction
• About 45 lessons
• BJU Press courses provide the instruction and assessments needed to earn appropriate credit.

How Many Credits Do You Need?

• Minimum for Graduation: 24 credits
• Average Credit Per Year: 6 credits

Elective Requirements

• The course must be formally structured and organized.
• Instructional in nature.
• Covers a subject area that allows learning beyond current knowledge and skills.
• Generally, uses a textbook.
• Should have clear objectives and educational goals.
• Grades should not be based on attendance, as attendance is assumed and not a valid measure of academic achievement.

Tip: Ask yourself, “Would a conventional school accept this as a credit course?”

Elective Approval Process

• Complete the Course and Elective Approval Form (CEAF) for all electives, including pre-approved ones.
• Submit all electives before the semester begins to avoid late fees.

Elective Restrictions

AHE reserves the right to reject any request for credit not submitted before the semester begins or any request that does not meet AHE standards.

1. Financial Compensation Credit cannot be granted for courses where the student receives financial compensation.
2. Extracurricular Activities Extracurricular activities cannot be recorded on academic transcripts. These experiences are valuable and reflect character, but they are not academic credits. Recommendation: Include a simple letter listing these activities chronologically in the college enrollment package if the college does not request them in the application process.

• Bible instruction is required each school year but is considered an elective because students may choose between several BJU Press options.
• Minimum of 2.5 hours per week (.5 credit per year)

Recommendations

• First semester: Students develop computer input skills in a keyboarding class that emphasizes keystroke accuracy and speed.
• Second semester: Students apply their keyboarding skills to essential software used in education and business, including word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and digital presentations. These courses are available from various publishers that include the Microsoft Office suite, which is considered the current industry standard in education and business.
• Students who have already mastered keyboarding and computer applications may earn the required credit by studying computer science fields such as programming, web design, graphic design, and CAD.

Keep in mind, there is a difference between physical activity and physical education. Walking the dog may be great physical activity, but it is not typically considered physical education worthy of credit on a transcript. Review your state’s graduation requirements for physical education and health to ensure compliance.

You may meet the 1-credit requirement in Health and/or Physical Education by choosing one of the following options:

• Health credit may be earned by using an approved Health textbook.
• 0.50 credit per semester may be earned by participating in an instructional/training program (tennis lessons, aerobic classes, weight-training sessions, etc.) that meets at least 4-5 hours a week.
• 0.25 credit per semester may be earned by participating in an organized team sport for a regular season.
• 0.25 credit per semester may be earned by attending a Bob Jones University sports camp.
• Create a custom course to fit the student’s circumstances (must be preapproved).

Course Expectations

• Teaching: Instruction and drills for practice and game play.
• Evaluation: In addition to meeting the required instructional hours, the final grade is determined by student performance against predetermined criteria. A rubric is commonly used to help the coach or parent assign an objective grade.

Grading Criteria

• Knowledge: Philosophy, history/terms/rules, and strategies of the sport.
• Skills: Sport-specific skills tests.
• Fitness: Tests assessing flexibility, cardiovascular health, body composition, muscular strength, and endurance
• The following are suggested physical fitness programs:
  • Physical Best (National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 1.800.213.7193)
  • FitnessGram
  • Log It
  • President’s Challenge

• Courses must be at the high school level.
• Graduation requirements include two years of the same foreign language.
• BJU Press currently offers Spanish 1, 2, and 3.
• Students choosing a different foreign language may use other publishers.
• Important: Not all foreign language courses provide enough material for credit and should be pre-approved with a CERF.

American Sign Language (ASL) meets the foreign language requirement.
BJU Press offers one year of ASL, and we will assist you in finding an appropriate option for the second year.

AHE does not typically award high school credit for private music lessons unless structured music theory is included and the instructor provides an objective grade.

Students participating in musical groups with a director may earn elective credit if the class meets at least three hours per week and includes tests that allow the director to assign an objective grade.