Updated graduation requirements for Alberta high school diplomas will give Calgary students more choices starting in 2028.
On Nov. 13, the province announced a reshuffled set of prerequisites for earning a high school diploma. While students must still meet the 100-credit minimum, they will soon be allowed to do so by taking more elective classes than originally allowed.
A news release from the Government of Alberta, sent out Friday morning, explained that in two years, freshmen students will be permitted to take up to 53 credits of optional classes, compared to the initial 44-credit limit.
Nothing will change for Grade 10 students, who must take the mandatory humanities, math, and science core classes, as well as the three-credit physical education and career and life management courses.
Starting in fall 2029 for Grade 11s and 2030 for Grade 12s, fewer required credits will be allocated to core classes, entitling students to pursue approximately two additional elective classes as long as they meet a minimum number of core and physical education credits.
Students can still take core classes if they choose to, but providing them with access to alternative courses in place of traditional ones is an effort to give them more autonomy over what they take, said Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of education and childcare.
“The world students are graduating into has changed significantly over the past 30 years, and our graduation requirements need to keep pace,” he said.
“The changes will give students more choice to explore their interests, develop real-world skills and choose a path that prepares them for a career, post-secondary education and success in life.”
Breaking down the changes
Currently, Grades 10 and 11 students must take all four core classes — English language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics. Grade 12 students must take both humanities classes and may drop science and math.
Each core class is worth five credits, and Grade 11 and 12 students must complete 30 core credits across the two years, with humanities contributing 20 credits and math and science contributing 10 credits.
Once these changes are implemented, Grade 11 and 12 students will be authorized to take three fewer core classes, sustained by a 15-credit drop. Instead of taking four humanities classes, they’d need just two, and instead of two math and science classes, they’d need one.
As long as future Grade 12 students write at least one diploma exam, they can choose which 30-level core class they write it for. This differs from today, where students must write a diploma in both English language arts and social studies, alongside others of their choosing.
Additionally, Grade 11 students would no longer need to take both math and science, as they could choose between a 20-level math course and a general or specialized science course, being biology, chemistry, or physics.
The overall decrease in mandatory core class credits has been offset by an increase in others, including a revised three-credit combined physical education, wellness, and financial literacy course, required for both Grades 11 and 12, for a total of six credits.
This brings the total number of core class credits for Grades 11 and 12 to 21, and when added to the core credits needed to pass Grade 10 — 26 — leaves the remaining 53 credits to be filled by complementary options classes across all three years.
Public, charter boards ‘welcome’ modifications
Although the electives offered differ by school and board, they typically fall into the following categories: second languages, fine arts (painting, dance, drama, band, or creative writing), and career and technology studies (trades, business, cosmetology, foods, and media design).
While some students may choose to embrace the added options classes, many will likely have to enroll in more Grade 12 core classes than required for graduation if they have post-secondary aspirations.
Hypothetically, if a senior high school student follows the updated guidelines, they might take only one 30-level diploma course. However, this would be two courses short of standard university admissions across the province.
Institutions like Mount Royal University, MacEwan University, and the University of Alberta, for example, require five Grade 12 classes for general admission, including at least three core classes.
Still, local districts have since greeted the new requirements, calling the change a step in the right direction by giving students the upper hand in exploring how today’s curiosity could inform tomorrow’s calling.
“We welcome the increased flexibility in graduation requirements, which will give students more opportunities to pursue courses that align with their interests, aspirations and future career pathways,” said Bradey Thompson, principal and co-founder of Fusion Collegiate.
“Giving students more choice in their learning will help them build on their strengths and graduate with the skills, confidence and sense of direction to succeed in their futures.”
In an email statement, the Calgary Board of Education sang to the same tune, saying it looks forward to learning more about the proposed changes by working with the ministry to understand their impacts on programming, course availability, and resources.
“Students have diverse strengths, interests and goals,” the email statement read.
“Providing flexibility and choice can help students pursue learning opportunities that reflect their individual needs and aspirations while continuing to build a strong academic foundation.”
Copyright 2026, LiveWire Calgary. All rights reserved.
Sarah Palmer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, LiveWire Calgary.