To earn a Northwest Territories high school diploma, students must successfully complete a minimum of 80 credits and write the Graduation Assessments in literacy and numeracy. The 80 credits consist of 56 credits in required courses, including 8 credits of Career Education, and a minimum of 24 elective credits.

Required Courses

Credits must be earned in the following subject areas or courses:

• A Language Arts 10 (4 credits)
• A Language Arts 11 (4 credits)
• A Language Arts 12 (4 credits)
• Northern Studies 11 (4 credits)
• A Social Studies 10 (4 credits)
• A Social Studies 11 or 12 (4 credits) (Northern Studies 12 included as a Social Studies 12 option)
• A Mathematics 10 (4 credits)
• A Mathematics 11 or 12 (4 credits)
• A Science 10 (4 credits)
• A Science 11 or 12 (4 credits)
• Physical Health and Education 10 (4 credits)
• An Arts Education and/or an Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies 10, 11, or 12 (4 credits)
• Career Life Education (4 credits)
• Career Life Connections (4 credits)
• Electives (24 credits) at any level and in any course areas. Once the credit requirements for courses have been met, additional courses in that subject area count as elective credits.
• Grade 12 credits (16 credits) Of the 80 total credits, student must complete a minimum of 16 credits at the grade 12 level including a required Language Arts 12 course and Career Life Connections.

Completion of high school is a milestone but does not guarantee entrance into post-secondary programs. Each post-secondary program has specific requirements. Students are therefore encouraged to complete more than the minimum requirements outlined above and to maintain marks in their classes that meet the entrance requirements of the program of their choice.