Stanstead College Academic Program

Based on Quebec Ministry of Education guidelines, the Stanstead College curriculum is broadly divided into junior and senior levels, with the core subjects of Mathematics, English and French emphasized at each level. Grade 11 is highlighted by advanced level courses in Mathematics, French, Chemistry and Physics. Students may opt for French as a second language or Français as a first language (langue maternelle).

Students graduate from high school upon the successful completion of their Grade 11 (Secondary V) year. Students may choose to attend Quebec CEGEP (two-year college subsidized by the Quebec government) or enroll in Grade 12, which provides students with an intensive university preparatory program.

Because of the sequential nature of the Quebec curriculum, senior students are encouraged to enrol at Stanstead College in Grade 9 or 10 at the latest. Ideally, junior students should enrol in Grade 7.

Stanstead also offers an English Second Language program.

Useful information for English second language students: SLEP & TOEFL Recommendations for Admission to Stanstead College (Word document)

Junior Program (Cycle 1)
Secondary I / Grade 7 courses • Secondary II / Grade 8 courses
At this level, students are placed in distinct grades and, where necessary, grouped according to ability and academic background. At each grade level, all students take the core subjects – English, French and Mathematics – in addition to a variety of other subjects.

Senior Program (Cycle 2)
Secondary III / Grade 9 courses • Secondary IV / Grade 10 courses • Secondary V / Grade 11 courses
In Secondary III / Grade 9, students take the core subjects – English, French and Mathematics – in addition to a variety of other subjects. In the subsequent senior grades, students are required to take English, French, Mathematics, at least one Science course and one course in the Humanities. The minimum course load in Secondary IV and V is six courses. To qualify for the Quebec Secondary School Diploma, students must fulfill the requirements as stipulated by the Quebec Ministry of Education.

Secondary V Honours Certificate
Secondary V students may qualify for the Stanstead College Secondary V Honours Certificate. To be eligible, students must complete six courses at the 500 level (as well as succeed in the internal final examinations set in certain subject areas). To be successful a pass mark of at least 60% must be obtained in each course. A Certificate with Distinction is awarded to those who obtain an 80% average. A Certificate with Great Distinction is awarded to those with an average of 85% or greater.

Grade 12
Grade 12 courses
Stanstead College is one of a handful of schools in Quebec that offers a Grade 12 year. Ours is based on Ontario Grade 12 pre-university courses as well as Advanced Placement courses in English Literature and Composition, Studio Art and Calculus. In addition, we offer advanced courses based on AP syllabuses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Comparative Politics and Economics. All courses meet college entrance requirements. Stanstead College is an ACT and SAT test centre for selected test dates. Approximately 95 percent of our Grade 12 graduates attend university.
Find out more about Grade 12 (PDF)

ESL
Select students from 12 to 15 years of age who have little or no facility in English are offered a one-year intensive course in English within our English Second Language Program. Although students generally spend one school year in this program, some students may advance rapidly enough to be moved into some regular courses during the school year. Upon entry into the regular program, ESL students may be eligible to receive continued language support on a one-to-one basis.

Quebec Ministry of Education requirements for high school graduation
All courses passed in Secondary IV and V, including compulsory and elective courses, are taken into consideration in awarding a Quebec Secondary School Diploma. The Quebec Ministry of Education awards a Secondary School Diploma to students who accumulate 54 credits from Secondary IV and V courses. Of these 54 credits, a minimum of 20 must be from Secondary V courses.

The following compulsory credits must be included in the above:

The pass mark in all subjects is 60%.

For information on the Applied General Education Path & Work-Oriented Training Paths, please visit the Ministry website.

Notes: The above Ministry requirements represent the basic minimum standard for Quebec Secondary School graduation and do not meet the more rigorous standards required for CEGEP entrance. Students seeking direct entrance into a university outside the Province of Quebec would normally opt for the Grade 12 program following Secondary V.