Dual Enrollment & Early College
Dual Enrollment
The Alabama State Board of Education has authorized the establishment of dual enrollment between public colleges and universities and local boards of education.
The following options may be offered in dual enrollment:
- Dual Enrollment allows students to earn college credit.
- Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit (DE/DC) allows students to earn both high school and college credits for the same course.
- 1/2 Carnegie Unit is awarded for completion of a semester college course.
- Assigned grades will appear on the high school report card and transcript and the college transcript.
St. Clair County Schools currently have a Dual Enrollment / Dual Credit agreement with Jefferson State Community College.
The St. Clair County Board of Education has established dual enrollment programs allowing certain high school students to enroll in postsecondary institutions in order to dually earn credits for a high school diploma and/or a postsecondary degree at both the high school and the participating postsecondary levels.
Criteria for participating in the dual enrollment program include the following:
- The student will have a “B” average.
- The student will obtain written approval of the principal and superintendent.
- The student will be enrolled in Grade 10, 11, or 12 or have an exception granted by the participating postsecondary institution upon recommendation of the student’s principal and superintendent and in accordance with Alabama Administrative Code Rule 290-8-9-.17 regarding gifted and talented students.
- The student who is enrolled in Grade 10, 11, or 12 who does not have a “B” average in completed high school courses may be deemed eligible to participate in dual enrollment courses pending demonstrated ability to benefit as documented by successful completion and placement identification on assessments approved by the Department of Postsecondary Education. Students eligible under this section will be restricted to pursuing career/technical and health-related courses. Students enrolled under this provision must have earned a “B” average in high school courses related to the occupational/technical studies and have an overall Grade Point Average of 2.5
- The student shall take courses at a postsecondary/college level – not remedial courses.
- The student enrolled in courses during the normal high school day on or off campus is responsible for his/her own transportation. The St. Clair County Board of Education is not responsible for transportation or its liability.
- Six semester credit hours at the postsecondary level shall equal one credit at the high school level
- Jefferson State Community College requires a 20 on the English portion of the ACT or students may take the placement test in English before being allowed to enroll in Dual Enrollment English. High Schools may have additional requirements for enrollment.
Early College
- Early College is an initiative from The University of Alabama that gives high school students the opportunity to earn college credit in a dynamic online learning environment, with the UA standard of excellence. Early College students are non-degree-seeking students, which means that they can earn credit without declaring a major.
- Early College courses are offered online in every term (fall, spring and summer). In addition to online study, Early College offers its students the opportunity to take courses on campus during the summer. Early College students who complete a course with a passing grade earn the same academic credit as on-campus college students. Just like on-campus college students, Early College students earn their college credit in each term that they complete courses. Early College courses form part of a student’s permanent academic transcript.
- The UAEC 200 Gateway course is a two-credit hour course. Most Early College courses are three credit hours, while some courses, such as those in the Natural Sciences (e.g. Biology) and Foreign Languages (e.g. Japanese) have additional lab work or practicum components that earn an additional hour of credit.
- You do not have to attend The University of Alabama as a freshman. Your UA Early College credit goes on your permanent academic transcript in every term that you take a course. It is transcripted as University of Alabama credit, meeting SACS accreditation standards, and therefore transfers broadly to many institutions, both public and private, in and out of state. If you plan to take this credit with you to other institutions, you will simply need to order a transcript and have it sent to the receiving institution of your choice. We recommend that you check with any potential receiving institution to see how they will receive your UA Early College credit.
Information on Early College can be found at http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/
Please contact high school counselors for more information on these programs.