Advanced Placement (AP) is one high school route for university preparation, providing enriched and challenging academic courses that parallel and expand on the material covered in Alberta Education curricula. These courses are designed to help develop good academic habits, analytical reasoning skills and disciplined study. AP provides the flexibility to take one or more courses depending on your interests. Successful completion of AP examinations can lead to obtaining credit for some first year university courses.  In addition to the AP exams, you are required to write the Alberta Diploma Examinations in January or June. Students must purchase any required AP materials and pay a fee to write each AP exam in May.  For more information on AP courses and university credits visit: https://www.collegeboard.org/

Recommended Sequence for AP Courses

Note | Students requesting to take AP courses offered in grade 11/12 are required to have a teacher recommendation in the pre-requisite course.

Pre-Engineering & STEM AP Cohort

Students can work their way through advanced classes and set themselves up for future success in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This cohort is built around academic rigor with unique opportunities to explore careers and post-secondary programs in STEM. Student may potentially earn up to 4 AP/University credit courses, through the completion of courses in Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science and either Robotics or Design, Engineering & Innovation. Potential course sequencing pathways below:

STEM AP Courses

Math 30-1/31 AP

This full-year course covers the Alberta Program of Studies for Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 31 and the Calculus-AB AP curriculum. The Calculus-AB AP curriculum is designed to explore the concepts, methods and applications of differential and integral calculus. Students will work to understand the theoretical basis and solve problems by applying knowledge and skills. Prerequisite: Math 20-1 and teacher recommendation.

Computer Science 20/30 AP

In Computer Science AP, students will learn a variety of programming techniques, and how to apply them effectively. Students will learn how to create and process external data files as well as use Java, an industry standard language. As the program progresses, students learn about Object Oriented Programming and inheritance. They will also learn fundamental iterative and recursive computer science algorithms as well as how to compare the performance of different algorithms using big O notation. Finally, all AP students will practice developing their own project to demonstrate their mastery at the end of each semester. Prerequisite: Computer science intro 20-1 teacher recommendation.

Biology 20/30/35AP

This full-year course covers the Alberta Program of Studies for Biology 20, Biology 30 and the content from the Biology AP curriculum. Specifically, the Biology AP curriculum encompasses four big ideas; Evolution, Energetics, Information Storage and Transmission, and Systems Interactions.  There is a significant emphasis on lab skills, inquiry, and high learning in all content areas. Prerequisite:  Science 10, Math 10C and teacher recommendation

Chemistry 20/30/35AP

This full-year course encompasses the Alberta Program of Studies for Chemistry 20, Chemistry 30 as well as the Chemistry AP curriculum.  The Chemistry AP course framework includes two essential components; science practices and course content.  The science practices describe what a student should be able to do while exploring course concepts.  Specifically, the course content encompasses four big ideas; Scale, Proportion, and Quantity, Structure and Properties, Transformations, and Energy. Prerequisite:  Science 10, Math 10C and teacher recommendation

Physics 20/30/35AP

This full-year course covers the Alberta Program of Studies for Physics 20, Physics 30 and the content from the Physics 1 AP curriculum. Specifically, students taking this course will cover topics in Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and Atomic & Nuclear Physics. Students who already have Physics 20 credits may enroll in this course and begin at the end of Term 1. Prerequisite:  Science 10, Math 10C and teacher recommendation

Humanities & the Arts AP Classes

Art 30AP

This is a semester based course that is designed to enhance the Art 30 curriculum and allow students to investigate the materials, processes, ideas and skills that artists and designers utilize daily in their work. The AP Art and Design program includes three different courses and portfolio exams, students can choose to take one or more in discussion with their Art teacher. A portfolio of work will need to be curated and submitted to the AP board to produce an AP score for the program. Prerequisite: Art 20 with teacher recommendation

English 20/30/35AP 

This enriched program covers the Alberta Program of Studies for English 20-1 and 30-1, as well as additional outcomes from the AP English Literature & Composition curriculum. Students will learn to understand and evaluate works of fiction, poetry and drama from various periods and cultures. There is both an essay/written component and comprehension component to the AP exam.  Prerequisite: English Language Arts 10-1 with teacher recommendation. 

Social Studies 20-1/30-1/35 AP

This enriched program covers the Alberta Program of Studies for Social Studies 20-1 and 30-1, as well as additional outcomes from the AP European History curriculum. Students will study the cultural, economic, political and social developments that have shaped Europe from 1450 to the present. Additionally, students will analyze texts, visual sources and other historical evidence, and write essays expressing historical arguments.  Prerequisite: Social Studies 10-1 with teacher recommendation. 

Spanish L&C 30AP

Spanish Language and Culture AP is equivalent to an intermediate level post-secondary course in Spanish. Students acquire understanding of the Spanish language through speaking, listening, writing and reading. The Spanish Language and Culture AP course strives not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. Students will explore concepts such as family and community, personal and public identities, contemporary life and global challenges. This course is taught almost exclusively in Spanish.  Students who wish to take this course must have completed and excelled at the Spanish Language and Culture 30, or completed Spanish Language Arts 10. Prerequisite: Spanish 20 or Spanish Language Arts 10 with teacher recommendation