Curriculum

College Credit and Honors Program

Department members, in consultation with the Principal, establish criteria for student entrance into courses carrying honors or advanced weight. A student seeking departmental recommendation for these courses must meet all established criteria.

St. Joseph’s Academy offers the opportunity for students to take selected honors courses for honors credit, college credit and/or to prepare for the Advanced Placement exam. The terms ACC (Advanced College Credit), ACP (Advanced College Program), and AP (Advanced Placement) are used to designate these options. ACC and ACP courses at St. Joseph’s Academy are offered through the Saint Louis University 1818 ACC Program and through the University of Missouri-St. Louis ACP program. The AP courses and exams are sponsored by the College Board.

All Honors, ACC, ACP and AP classes are more challenging and carry an additional GPA weight of .5. A student’s course load is based on her talents and her ability to handle the challenges she faces. These courses are taught at a more rigorous level and require more from the student. The following are expected of all St. Joseph’s Academy students, but to be successful in college credit and honors courses, students must demonstrate:

The ability to work independently
A strong work ethic
A greater time commitment to the course material
Higher-order thinking skills reflected in writing, speaking, and reading comprehension
Higher levels of class discussion

AP/ACC or AP/ACP classes carry both designations because the course has the opportunity for either AP or ACC/ACP credit. The student selects the designation for the course in consultation with the instructor and her counselor.

Colleges and universities like to see applicants who have challenged themselves while in high school, so taking a weighted class can be a good idea. Students at St. Joseph’s Academy may be recommended by their teachers to take Honors, ACC, ACP or AP courses. Criteria for recommendations are determined by the teachers in each department. Students who wish to take more than three Honors, ACC, ACP or AP courses per semester must receive written permission via the “Maximum H/ACC/ACP/AP Override Request Form.” This form must be turned in to the Registrar prior to registering for classes online.

Honors

Honors courses are more challenging high school courses with greater expectations; they carry extra GPA weight, but they do not carry any college credit or potential for college credit.

ACC/ACP

ACC/ACP courses are more challenging as they are taught at the university level. They carry extra GPA weight, and can provide college credit. An additional fee is required to be paid to the sponsoring university. The sponsoring universities require that a student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to enroll in an ACC or ACP course. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will receive a transcript from the university, as well as St. Joseph’s Academy, which will reflect the grade earned in the course. These classes may or may not be accepted by colleges or universities a student may attend. Therefore, a student should contact any potential college or university prior to registering for an ACC or ACP course to determine that school’s policy on ACC or ACP acceptance. These courses are considered dual enrollment – high school and college credits are issued.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are more challenging than honors courses. They carry extra GPA weight and are accepted as course credit at most colleges and universities with successful completion of the AP exam. The College Board charges a fee for the AP exam. AP test scores range from 1 to 5 with 3, 4, or 5 usually acceptable to many, but not all colleges. For AP credit policy information, students should refer to any potential college or university’s website. It is the student’s responsibility to authorize the College Board to issue her test scores to her college.

The following AP courses are offered at St. Joseph’s Academy:

CSE Computer Science Principles
EN Senior English
MT Calculus AB
MT Calculus BC
MT Statistics
SC Biology
SC Chemistry
SC Physics
SS American Government and Politics
SS American History
SS European History
SS World History
WL French
WL Spanish Language and Culture IV

HONORS, ACC/ACP AND AP COURSES for 2020-21

CSE AP Computer Science Principles
EN AP/ACC Senior English*
EN ACP Honors Writing and Research
EN Honors American Literature
EN Honors British Literature
EN Honors Shakespeare
EN Honors Voices of Human Rights
EN Honors World Literature
FA ACC Art History
FA Honors Art
FA Honors Frontenac Voices
FA Honors Independent Art
MT AP/ACC Calculus AB
MT AP/ACC Calculus BC
MT AP/ACC Statistics
MT Honors Algebra II
MT Honors Geometry
SC AP/ACP Biology
SC AP/ACP Chemistry
SC AP/ACP Physics
SC ACC Forensic Science
SC ACP Human Anatomy and Physiology
SC Honors Biology
SC Honors Chemistry
SC Honors Physics
SS AP American Government and Politics
SS AP/ACC American History
SS AP/ACC European History
SS AP World History
SS Honors Global Literacy
SS ACP Psychology
SS ACP Social Psychology of Gender
SS Honors Voices of Human Rights
SS Sociology*
TH ACC Women’s and Gender Studies
TH ACC Theological Foundations
WL AP/ACC French
WL ACC French III
WL ACC French Literature and Composition
WL AP Spanish Language and Culture IV
WL Honors Spanish I
WL Honors Spanish II
WL ACC Spanish III
WL ACC Spanish IV
WL Honors Spanish Culture through Literature and Film
WL Honors Latin III
WL Honors Latin IV
WL Honors Mandarin Chinese III
WL Honors Mandarin Chinese IV

* Sociology has an option to receive ACC credit, but no additional GPA weight.

** AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition

St. Joseph’s Academy is a private, Catholic high school for girls in St. Louis, Missouri, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Our mission is to provide quality Catholic education for young women in an environment that challenges them to grow in faith, knowledge, and respect for self and others. Our community expects these young women to make a profound impact in the world.