Courses at Milton
Course Levels and Expectations
Milton has several designations for accelerated work: Honors, Accelerated, and Advanced.
Full-year courses may expect 4.5 to 5.5 hours per week of student learning time, including time spent in class. Class IV students may expect a maximum of 4.5 hours per week, including class time. Therefore, homework assignments should average 30 minutes in preparation for each class meeting for Class IV students and 30 to 45 minutes in preparation for each class meeting for students in Classes I–III.
Diploma Course Load Requirements
Entering Class IV: 18 credits
Entering Class III: 13 credits
Entering Class II: 9 credits
The typical course load for an Upper School student is five credits. Milton offers three types of courses: a full course, meeting all year and earning one credit; a half course, meeting all year and earning one half credit; and a semester course, meeting for one semester and earning one half credit. Students can earn the correct number of credits by taking a combination of full, half, and semester courses. A student must carry at least four academic credits at all times and may never carry more than five and one half credits.
Although we hope to offer all the courses described in this catalogue, courses that do not directly fulfill a diploma requirement will be offered only if enrollment is sufficient.
Students must earn a passing grade in a course in order to receive diploma credit. To be promoted in any one year, a student must earn a minimum of four credits, one of which must be English, and earn grades of C– or better in at least three of those credits.
Departmental Diploma Requirements
Milton encourages the development of individualized programs of study and the in-depth exploration of subjects of interest. The school’s departmental diploma requirements facilitate these objectives, and students typically go beyond the diploma requirements in many academic disciplines. Below are the general requirements for each department. Successful completion of the courses listed below will meet these minimum requirements. Please refer to individual departments for more specific guidelines.
English
One full course each year
Mathematics
Proof & Problem Solving
Algebraic Concepts
Languages
Level 3
Science
Chemistry or Physics
Biology
History
Ancient Civilizations or World History: Challenges & Changemakers
and
U.S. History or United States in the Modern World 1 and 2
Arts Program
One full-year course after Class IV
or
Music Package
Physical Education
Class IV: Three seasons
Class III: Three seasons, including Fitness Concepts
Class II: Two seasons, including CPR
Class I: Two seasons (CPR if not taken in Class II)
Public Speaking
One ten-week course in Class III (or Class II)
Required Non-credit Courses
Introductory courses in Music, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts; and a course in Health and Project Adventure