511 IAC 6-7-6 Required and elective credits

Sec. 6. (a) After August 15, 1988, a minimum of thirty-eight (38) credits is necessary for high school graduation. Twenty-two (22) of the credits shall be earned in the areas of study specified in subsection (b), and sixteen (16) of the credits shall be earned from courses in these and other areas of study listed in subsection (b) and 511 IAC 6.1-5.1. (b) The twenty-two (22) required credits consist of the following: (1) Language arts 8 credits (2) Social studies 4 credits (3) Mathematics 4 credits (4) Science 4 credits (5) Health and safety 1 credit (6) Basic physical education, adapted as necessary 1 credit (c) Courses that may be counted toward the required credits prescribed in subsection (b) are subject to the following provisions: (1) A minimum of six (6) credits of the language arts requirement shall be from the English language arts area of study and are to provide a balance of the following: (A) Writing. (B) Reading. (C) Listening. (D) Speaking. (E) Grammar. (F) Literature. (G) Media studies. For students with a major in a vocational-technical program, two (2) credits may be from business technology education, family and consumer sciences, technology education, or vocational-technical courses having predominately language arts content. For students who successfully complete a Level III foreign language course, two (2) credits of the language arts requirement may be waived. (2) The social studies requirement shall include the following: (A) Two (2) credits in United States history. (B) One (1) credit in United States government. (C) One (1) credit in another social studies course. (3) A minimum of two (2) credits of the mathematics requirement shall be from the mathematics area of study. For students with a major in a vocational-technical program, two (2) credits may be from business technology education, family and consumer sciences, technology education, or vocational-technical courses having predominately mathematics content. (4) Subject to the provisions of subdivisions (5) through (7), the health and safety credit shall be from a course in the health, physical education, and safety area of study that has comprehensive health education content. (5) Before July 1, 2000, the health and safety requirement may be waived for a student with either a minor or major in family and consumer sciences if the student's program includes three (3) credits from the family and consumer sciences courses of consumer education, nutrition and food, and interpersonal relations and a fourth credit from one (1) of the following courses: (A) Child development. (B) Human development. (C) Family health. (6) After June 30, 1998, the health and safety credit may be waived for a student if the student's program includes three (3) credits from the following family and consumer sciences courses: (A) Child development and parenting. (B) Human development and family wellness. (C) Interpersonal relationships. (D) Nutrition and wellness. (E) Orientation to life and careers or adult roles and responsibilities. (7) One (1) credit substitution of either a science, family and consumer sciences, or any health, physical education, and safety credit may be used to fulfill the health and safety requirement for students qualifying under the religious objection provision of IC 20-30-5-9 (hygiene instruction). (8) The four (4) credits of science shall include content from more than one (1) of the major science discipline categories, which are the following: (A) Life science. (B) Physical science. (C) Earth and space science. For students with a major in a vocational-technical program, two (2) credits may be from business technology education, family and consumer sciences, technology education, or vocational-technical courses having predominately science content.