Student Credentials

Date came into force or revised

 July 1, 2017

Status

Current

Policy statement

The purpose of this policy is to describe the student credentials that will be awarded to students who have met British Columbia graduation requirements, as outlined in the Student Credentials Order (PDF)

Rationale or purpose of policy

This policy provides guidelines for entitlement to the British Columbia Certificate of Graduation, the British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma, and the British Columbia School Completion Certificate.  It also sets out guidelines regarding the Transcript of Grades and the calculation of honours standing.

Authority

• Ministerial Order 164/96, the Student Credentials Order (PDF)
• Ministerial Order 302/04, the Graduation Program Order (PDF)
• Ministerial Order 320/04, the British Columbia Adult Graduation Requirements Order (PDF)

Policy in full

British Columbia Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma)

The British Columbia Certificate of Graduation or "Dogwood Diploma" is issued upon successful completion of the provincial graduation requirements.

The Dogwood Diploma signifies that a student has met the requirements for graduation as set out in the Graduation Program Order (PDF). It will not include specific program information (e.g., honours standing, French Immersion); program-related information will be included on the Transcript of Grades.

The school will submit the appropriate course information to the Ministry after Grades 10, 11 and 12, which indicates that a student has satisfied provincial graduation requirements. The Ministry will then prepare and distribute a Dogwood Diploma to the school or district office for authorized signature and distribution to the student.

A student will be issued only one copy of the Dogwood Diploma. Additional copies will be available from the Ministry for a fee, or directly from the school.

A student who graduates from Programme francophone (see the Language Education Policy for information concerning Programme francophone and French Immersion) will receive the Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires en Colombie-Britannique (French Dogwood Diploma). If the student successfully completes English Language Arts 10, 11 and 12, they will also receive the Dogwood Diploma.

A student who graduates from the French Immersion program will receive both the Dogwood Diploma and the French Dogwood Diploma.

British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma (Adult Dogwood)

The British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma or "Adult Dogwood" is issued upon successful completion of provincial adult graduation requirements.

The Adult Dogwood signifies that an adult student (at least 18 years of age and enrolled in the Adult Graduation Diploma program) has met the requirements for graduation as set out in the British Columbia Adult Graduation Requirements Order (PDF). A student must take at least three courses as an adult, either through enrolment or prior learning assessment, to be eligible to earn credits towards the Adult Dogwood. (See the Adult Graduation Program Policy for further information.)

A student will be issued only one copy of the Adult Dogwood. Additional copies will be available from the Ministry for a fee, or directly from the school.

British Columbia School Completion Certificate (Evergreen Certificate)

The British Columbia School Completion Certificate or “Evergreen” is awarded to a student with special needs who has an Individual Education Plan and who meets the goals of their educational program other than graduation. 

To receive an Evergreen Certificate, the principal, in consultation with teachers, should ensure that the student has met the goals of their educational program.

In order for the Ministry to prepare a British Columbia School Completion Certificate, the school must submit the demographic data for the student to the Ministry, including the date when the student met the goals of  their educational program. The Ministry will then prepare and distribute to the school or district office a specially designed Evergreen certificate, distinct from the Dogwood Diploma, for authorized signature and distribution to the student.

A student will be issued only one copy of the British Columbia School Completion Certificate. Additional copies will be available from the Ministry for a fee.

A French version of the British Columbia School Completion Certificate is available upon request.

Transcript of Grades (Grades 10, 11 and 12)

The transcript of grades provides prospective employers and post-secondary institutions with relevant information about students’ graduation program results.

Schools will report all Grade 10, 11, and 12 courses successfully completed, credits earned, and achievement levels attained to the Ministry of Education and Child Care at the end of each of Grades 10, 11 and 12 for each school year. Students may access copies of their unofficial transcripts through the Ministry of Education and Child Care web site. School districts and schools may produce transcripts with authorized signature for students who have not yet met graduation requirements or for those who have graduated.

Since 2006, schools have been required to submit transcript data for students in the School Completion Certificate Program who receive School Completion Certificates. Transcripts for students in the School Completion Certificate Program show all credit and non-credit courses completed, and contain a statement indicating that the student has been awarded a School Completion Certificate.

Honours Standing

A graduating student with an outstanding level of achievement will have the phrase "Achievement with Honours" included on their transcript. In order to be eligible to receive this designation on the transcript, a student must:

• Satisfy provincial graduation requirements
• Obtain a higher than 3.0 (a better than B average) in the best 76 credits for required courses and elective credits

Calculating Honours Standing

Letter grades will be converted to a grade point scale (A=4, B=3, C+=2.5, C=2, C-=1), and if the overall grade point average (GPA) is greater than "B" (>3.0) the student will be granted Honours Standing. GPA and Honours Standing will be based on the highest grades of all credits contributing to completion of the provincial graduation requirements.

A student must have at least 44 of their 80 credits with percentages and letter grades to receive a GPA and Honours Standing (to accommodate students who enter the B.C. school system after Grade 10).

If a student has elected to take one or more equivalent courses, the course with the highest final grade will be used to determine Honours Standing.

When calculating GPA and Honours Standing, course credit value will be taken into account and letter grades will be weighted accordingly.