Curriculum – Academics – Carmel Catholic High School

Carmel Catholic provides a college preparatory curriculum in which students receive a well-rounded education in the areas of business and technology; engineering; English; fine and performing arts; mathematics; media; physical education and health; religious studies; science; social studies; and world languages. Carmel Catholic is recognized and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, the National Catholic Education Association and AdvancEd.

Each aspect of Carmel Catholic High School’s academic program is geared to stimulate excellence in the pursuit of learning for all students. We strive to instill principles of hard work, self-discipline and academic excellence.

Course Levels

Our level placement process aims to help students progress, learn and succeed. Students typically move up to higher course levels throughout their four years of study.

We offer courses in five different levels to meet the learning needs of each student.

College Prep

College Prep coursework is geared at students needing to progress at a foundational level or at students whose achievement on standardized tests/coursework indicates a need for additional support.

Upper College Prep

Upper College Prep coursework is geared toward the average student whose standardized tests/coursework indicates a standard level of achievement.

Honor College Prep

Honors College Prep is geared toward the students showing a higher level of achievement through both standardized tests and coursework.

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement is a college level course for the highest achieving students based upon standardized tests and coursework.

Dual Credit

Dual Credit: Learn once, earn twice

Carmel Catholic’s Dual Credit program allows hard-working, high achieving, responsible students the opportunity to earn college credit while completing Carmel graduation requirements. Credits earned may be transferable to four-year colleges or universities. Recent Illinois legislation now mandates acceptance of dual credit by Illinois public universities.

The goal of these courses is to provide rigor that will prepare students for the college experience. Dual Credit courses are taught by qualified Carmel instructors who employ approved curricula from our partner colleges and universities, and are generally offered to juniors and seniors who meet GPA requirements.

Dual Credit courses are weighted on a 5.0 scale, the same as AP courses.

Some Dual Credit courses require an additional expense beyond Carmel tuition. For example, courses through Loyola University incur a cost of $65 per credit hour. Dual Credit courses through the College of Lake County are free.

Carmel proposes the following Dual Credit courses for the 2020-21 school year:

College of Lake County

English Composition 1 & 2
Women in Literature
Business
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Criminal Justice
Spanish 1 & 2
Environmental Biology

Loyola University

Latin
Chemistry
Chinese
Accounting

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Introduction to Engineering
Principles of Engineering
Civil Engineering and Architecture
Digital Electronics
Aerospace Engineering
Engineering Design and Development

Courses pending approval:
Calculus III, Robotics, Western Civilization, Spanish 3, Computer Science

For additional information about Carmel’s Dual Credit courses, please consult the 2020-21 Curriculum Guide, speak with a current Dual Credit teacher, or talk to a counselor.