General Information

 

What is Dual Credit?

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• Dual Credit courses are courses offered for dual credit from agreements between high schools, universities and community colleges whereby a high school student enrolls in a college course and simultaneously earns college credit and high school credit for the course.

• Partnerships between Texas secondary schools and Texas colleges and universities have enabled high school students to earn college credits before graduating from high school, making their transition to the collegiate campus smoother and their likelihood of graduating from college greater.

• Courses are offered by accredited colleges and include both academic and career/technical courses. HPS Dual Credit Program is designed towards helping students complete 42 hours of Texas State College Core Curriculum (refer to core curriculum chart). Courses taken as dual credit will transfer to Texas public institutions according to their transfer policies; however, if the student completes the core curriculum, the entire core will transfer towards a Bachelor's Degree in Texas public institutions. Private and out-of-state institutions choose which courses to accept and whether credit for Dual Credit coursework will be honored.

• To ensure that students are taking meaningful dual credit courses, they need to be aware of the requirements and degree/certification requirements in their field of interest as well as their two-year college and their future four-year college. By tracking students’ college coursework along with their high school graduation plan, students should be aware of their progress toward the college goals.

• College courses offered for dual credit may be offered online, taught at the college campus or the high school campus by credentialed instructors. Courses offered for dual credit include the same content and rigor as courses taught to other college students, utilizing the same instructors, curriculum, and policies.

• The number of Dual Credit courses students can take will depend on course load and schedule availability of each student. A student taking 15 college credit hours per semester, including AP and Dual Credit courses, has the course load of a full-time college student. Considering the workload and the importance of academic success, students cannot be enrolled in more than 15 college credit hours per school semester.

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Why Take Dual Credit?

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• The benefits to high school students who participate in dual credit courses are numerous. At many colleges, students are able to earn 12 or more hours of college credit prior to graduating from high school. Additionally, a college course offered for dual credit has a guarantee of being included on the transcript for college credit at Texas public institutions.

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• Advantages for dual credit students include the following:
  • Receive high school and college credit for courses in which they earn a “C” or better
  • Fast-track their undergraduate or vocational degrees
  • Save on tuition and fees by accelerating the time to complete a degree
  • Reduced cost of enrolling in higher education courses
  • Opportunity to access college facilities and resources such as tutoring services, computer labs, and counseling services
  • Enhances skills required to be successful at the collegiate level such as time management skills, critical thinking skills, study skills, and following directions and procedures.

HPS Approved Dual Credit/On Ramps Courses Matrix

Below you will find a list with the Dual Credit courses offered at HSI-Katy.

*College Credit ONLY courses offer students the opportunity to earn College Credit for the enrolled course with the partnered community college. These courses will be

included on the College transcript and College GPA only and will not meet any high school graduation requirements, nor be included in the high school transcript and/or GPA.

Students pay the tuition for the College Credit Only courses.

** If EDUC 1300 is a required course set by a community college, districts may offer this course as College Readiness And Study Skills (03270100) high school equivalent.

*** If HUMA 1301 is not available, districts may offer HUMA 1302.

How to Apply

To apply for a dual credit class, students must meet the eligibility requirements and submit all required forms through the online registration process.

Steps

1. Review the list of all dual credit courses offered on our campus.
2. Complete the online registration form in full. This includes: semester, course subject, catalog number, corresponding high school course, your contact information, college ID number (from Lone Star College or Houston Community College), location, and signatures of the parent/guardian, student, and your school counselor.
3. Submit the form by the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
4. If you have not yet passed the required college‐readiness test (such as Texas Success Initiative (TSI)), be sure to complete testing and submit evidence of your score as soon as possible.