Adult Graduation Program

An adult high school diploma is the British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma (BCAGD), also known as the “Adult Dogwood.”  It is for adult learners (18 years of age and older) who want to take courses in order to complete high school and obtain their adult high school diploma.  

To graduate with an Adult Dogwood, students must have:

• A required Language Arts 12 course
• A Math 11 or 12 course 
• At least three additional Grade 12 electives, or a Grade 11 Socials Studies course and two additional Grade 12 electives

Courses and credits can be counted from either or both the public secondary and post-secondary systems.

NOTE:  Starting in 2022 and 2023, all English 10, 11 and 12 Courses are not being offered 

Of the five courses required for the Adult Dogwood, at least three must be completed after the adult student has entered the Adult Graduation Program, either through enrolment (instruction) or Prior Learning Assessment. This means that students can receive credit toward the Adult Dogwood for no more than three qualifying courses completed while in the B.C. (school-aged) Graduation Program. You cannot receive an Adult Dogwood using only courses completed prior to enrolling in the Adult Graduation Program.

Adult learners are not required to complete the Graduation Numeracy or Literacy Assessments to graduate with the Adult Dogwood. At the same time, adult learners should be aware that some post-secondary institutions may require that students write assessments/examinations for admission purposes.

*A student is also able to take and obtain credit towards the Adult Dogwood for both Advanced level and Provincial level (or higher) Mathematics. In the latter case, Mathematics would be one of the electives.

Students can also use other course credits towards graduation, for example:

• Adult Education courses (offered at many colleges and universities)
• Post-secondary courses
• Ministry-Authorized courses taken a long time ago

The institution issuing the diploma will require all transfer credit information and relevant transcripts in order to verify courses taken and grades received (transcripts prove credits and where they were taken).

Prior Learning Assessment

Adult students may also get credit for current or past work skills or post-secondary training courses by undertaking a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Public post-secondary institutions and continuing education centers can help with this step by reviewing past work history to determine if it qualifies for course credit. This will ensure adult students start at a course level that is comfortable for them and/or help them gain the skills needed to successfully complete graduation requirements.

Please discuss with the School Administration and Teachers regarding your Graduation Program.