Dual Credit
If you are interested in taking dual credit courses, please meet with your high school counselor to discuss which courses are right for your graduation plan. Then, complete this Dual Credit Interest Form so we can make sure you are supported through the process.
Visit our Dual Credit Google Site to learn more about enrolling in dual credit courses.
Remember, the most expensive college course is the course you took but didn't need.
- NISD Dual Credit Dates and Deadlines
- Dual Credit Core Curriculum Course Guide
- Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment Partners
- Memorandums of Understanding
- DC, OnRamps, and AP Courses and the Texas Core Curriculum
NISD Dual Credit Dates and Deadlines
For students planning to take dual credit courses during the Spring Semester 2023 | Description | Northwest High School | Byron Nelson High School | V.R. Eaton High School |
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Dual Credit Information Night | For students interested in taking dual credit courses during Spring 2023 semester and their parents. |
October 18, 2022 6-7 PM |
October 4, 2022 6-7 PM |
October 11, 202 6-7 PM |
Recorded Dual Credit Information Presentation | Available through YouTube After October 31, 2022 | Available through YouTube After October 31, 2022 | Available through YouTube After October 31, 2022 | Available through YouTube After October 31, 2022 |
Registration Opens | This is the date you may begin registering for classes at TCC. | 10/24/2022 | 10/24/2022 | 10/24/2022 |
Application Deadline | This is the deadline for your application to be completed and submitted to TCC. | 11/18/2022 | 11/18/2022 | 11/18/2022 |
NISD Dual Credit Registration Deadline | Students planning to take dual credit during the Spring semester 2023 MUST have their registration complete by this date. | 12/09/2022 | 12/09/2022 | 12/09/2022 |
Classes Begin | Official start date for TCC dual credit classes. | 1/17/2023 | 1/17/2023 | 1/17/2023 |
Drop Deadline | The last day to drop a dual credit class. Note: If you plan to drop a class talk with your counselor first. | 4/13/2023 | 4/13/2023 | 4/13/2023 |
TSIA-2 Requirements must be met prior to the registration deadline.
Dual Credit Core Curriculum Course Guide
TSIA-2 Reading, Writing, and Mathematics or PSAT, SAT, ACT exemption scores are required for TCC. TSIA-2 is not required for OnRamps.
Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Checkbox | |
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English Choose Two Courses |
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___3 Hrs ___3 Hrs |
Speech (3 Hours) Choose One Course |
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___3 Hrs | |
Mathematics Choose One Course |
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___3 Hrs | |
Science Choose Two Courses |
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___4 Hrs ___4 Hrs |
Creative Arts Choose One Course |
ARTS 1301 | ___3 Hrs | |
Language, Culture & Philosophy Choose One Course |
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___3 Hrs | |
American History Choose Two Courses |
OnRamps US History | OnRamps US History |
___3 Hrs ___3 Hrs |
Government Choose Two Courses |
GOVT 2305 (Both Government courses required depending on transfer requirements. Check with College Advisory or High School Representative) |
GOVT 2306 (Both Government courses required depending on transfer requirements. Check with College Advisory or High School Representative) |
___3 Hrs ___3 Hrs |
Behavior Choose One Course |
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___3 Hrs |
Other college courses may or may not count for High School credit.
Students who wish to graduate with their college core complete will need one additional KINE course that will not count for high school credit.
Students who wish to graduate with an associate’s degree will need an additional 19 hours. Course requirements may vary by major and may not be eligible for high school credit.
How to Read TCC Course Numbers: Example ENGL 1301
- All have four-letter department abbreviations
- Each course has a four-digit number
- The first digit indicates the level at which the course is taught, as follows:
- 1 = Freshman or introductory level
- 2 = Sophomore or Intermediate or advanced
- The second digit indicates the semester credit hour value of the course.
- The third and fourth digits establish the type of institution and course sequence.
Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment Partners
Northwest ISD maintains traditional dual-credit partnerships with Tarrant County College and North Central Texas College. The majority of NISD is not located within the taxing boundaries of either college, therefore, students should expect to pay out-of-county tuition rates when taking dual credit courses. Students who reside in Tarrant County are eligible for in-county tuition through Tarrant County College.
In addition to traditional dual credit, NISD also maintains partnerships with community colleges and universities to provide specialized support for some of our academy and career pathway options.
Each college has its own specific application and enrollment criteria and deadlines. It is important that you pay close attention to the information that relates to the college you choose to attend.
Tarrant County College |
Provides face-to-face, and online dual credit for Northwest High School, V. R. Eaton High School, and Byron Nelson High School and for the classes of 2023 and 2024 at James M. Steele Accelerated High School Provides face-to-face, and online dual credit for our Aviation and Aeronautics Academy at V.R. Eaton High School |
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The University of Texas at Austin |
Provides face-to-face, dual enrollment credit courses at Northwest High School, V.R. Eaton High School, and Byron Nelson High School |
North Central Texas College |
Provides face-to-face, and online dual credit for the classes of 2021 and 2022 at James M. Steele Accelerated High School |
El Centro |
Provides face-to-face instruction for our Culinary Arts and Hospitality Academy at Byron Nelson High School |
Memorandums of Understanding
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between the School District and our community college and university partners. You can view our MOUs by partner institution by clicking on the links below.
The University of Texas at Austin - OnRamps MOU
The University of Texas at Austin - Engineer Your World MOU
DC, OnRamps, and AP Courses and the Texas Core Curriculum
This table shows how many semester credit hours (SCH) a student needs in each component area of the College Core. Often, taking dual credit courses to fulfill high school graduation requirements will result in the accumulation of more SCHs than are required by the college. If a student has more semester credit hours than are required for a particular Foundational Component Area, the receiving institution is NOT required to apply those credits. If a student has fewer Semester Credit Hours than required for a particular Foundational Component Area, the receiving institution may impose additional requirements for the fulfillment of the remaining needed Semester Credit Hours.
Foundational Component Areas | NCTC - Dual Credit Courses | TCCD - Dual Credit Courses | UT – OnRamps Courses |
Advanced Placement Courses* |
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Written Comm. (6 SCH) |
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Mathematics (3 SCH) |
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Natural Sciences (8 SCH) |
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Language, Philosophy, and Culture (3 SCH) |
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Creative Arts (3 SCH) |
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History (6 SCH) |
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Political Science (6 SCH) |
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Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 SCH) |
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Speech and Comm. Skills (3 SCH) |
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*AP Exam Scores and individual college/university policies will determine how AP scores may apply to the TCC.
For a complete list of Texas Core Curriculum courses by college/university and/or Foundational Component Area go to: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/tcc/
More about Dual Credit
Students that successfully complete approved Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment courses will be awarded both college credit and high school graduation credit towards graduation requirements at both institutions. Students in the dual credit program experience the rigor of college-level courses and acquire the confidence to succeed academically and socially in the college environment. Recent data shows that students who complete dual credit experiences are more likely to persist in their second year of college at both two and four-year institutions in Texas compared to their peers who did not participate. Additionally, over the last 8 years in Texas, dual credit participants had a higher four-year college graduation rate than their non-dual credit peers at almost every public institution in the state.
- Advantages of taking Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment
- Difference between Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment
- FAQs about Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment Courses
Advantages of taking Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment
- Experience the demand of college earlier with more support
- Get ahead on your potential college and career pathway
- Save some additional funds for college
- Increase the likelihood of earning a high school diploma and a college degree
- Ease your transition into higher education
- Take advantage of the opportunity to access college facilities and resources
- Enhance your skills required to be successful at the collegiate level such as Time Management, Critical Thinking, Study Skills, and Collaboration
Difference between Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment
FAQs about Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment Courses
What Dual Credit Courses should I take if I am just starting out with Dual Credit for the first time?
In NISD we offer a wide variety of course options as well as providers. The appropriate dual credit course depends as much on your goals and academic success as it does on your grade level. High school freshmen and sophomores typically have more limited college options for dual credit, but they may find that Art Appreciation and Speech are available. In some cases, a sophomore who is advanced in mathematics might also consider a dual credit math course.
A great starting point we recommend for students to attempt is ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302- which is English Composition I and English Composition II. You can take these 2 courses over the summer through Tarrant County College for HS English III or HS English IV credit or you can take the OnRamps version of these classes in your junior or senior year. Another great starting point is OnRamps College Algebra. It counts as high school Algebra 2.
How many Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment courses should I take per semester? Per Year?
If you are starting out in dual credit or dual enrollment, we recommended that you participate in no more than two courses per semester. As you gain experience with dual credit you can take more hours. We recommend that students limit themselves to no more than 15 college credit hours per semester.
Will all of the Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment courses I take transfer to the college I plan to attend?
For the most part, yes. In the state of Texas, if a course is taken as a component of the Texas Core Curriculum, then public colleges and universities in Texas will be obligated to take the course. This doesn't guarantee that the credit will transfer into your degree plan so it is important that you make dual-credit decisions carefully. Talk to your counselor, NISD College, and Career Readiness representative, and the colleges you are interested in attending to help ensure you make the best decisions. For out-of-state and private institutions it will be up to the ‘receiving’ institution as to what credit and how much that college/university will take as transfer credit.
A good rule of thumb would be to check your potential colleges (Colleges that you pinned in MajorClarity) and their transfer policy to see if they accept credit from the University of Texas at Austin (for OnRamps courses), Tarrant County College, or North Central Texas College. For example, if you took OnRamps PreCal, look at your potential college/university’s transfer policy for UT Austin courses and Precalculus Math. For ENGL Courses look at your potential college/university’s transfer policy for UT Austin and TCC courses and find ENGL 1301
What courses are available for dual credit and how do they apply to my high school transcript?
This is a complicated question because there are a lot of what if's involved. Students who are interested in dual credit should meet with their high school counselor to help ensure that the courses they wish to take will satisfy their high school graduation requirements.