START AHEAD.
Dual Credit Student Handbook
WELCOME
Welcome to Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP). By enrolling in a dual credit course, you are taking the next step in your educational journey and will be studying alongside likeminded peers. This handbook will outline important information you require to be successful in your dual credit course. It is your responsibility to understand the policies related to academic and non-academic misconduct at RDP. Additional information may also be provided by your school support.
Ask lots of questions – your RDP instructors, your school contacts and the RDP dual credit office are available to help you navigate this new adventure.
We are excited to be part of this unique learning pathway and hope that this experience will result in a smooth transition to future studies or into the workforce.
All the best in your upcoming school year and in your dual credit courses.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
School Support Contact
Name:
Email:
Phone:
RDP Instructor
Name:
Email:
Phone:
CONTENT
PURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF DUAL CREDIT
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
EXPECTATION OF STUDENTS
Communication
Your classmates
Attendance
RDP Student ID number and email
RDP Transcript
Participation in class
Grades and Assessment
Learner Accommodations
Adhering to RDP Student Code of Conduct
Getting to Campus
PURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF DUAL CREDIT
Dual credit courses at RDP are designed to help your transition into post-secondary studies. By completing each class, you will earn RDP credit and high school credit at the same time. This type of programming allows you to explore areas of interest and program pathways in an engaging and supportive learning environment. You will develop new skills and acquire up to date knowledge while meeting new and interesting people along the way.
Other benefits include:
• No course tuition costs for dual credit high school students
• Develop the confidence to navigate post-secondary course work
• Become familiar with RDP and its online learning platform
• Easier transition from high school to post-secondary studies or workplace
It is our hope that as you learn throughout your dual credit course(s), you find meaningful and relevant takeaways.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Some dual credit courses may require prerequisites. This may include high school courses or other dual credit post-secondary courses. Read the course description or ask your high school counselor if you meet the requirements for your course of interest.
Please work with your school support representative to ensure you have met, or are on track to meet, the requirements for your dual credit program.
EXPECTATION OF STUDENTS
An in-depth overview of your dual credit course will be provided to you by your RDP instructor. They will outline expectations and timelines noted in the course outline and offer an opportunity for any questions or clarification. As a dual credit student, you are an RDP student and therefore required to adhere to the same standards, codes of conduct and expectations as other RDP learners.
Course Outlines will be provided at the beginning of each course and will act as a contract between you and your instructor. It is important that you review all information in your course outline. Details you can expect to find in the course outline include important dates, assignment information and grading schema.
Communication
It is important to communicate with your RDP instructor and your school support contact regularly and throughout your dual credit program/class. This includes making them aware prior to being absent. Note extensions are only provided in extenuating circumstances. Make up assignments will be at the discretion of your instructor.
If you have questions or concerns about your progress, don’t wait, reach out to your instructor or school support contact for clarity or solutions.
Your RDP instructor will outline their preferred method of communication. This may include RDP email or your Blackboard account. You will be required to check both on a regular basis to avoid any missed notifications or important information. Always respond to your instructor and/or school support contact promptly and respectfully.
To help you stay on track, there will be ongoing communication between your high school and RDP. This includes information related to your attendance, behaviour, participation, progression and grades.
Your classmates
Dual credit programs are intended to help ease your transition from high school to post-secondary education or the working world.
Your classmates will be other high school students, not adult learners. They may be from other high schools or school districts, but it is important to establish friendships and connections – they are on the same journey and may be able to help you, or even have some of the same questions or concerns as you.
Attendance
As an RDP dual credit student, you are expected to adhere to the timelines for assignments, quizzes and exams as noted in the course outline. It is your responsibility to use the time scheduled by your school to complete the coursework.
There may be times when your high school has a day off, however, unless otherwise stated by your RDP instructor you will be expected to continue coursework, attend in-person labs and/or meet course related deadlines.
Students participating in trades-based programming will be informed of the strict attendance expectations.
Attendance is mandatory for all courses with scheduled in-person lab requirements.
RDP Student ID number and email
As an RDP dual credit student, you will be issued a student ID number and email address. You are responsible for checking your RDP email address regularly for important communication.
RDP Transcript
As a dual credit student at RDP, you will earn high school and post-secondary credit. Grades earned during your dual credit class are calculated and included in your high school GPA as a percentage and will go on your permanent RDP transcript.
As this opportunity should not negatively impact your future learning goals, students who are unsuccessful in a course will be dropped from the course and will not receive a permanent transcript from RDP.
You can access your unofficial RDP transcript or order official transcripts on MyRDP under academic quick links.
To do this, you will need to find your ID number in MyRDP either under the letter icon in the top right corner under view profile or in Blackboard under your name tab.
Participation in class
To get the most out of the dual credit experience, it is imperative to come prepared to actively participate in the class. It will be your responsibility to have all the proper materials, textbooks, and in some cases mandatory personal protective equipment. Be sure to check with your RDP instructor or reference the course outline to be sure you have what you need.
Ask your RDP instructor if you have any questions about the coursework.
Keep track of due dates for assignments and complete all homework on time. If you miss submitting an assignment there may not be an opportunity to make up for missed work. Don’t leave studying or completing readings until the last minute. Part of being a student in a post-secondary environment is learning to manage your time.
Grades and Assessment
When it comes to grades and assessments for your dual credit coursework, you will be held to the same academic standards as other RDP learners. It’s important that you are clear on how each assignment, quiz or exam will be marked.
In post-secondary education, there is the possibility of receiving a failing grade for an assignment or exam.
Learner Accommodations
Your school division will provide RDP with information about accommodations identified on your Individual Learning Plan. Though not required, it is always a good idea to discuss your specific learning needs with your instructor as appropriate.
RDP’s Learning Management Software, Blackboard, offers the option to change how you view text and some content is formatted for audio. Our comprehensive Dual Credit Toolkit will show you how to access these tools. You will be unable to access these options in quizzes and exams. It will be important to discuss any necessary accommodations with your school support instructor and your RDP instructor to understand how this will affect you.
Adhering to RDP Student Code of Conduct
Student Rights and Responsibilities Policy
This document outlines your rights and responsibilities as an RDP student and describes consequences for actions related to academic and non-academic misconduct.
Getting to Campus
If you have in person class requirements as part of your dual credit course, you are responsible for getting yourself to and from campus. Parking information is on our website: rdpolytech.ca.parking
PLANNING FOR FURTHER POST-SECONDARY STUDIES
Program Advising
Open House
Career Expo
Future of Work Career Fair & Conference
Funding for attending RDP after high school
Alberta Transfer Guide
100 Donald Boulevard
Box 5005 | Red Deer
Alberta | Canada | T4N 5H5
Phone: 403.342.3400
Toll Free: 1.888.732.4630
Email: inquire@rdpolytech.ca rdpolytech.ca
Red Deer Polytechnic acknowledges that we learn and work on Treaty 7, Treaty 6 and Métis ancestral lands, the gathering place of many Indigenous peoples. This is where we will strive to honour and transform our relationships with one another.