Academics
Course catalog
Every course ARHS offers, each worth one credit. You need 24 credits to graduate — transfer credit reduces how many of these you take.
The requirement
Graduation credit requirements
To earn a diploma from American Royal High School you complete the following 24 credits.
| Subject area | Credits required |
|---|---|
| English / Language Arts | 4 |
| Mathematics | 4 |
| Science | 4 |
| Social Studies | 4 |
| Electives | 8 |
| Total | 24 |
Core curriculum
Sixteen core credits
English / Language Arts 4 credits required
Reading closely and writing clearly are the two skills that show up in every other subject, and in most jobs. The sequence moves from foundations to analysis.
- English I — Foundations of Reading and Writing
Sentence and paragraph construction, reading comprehension, and the habits that make longer writing manageable.1 credit - English II — Literature and Composition
Reading fiction and non-fiction with attention to structure and argument, and writing responses that hold together.1 credit - English III — American Literature and Critical Thinking
American texts across periods, with an emphasis on evaluating what an author is actually claiming.1 credit - English IV — Contemporary Literature and Advanced Writing
Modern texts and longer written work, including research writing and source citation.1 credit
Mathematics 4 credits required
The sequence assumes you may not have touched math in years. Pre-Algebra rebuilds the ground before anything is built on it.
- Pre-Algebra I
Operations, fractions, ratios, and the transition from arithmetic to working with unknowns.1 credit - Algebra I
Expressions, linear equations, inequalities, functions and graphing.1 credit - Geometry
Shape, measurement, proof and spatial reasoning, including practical applications.1 credit - Algebra II
Quadratic and polynomial functions, systems of equations, and exponential relationships.1 credit
Science 4 credits required
Four distinct sciences rather than one repeated three times, so the credit is genuinely broad.
- Earth Science
Geology, weather systems, oceans and the processes that shape the planet.1 credit - Physical Science
Matter, energy, motion and the foundations of chemistry and physics.1 credit - Biology
Cells, genetics, human body systems, evolution and ecosystems.1 credit - Environmental Science
Resources, sustainability, human impact and the trade-offs involved in managing them.1 credit
Social Studies 4 credits required
History and civics with an emphasis on how the systems you deal with as an adult actually came to work the way they do.
- World History
Major civilizations, movements and turning points, and how they connect.1 credit - United States History
Founding through the modern era, including the conflicts that shaped current institutions.1 credit - Civics and Government
How government is structured, how law is made, and what your rights and obligations are.1 credit - Economics
Markets, money, labor and the economic decisions households and governments make.1 credit
Electives
Eight elective credits, chosen from these
You take eight elective credits in total. Which eight is up to you, and your advisor can help you pick a set that points where you are going.
Personal Development & Life Skills electives
Elective courses that tend to pay off immediately outside the coursework.
- Personal Finance
Budgeting, credit, debt, saving, taxes and reading a pay stub properly.1 credit - Life Management Skills
Time, planning, decision-making and the practical business of running your own life.1 credit - Health and Wellness
Nutrition, physical and mental health, and how to evaluate health information.1 credit - College and Career Readiness
Applications, resumes, interviews and what happens after the diploma.1 credit
Digital & Technology electives
Written for people who did not grow up with these tools and are tired of pretending otherwise.
- Introduction to Computer Literacy
Files, operating systems, browsers, security basics and getting unstuck.1 credit - Digital Skills for Everyday Life
Email, documents, spreadsheets, online forms and dealing with services that assume you already know.1 credit - Keyboarding and Typing Essentials
Accurate typing, which quietly makes every other course faster.1 credit
Career & Workforce electives
Elective credit that points at work, for students enrolling with a job in mind.
- Career Exploration
Fields, entry routes, qualifications and what a day in each actually looks like.1 credit - Business Essentials
How organizations are structured, how they make money and how decisions get made.1 credit - Entrepreneurship Basics
Starting small: idea, customer, costs, pricing and the paperwork nobody mentions.1 credit
Additional electives
Two more ways to complete the elective requirement.
- Art Appreciation
Movements, techniques and how to look at a work and say something specific about it.1 credit - Sociology
Groups, institutions, culture and the forces that shape how people behave together.1 credit
Course format
Each course is delivered fully online and self-paced. Lessons, practice activities and assessments sit within the course; you work through them in order at whatever speed suits your week. Progress is recorded automatically, so you can always see where you stopped.
Transfer credit
Credits accepted from a previous school remove the matching course from your plan and reduce tuition by $30 each. Send your records and the academic team compares them against the requirements on this page — usually within 2 to 5 business days.
Getting started
You do not choose courses on your own from a blank catalog. After your credit review you receive a graduation plan listing the specific courses you still need, in a sensible order. You can adjust the electives.
Next step
See which of these you can skip.
Answer five questions and an advisor will tell you which credits are likely to transfer, what is left to finish, and what your tuition would be. No payment details, no obligation.