High School Dual Enrollment Courses and Programs

Take Dual Enrollment Classes in High School to Help Save Time and Money

Grand Canyon University offers on-campus and online dual enrollment classes as an affordable and efficient way for high school students and home-schooled students to gain a head start on their college degree. With our ease of credit transferability into GCU, earning college credit can provide you with college-level academic knowledge and skills while still in high school and an accelerated college pathway that may reduce time to graduation.

To contact a dual enrollment counselor about registering for or learning more about dual enrollment courses, fill out the form on this page.

Program Overview

Dual enrollment courses at GCU can set you up to experience college studies in a convenient and cost-affordable format that fits your schedule. With custom cohorts and online class options, taking dual enrollment courses in high school may be easier than ever.

Dual Enrollment Qualifications

GCU dual enrollment courses are available to:

  • High school sophomores with an unweighted GPA of 3.25 or above
  • High school juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or above

All students are subject to GCU course prerequisites and course policies, which may include online placement tests. Please see the University Policy Handbook for more information.

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Program Benefits

Gain Valuable College Experiences

You have the opportunity to earn college credit by taking dual enrollment classes in high school to experience equal levels of instruction and academic rigor as a traditional college student. This can help prepare you for when you enter college and reach the next academic level of study.

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Faster Graduation Times

Those who take advantage of dual enrollment courses offered by GCU may be able to get into their area of study faster once they reach college. Over 91% of 2022 traditional campus graduates spent less than four years at GCU to complete their degrees.

Tuition Savings on Credits

GCU’s dual enrollment courses provide the opportunity for significant cost savings in the long run by providing discounted tuition rates for dual enrollment courses. All courses are $52.50 per credit and you can take dual enrollment classes in high school to earn up to 60 college credits.1

Easy Registration Process

Complete registration for GCU’s dual enrollment program typically takes 10 days. Guided by a counselor who specializes in dual enrollment, you can create an individualized pathway toward your intended area of study. You must contact your counselor directly to go through the early registration process.

Program Locations

Courses on Campus

Course Length: 15 weeks

Dual enrollment courses may be available during traditional semesters. You can attend lectures and labs in person on GCU's main campus where you can experience and understand student life on-campus.

Courses Online

Course Length: 7 or 15 weeks

Through the Learning Management System, GCU’s online classroom, interactive forums allow online dual enrollment students to network, interact and participate with their peers and professors when collaborating on projects and assignments.

Courses at High Schools

Course Length: Varies

Students who attend participating Arizona high schools can take a variety of dual enrollment courses in high school. Please consult your school for information on if they are offering GCU credits.

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Custom Cohorts for Co-Ops

Course Length: 15 weeks

High schools and homeschool co-ops can create a custom 15-week online cohort modality program to give you a head start on earning your college degree, as opposed to our standard 7-week online courses. This allows you to get used to the academic rigor of college coursework while still in the comfort of your current semester-based system.

You can work directly with GCU’s dual enrollment team to create a custom cohort program based on your desired courses, start dates and any school-specific breaks needed during the course (for example, spring break or a mission trip).

On-Campus or Online Degree Pathway Courses

Our innovative approach to education unlocks exciting possibilities for students looking to leverage dual enrollment courses for their individualized pathway programs. With the help of the table below, you now have the flexibility to curate your educational journey using our dual enrollment courses or opt for one of our recommended pathways.

These degree pathways include essential prerequisites common to most undergraduate program tracks. By harnessing dual enrollment credits (up to 10 courses in your desired pathway), students can expedite their access to core content, potentially saving valuable time and resources, all while enjoying a personalized educational experience.

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Explore Dual Enrollment Courses

Discover the Dual Enrollment Courses table, a comprehensive resource showcasing the array of courses available through our program. This table provides a detailed list of courses offered through GCU’s dual enrollment program, allowing students to explore various subjects and opportunities for college credit.

To access this detailed list of courses, offered specifically at high schools, simply click the button on the image above the table to view the PDF. You will see a diverse range of courses tailored for high school students participating in dual enrollment programs.

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High School Dual Enrollment Program FAQs

Read through our frequently asked questions to learn more about dual enrollment and how to set yourself up for success at the college level.

Program Details and Preparation

For a four-year undergraduate bachelor’s degree, you need 120 total credits. This equates to about 40 classes, however that number may vary. The number of credits you need may vary depending on prior education, or if you have dual enrollment credits, for example.

This is something that also depends on how your high school views dual enrollment courses and external credits. Some high schools and their respective districts may apply dual enrollment credits to your high school GPA as evenly as they would any other course and may consider these toward a weighted GPA, while some may not apply these credits at all.

Dual enrollment programs can help prove that you are ready to handle demanding college coursework. When taking dual enrollment classes in high school, it’s important to prepare yourself to have a strict study regimen, a consistent schedule and to put in the hard work. Balancing outside obligations while taking college courses in high school can be tough, so make sure to dedicate time to your high school and dual enrollment studies along with your personal life.

All colleges will have different requirements, but here at GCU, we do not require the SAT exam to take dual enrollment courses. In order to be accepted for dual enrollment courses at GCU, you must be a junior or senior in high school with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0, or a sophomore with an unweighted GPA of 3.25 or higher. Dual enrollment students must still meet all course prerequisites. Visit our Undergraduate Admissions Requirements page for more information.

Benefits and College Applications

It depends on what your aspirations for college and beyond may be. Advanced placement (AP) courses are designed for more rigorous coursework, which is something you may find in an honors program or degrees with advanced topics. AP is an alternative credit that requires you to take a test in order to get the credit for college. Dual enrollment courses are already at the college level and may be great for students who wish to get a feel for college work while still in high school and receive college credit. Both AP and dual enrollment courses are designed to meet college credit requirements. It is recommended you check with your college of choice to see how AP or dual enrollment courses are applied to their respective degrees.

Yes. Dual enrollment courses can make your college application stand out. Dual enrollment courses provide college-level work that is not available at the high school level. This additional work may show the college that you are willing to further and strengthen your education. As well, online dual enrollment courses can help you earn college credit that you may use to get ahead in your desired degree.

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About GCU’s Dual Enrollment Program Instructors

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Dual enrollment program instructors deliver content that incorporates best practices in teaching, technology, classroom engagement, ethics and more in a specific area. GCU and instructors collaborate to provide academic support, curriculum approval and monitoring of the course effectiveness for all high school and home-schooled students.

Dual enrollment faculty are college faculty. All instructors are required to have a master’s degree or higher in the content area, or a master’s degree with 18 graduate hours (500+) in the content area.

Faculty qualifications for each course are set and approved by the GCU colleges, and instructors receive ongoing training, support and professional development.

1 Additional books/fees may apply

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