Summa Cum Laude
The Summa Cum Laude Diploma Requirements
The Summa Cum Laude diploma is our least flexible course of study. As such, Summa Cum Laude students must follow the Kolbe curriculum as laid out. Students may receive credit for select courses taken in 8th grade, but those credits will not count towards the overall graduation requirements. This includes seeking the Kolbe Honors (OH or H) or Kolbe Core (OK or K) designation in all coursework and with the following minimum honors course stipulations:
- In 9th grade: at least 1 Honors Course in Theology, Literature, or History
- In 10th grade: at least 2 Honors Courses in Theology, English, Literature or History
- In 11th grade: at least 3 Honors Courses in Theology, English, Literature or History
- In 12th grade: 4 Honors Courses in Theology, English, Literature and History
| Subject | Credits | Semesters | Course Requirements |
| Theology | 40 | 8 | Introduction to Sacred Scripture, Mass/Sacraments/ChHistI, Apologetics/ChHistII, and Morality/ChHistIII |
| English | 40 | 8 | Comp & Rhetoric 9, Comp & Rhetoric 10, Essay Writing & Rhetoric 11, and Creative Writing |
| Literature | 40 | 8 | Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Literature of Christendom, and Modern Era Literature |
| History | 40 | 8 | Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Era of Christendom, and US & Modern History |
| Mathematics | 40 | 8 | including PreCalculus or higher |
| Science | 40 | 8 | Biology with Lab, Chem w/ Lab, Physics w/ Lab, Elective Science
|
| Foreign Language | 40 | 8 | at least 20 credits of Latin |
| Visual/Performing Arts | 20 | 8 | |
| Physical Education | 20 | 8 |
Any and ALL substitutions must be PRE-APPROVED in writing by an Academic Advisor from Kolbe Academy. Note that substitutions are generally not approved for Theology, English, Literature, or History, and typically only college course substitutions are approved for Math, Science, and Language if pre-approved.
To receive credit towards the graduation requirements, courses must have a C- grade or higher.