Parkland High School affords students the opportunity to get a head start on earning college credits while still in high school. Students can do this in a couple of ways:
- Sign up for a dual enrollment course, which allows students to earn BOTH Parkland High School credit AND college credit while still in high school. This is only available with certain courses and is optional, not required.
- Waiving junior and senior years at PHS to attend LCCC full time.
- Sign up for college courses during senior year. Senior students have the option of doing one of the following:
- Waive their senior year at PHS to attend LCCC full time during their senior year, OR
- Attend a local 4-year college/university on a part-time basis while also taking courses at PHS to fulfill graduation requirements.
Dual Enrollment
Parkland students can earn college credits for taking certain courses while also fulfilling Parkland’s graduation requirements. Credits earned can be applied to a degree from the colleges/universities with whom we have partnered and may also be considered for transfer to other institutions of higher learning. Most courses are taught at the high school by a Parkland teacher, though some are taught by a college professor on or off campus. Tuition fees vary by institution, and students and their families are responsible for all costs and any travel (for off campus offerings) associated with these courses. In addition, if a student is interested in transferring these credits to another institution of study, students and their families are responsible for contacting their schools of interest to determine if credits will be accepted at these schools.
Parkland High School students have several options for taking Dual Enrollment courses. A variety of courses can be taken through Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), including classes in visual arts, math, world language, basic aviation, and criminal justice. In addition, students can take Dual Enrollment courses in Spanish, French, German, and Latin through Seton Hall University. Also, some of our Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses afford students the chance to earn college credits at select post-secondary institutions. Please check with your child’s PLTW instructor(s) for more information. (Note that Dual Enrollment is optional as students are not required to do this.)
LCCC Dual Enrollment
LCCC offers Dual Enrollment opportunities for students at Parkland High School in a variety of subject areas. As of 2024-2025, tuition for courses taught by PHS instructors was $90 per 3-credit course and $120 per 4-credit course. Tuition for courses taught by LCCC professors at PHS during the school day was $165 per 3-credit course plus the cost of the textbook(s), and these courses are denoted with an (*) next to the Parkland Course Title in the chart found in the chart below (but is subject to change). In addition to these courses, seniors may choose to take a Private Pilot Flight Theory course, denoted with (**). Seniors who choose this course will travel to LCCC’s Airport Site Campus, located at Lehigh Valley International Airport. Note that courses taught by LCCC professors generally require an enrollment of 15 or more students to run. All tuition rates are subject to change at any time as per LCCC.
Many of the LCCC Dual Enrollment courses are open to students in grades 9-12 who have elected to take one of these courses. The following courses will be offered (but are subject to change based on enrollment and/or availability of LCCC professors) for LCCC Dual Enrollment credit during the 2025-2026 school year:
| PHS Course # | Parkland Course Title | LCCC Course Title & Number | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 703 | Drawing 1 | ART 110: Drawing I | 3 |
| 704 | Drawing 2 | ART 210: Drawing II | 3 |
| 701 | Painting 1 | ART 115: Painting I | 3 |
| 707 | Photography 1 | ART 119: Digital Photography | 3 |
| 718 | Jewelry & Metals 1 | ART 125: Jewelry & Metalsmithing I | 3 |
| 716 | Ceramics 1 | ART 130: Ceramics I | 3 |
| 516 | Sign Language 1 | ASL 101: American Sign Language I | 3 |
| 526 | Sign Language 2 | ASL 105: American Sign Language II | 3 |
| 536 | Sign Language 3 | ASL 106: American Sign Language III | 3 |
| 343 | AP Calculus, Level BC | MAT 196: Calculus & Analytical Geometry II | 4 |
| 344 | Advanced Topics in Calculus | MAT 201: Calculus & Analytical Geometry III | 4 |
| 399 | Transitional College Math | MAT 105: Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| 284 | Intro to the Criminal Justice System * | CJA 101: Intro. to the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| 286 | Criminal Investigations * | CJA 105: Criminal Investigations | 3 |
| 287 | Law Enforcement & Society * | CJA 215: Law Enforcement & Society | 3 |
| 288 | Criminal Evidence and Court Proc * | CJA 2-1: Criminal Evidence & Court Proc | 3 |
| 590 | Chinese 1 | CHN 105: Elementary Chinese I | 3 |
| 591 | Chinese 2 | CHN 106: Elementary Chinese II | 3 |
| 592 | Arabic 1 * | ARB 105: Elementary Arabic I (offered during 3 periods 1 & 2 for 2 days/wk. at PHS) | 3 |
| 593 | Arabic 2 * | ARB 106: Elementary Arabic II (offered during 3 periods 1 & 2 for 2 days/wk. at PHS) | 3 |
| 9747 | Private Pilot Flight Theory ** | ASA 111: Private Flight Theory | 3 |
Seton Hall University
Since 1978, Project Acceleration, a program within the College of Arts and Sciences at Seton Hall University (SHU), has allowed high school students in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York to get a head start on their university careers. Over the course of their high school career, students can earn up to 22 credits from SHU for approved courses taken in their secondary schools. The college credits earned through Project Acceleration are accepted at more than 200 colleges and universities. There are currently 175 high schools offering Project Acceleration courses and approximately 3000 students participate each year. As of the 2024-2025 school year, tuition for Project Acceleration courses is $110 per credit hour, or $330 per 3-credit course. (Regular Seton Hall tuition is approximately $1,540 per credit hour.) Note that all tuition rates are subject to change at any time as per Seton Hall University. These courses are only available through our World Language Department and are noted within this section of the course book. Juniors and seniors may register while sophomores may do so with administrative approval.
The list below indicates the Parkland courses that are offered for Dual Enrollment that are available through SHU:
| PHS Course # | Parkland Course Title | Seton Hall University Course Title & Number | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 544 | Spanish 4 | SPAN 1001: Elementary Spanish I | 3 |
| 584 | Spanish 4 Honors | SPAN 2001: Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| 555 | Spanish 5 | SPAN 1002: Elementary Spanish II | 3 |
| 554 | Spanish AP: Language & Culture | SPAN 2002: Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| 541 | French 4 | FREN 1001: Elementary French I | 3 |
| 581 | French 4 Honors | FREN 2001: Intermediate French I | 3 |
| 556 | French 5 | FREN 1002: Elementary French II | 3 |
| 551 | French AP: Language & Culture | FREN 2002: Intermediate French II | 3 |
| 543 | German 4 | GERM 1001: Elementary German I | 3 |
| 583 | German 4 Honors | GERM 2001: Intermediate German I | 3 |
| 552 | German 5 | GERM 1002: Elementary German II | 3 |
| 553 | German AP: Language & Culture | GERM 2002: Intermediate German II | 3 |
Attending LCCC For Junior & Senior Years or Senior Year Only
In partnership with Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), Parkland High School juniors and seniors may participate in Early College at LCCC. The options available include:
OPTION 1: Attending LCCC in lieu of Parkland High School for BOTH junior and senior year, OR
OPTION 2: Attending LCCC in lieu of Parkland High School for senior year only.
Students who are accepted will complete their studies at LCCC’s Main Campus in Schnecksville. For students who attend both junior and senior year, they will have the opportunity to earn an Associates Degree while seniors will get a head start on earning college credits while still in high school. These credits are often transferable to four year colleges affiliated with Pennsylvania’s Schools of Higher Education. Information about this LCCC program can be found by going to: https://www.lccc.edu/admissions/dual-enrollment/early-college
Some additional items of note with this program include:
- To learn more about the Early College options at LCCC, students should contact Mr. Brandon Kwiatek, LCCC’s Executive Director of High School Connections & Early College Enrollment Management. His email address is bkwiatek@lccc.edu, and his office phone number is 610-799-1120.
- Student eligibility will be determined based on academic, attendance, and discipline history while at Parkland High School.
- Students must receive approval from Parkland High School and must be accepted for enrollment into LCCC to participate in this program.
To enroll in this program, students must do the following:
- Students must complete an application with Parkland High School to participate. This application will be available at the beginning of the course registration process.
- Students must also apply to LCCC which is accessible by going to: https://www.lccc.edu/admissions/how-to-become-a-student/
- Parents are responsible for the student’s travel to and from LCCC and for covering all costs associated with participation, including tuition and textbooks. For more information on tuition costs, please go to: https://www.lccc.edu/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-fees
- For students who are accepted into either the full time junior and senior year program or the full time senior year program, families are responsible for any and all technology requirements as per LCCC. Parkland School District issued Chromebooks will not be provided to students who participate in this program.
Regarding academic requirements and scheduling if accepted into this program:
- Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA to remain in this program
- For students who attend for both junior and senior year, they will follow LCCC’s prescribed program of studies for their two years, which will align to an Associate’s Degree Program.
- For students who attend for senior year only, they will work with their Parkland Guidance Counselor to ensure that Parkland High School’s Graduation requirements are fulfilled through LCCC course selection, including English Literature, English Composition, Economics, Government, and PE.
- Students must provide their PHS Guidance Counselor with their LCCC Final Grades upon completion of each semester. Students who are interested in this program may access the application on our high school’s website in January when the course selection process for the following school year begins. Completion of this application will be used to determine eligibility in this special program.
Part-Time College Enrollment For Seniors
Several local colleges and universities accept high achieving seniors on a part-time basis, affording them the opportunity to take college courses that are independent of their high school transcript and have no impact on the student’s eligibility for graduation from Parkland High School. It is a great opportunity for seniors to acclimate themselves to college level courses as they begin the transition from high school to college. Eligible seniors can take one or more college courses during their senior year while also taking courses at Parkland High School. Students have the option of splitting their day between the college/university campus and the high school either in the morning or afternoon. Students may also take courses after school hours (i.e.- after school, on weekends) if available.
Students who are interested in this should discuss this option with their guidance counselor during the course registration process in the spring of their junior year. Once certain about the desire to accelerate, students must:
- Submit a letter to Mrs. Plattner, Assistant Principal, that declares their interest in attending a college/university on a part time basis during their senior year. This letter should be submitted at least six months prior to the start of the fall semester of the student’s senior year.
- Provide proof of acceptance for early admission to college, which must accompany the letter to Mrs. Plattner.
Any and all requests will be closely reviewed. Final approval is at the discretion of Mrs. Plattner. Students will be responsible for supplying their guidance counselor with transcripts in order to be able to attend a college/university on a part-time basis. Transportation costs as well as tuition and other fees are the responsibility of the student and the student’s family.