About Contact Careers News
Admissions Guide
College Preparatory Curriculum

Effective summer 2012, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning universities will admit Mississippi High School graduates under both a required and recommended College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC). Student applying for Fall 2023 will be admitted under the following criteria: the CPC identifying 18 Carnegie units is the minimum required CPC for full admission and the 20 Carnegie unit CPC is recommended for enhancing student readiness for university-level coursework.

The CPC is aligned with current Mississippi high school graduation requirements and course offerings. The CPC and accompanying course list ensure uniformity of courses being accepted in each category of the CPC across Mississippi's eight public institutions.

Required College Preparatory Curriculum for the incoming freshmen class of 2023
Click to Expand

The minimum REQUIRED CPC for full admission into a Mississippi public university is as follows: English: 4 Carnegie units

  • Units must require substantial communication skills (i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Compensatory Reading and Writing may not be included.
Mathematics: 4 Carnegie units
  • CPC-approved math (1 unit)
  • Algebra I or its equivalent
  • Math higher than Algebra I (2 units)
Science: 3 Carnegie units
  • Biology I or its equivalent
  • Science higher than Biology I (2 units)
Social Studies: 3 Carnegie units
  • Units must include integrated courses of social sciences and humanities promoting civic competence.
Arts: 1 Carnegie unit
  • Includes any one Carnegie unit (or two ½ units) of visual and performing arts course(s) meeting the requirements for high school graduation.
Advanced Electives: 2 Carnegie units
  • Option 1: Foreign Language I and Foreign Language II
  • Option 2: Foreign Language I and one unit from Option 3
  • Option 3: (1) Any combination of an advanced level course above the required Carnegie units as noted in the (a) Office of Academic and Student Affairs CPC Manual and/or) any (b) Advanced Placement (AP), Academic or Career and Technical Dual Credit (DC), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. (2) Completion of any two-year Career and Technical course may count as one unit. Example: completion of both Health Sciences I & II will count as an advanced elective.
Technology or Computer Science Course: 1 Carnegie Unit
  • A technology course is defined as one that emphasizes the use of technology as a productivity tool. Instruction should include utilizing various forms of technology to create, collaborate, organize, and publish information. The application of technology as a productivity tool, rather than specific hardware and/or software packages should be the focus of the course. A computer science course emphasizes computational thinking to solve problems. Courses will involve the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society and should include focus on one or more of the following core concepts: computing systems, networks and the internet, data and analysis, algorithms and programming, and impacts of computing. Course equivalent or additional advanced elective may be acceptable for non-Mississippi residents.
Total Carnegie units: 18
Notes:
  • Pre-High School units: Courses taken prior to high school will be accepted for admission provided the course earns Carnegie credit and the content is the same as the high school course.
  • Substitutions:Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB, Academic or Career and Technical Dual Credit (DC) and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses may be substituted for each requirement in the College Preparatory Curriculum
  • Course Acceptance: A course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement.
  • The Required and Recommended College Preparatory Curricula (CPC) are approved by the IHL Board of Trustees and maintained by the IHL Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

Recommended College Preparatory Curriculum for the incoming freshmen class of 2023
Click to Expand

Required College Preparatory Curriculum for the incoming freshmen class of 2022
Click to Expand

The minimum REQUIRED CPC for full admission into a Mississippi public university is as follows:

English: 4 Carnegie units

  • Units must require substantial communication skills (i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Compensatory Reading and Writing may not be included.

Mathematics: 4 Carnegie Units

  • Algebra I or its equivalent
  • Math higher than Algebra I (2 units)

Science: 3 Carnegie units

  • Biology I or its equivalent
  • Science higher than Biology I (2 units)

Social Studies: 3 ½ Carnegie Units

  • Units must include integrated courses of social sciences and humanities promoting civic competence.

Arts: 1 Carnegie unit

  • Includes any one Carnegie unit (or two ½ units) of visual and performing arts course(s) meeting the requirements for high school graduation.

Advanced Electives: 2 Carnegie units

  • Option 1: Foreign Language I and Foreign Language II
  • Option 2: Foreign Language I and one unit from Option 3
  • Option 3: (1) Any combination of an advanced level course above the required Carnegie units as noted in the Mississippi Department of Education Secondary Course Manual and/or) any (b) Advanced Placement (AP), Academic or Career and Technical Dual Credit (DC), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) course. (2) Completion of any two-year Career and Technical course may count as one unit. Example: completion of both Health Sciences I & II will count as an advanced elective.

Technology or Computer Science Course: 1 Carnegie Unit

  • A technology course is defined as one that emphasizes the use of technology as a productivity tool. Instruction should include utilizing various forms of technology to create, collaborate, organize, and publish information. The application of technology as a productivity tool, rather than specific hardware and/or software packages should be the focus of the course. A computer science course emphasizes computational thinking to solve problems. Courses will involve the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their applications, and their impact on society and should include focus on one or more of the following core concepts: computing systems, networks and the internet, data and analysis, algorithms and programming, and impacts of computing. Course equivalent or additional advanced elective may be acceptable for non-Mississippi residents.

Total Carnegie units: 18 ½ Carnegie Units

Notes:

  • The required CPC for full admission aligns with the course recommendations for the Mississippi Department of Education Academic Endorsement.
  • The recommended CPC for full admission aligns with the course recommendations for the Mississippi Department of Education Distinguished Endorsement. IHL recommends 3 additional units higher than Algebra I and Biology I. The Mississippi Department of Education Distinguished Endorsement requires 2 units higher than Algebra I and Biology I.
  • Pre-High School units: Courses taken prior to high school will be accepted for admission provided the course earns Carnegie credit and the content is the same as the high school course.
  • Substitutions: Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB, Academic or Career and Technical Dual Credit (DC) and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses may be substituted for each requirement in the College Preparatory Curriculum
  • Course Acceptance: A course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement.
  • The Required and Recommended College Preparatory Curricula (CPC) are approved by the IHL Board of Trustees, The Mississippi Department of Education maintains the MDE Secondary Course Manual with CPC classifications for each course.

Recommended College Preparatory Curriculum for the incoming freshmen class of 2022
Click to Expand

  • CPC Course Listing
Admissions & Curriculum Questions

3/29/2024

Name and Email are required.


FinishIn4
Mississippi's College Completion Agenda

For College Prep Curriculum questions contact:
Heather W. Morrison
Director of P20 Partnerships
Telephone: 601.432.6626