Requirements
(This page is part of the official Academic Calendar)
Admission requirements for each RDP program can be found by viewing individual program webpages.
To quickly find the information you're looking for below, you may wish to choose from the following items to be directed to the appropriate section:
- Alberta Grade 12 Course Groups
- Alberta Education Courses Used For Admission and Prerequisite
- Academic Upgrading - Alberta Education Grade Comparison
- Credentials from Other Provinces and Countries
- English Language Proficiency
- Enrolment Quotas and Limits
- Home School Applicants
- Residency Requirement
Alberta Grade 12 Course Groups
Admission requirements for specific programs will often refer to Alberta Grade 12 course groups. These groups are:
| Group A (Humanities) |
Group B (Fine Arts) |
|
|
| Group C (Sciences) |
Group D (Optional Subjects) |
|
Five credits at the 30, 33 or 35 level (Grade 12) Note: May also include two three-credit Alberta grade 12 subjects (Excluding Special Projects 30) or five credits in Advanced Series Career and Technology (CTS) courses. Note: Math 30 Applied, Social Studies 30-2, and FLA 30-2 are considered Group D subjects, as long as a higher level in the same subject is not also used for admission. For example, if Math 30-1 is used to satisfy the Group C requirement, Math 30 Applied can’t be used to satisfy a Group D requirement. |
Alberta Education Courses Used For Admission and Prerequisite
RDP Academic Upgrading courses and upgrading courses from other colleges are equivalent to Alberta high school diploma courses for admission purposes.
| Alberta Education Course Name | RDP Course Name |
|---|---|
| Accounting 10/20 | Accounting 075 |
| Biology 10/20 | Biology 085 |
| Biology 30 | Biology 095 |
| Chemistry 10/20 | Chemistry 085 |
| Chemistry 30 | Chemistry 095 |
| Computing 20 | Computing 085 |
| ELA 10-1/ELA 20-2 | English 075 |
| ELA 30-1, ENGL 30 (old) | English 095 |
| ELA 30-2, ENGL 33 (old) | English 090 |
| Math 10-1, 10 Pure (old), 10-C | Math 075 |
| Math 23 (old), Math 20 Applied | Math 075 |
| Math 20-2 | No equivalent |
| Math 20-1, Math 20 Pure, Math 20 (old) | Math 085 |
| Math 30 Applied, Math 33 | Math 085 |
| Math 30-2 | Math 092 |
| Math 30-1, Math 30 Pure, Math 30 (old) | Math 096 |
| Math 31 | Math 097 |
| Physics 10/20 | Physics 085 |
| Physics 30 | Physics 095 |
| Social Studies 13 | No equivalent |
| Social Studies 23 | No equivalent |
| Social Studies 33 | Social Studies 090 |
| Social Studies 30-2 | No equivalent |
| Social Studies 30-1 | Social Studies 095 |
| Spanish 10/20 | Spanish 101 |
| Spanish 30 | Spanish 102 |
Academic Upgrading - Alberta Education Grade Comparison
Note: This grade comparison does not represent grade conversions made by RDP instructors when grades are assigned. It is a statement of competence equivalency between the Academic Upgrading program and Alberta Education courses, and is used for admission purposes only.
| Alberta Education Percentage (%) | Grade Point Average (GPA) | Letter Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 100 - 90 | 4.00 | A, A+ |
| 89 | 3.95 | |
| 88 | 3.90 | |
| 87 | 3.85 | |
| 86 | 3.80 | |
| 85 | 3.75 | |
| 84 | 3.70 | A- |
| 83 | 3.63 | |
| 82 | 3.56 | |
| 81 | 3.50 | |
| 80 | 3.43 | |
| 79 | 3.37 | |
| 78 | 3.30 | B+ |
| 77 | 3.23 | |
| 76 | 3.15 | |
| 75 | 3.08 | |
| 74 | 3.00 | B |
| 73 | 2.93 | |
| 72 | 2.85 | |
| 71 | 2.78 | |
| 70 | 2.70 | B- |
| 69 | 2.60 | |
| 68 | 2.50 | |
| 67 | 2.40 | |
| 66 | 2.30 | C+ |
| 65 | 2.23 | |
| 64 | 2.15 | |
| 63 | 2.08 | |
| 62 | 2.00 | C |
| 61 | 1.93 | |
| 60 | 1.85 | |
| 59 | 1.78 | |
| 58 | 1.70 | C- |
| 57 | 1.60 | |
| 56 | 1.50 | |
| 55 | 1.40 | |
| 54 | 1.30 | D+ |
| 53 | 1.23 | |
| 52 | 1.15 | |
| 51 | 1.08 | |
| 50 | 1.00 | D |
| 0-49 | 0 | F |
Credentials from Other Provinces and Countries
If you are from another province or country, you must have courses comparable to those of Alberta applicants. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more detailed information on specific admission requirements.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English Language Proficiency for admission to credit programs.
Enrolment Quotas and Limits
Many RDP programs and courses have limited enrollment, and fill quickly due to a high number of applications.
Home School Applicants
RDP recognizes that students learn and acquire knowledge in a variety of settings. Nonetheless, this learning needs to be measured. Applicants must meet competence equivalency for the prerequisite courses required for admission to the specific program.
An applicant, who has completed a Home Education Program, may qualify for admission in one of three ways:
- Successfully pass Alberta Education Diploma Exams or other provincial education equivalents
- Apply to the RDP Academic Upgrading program and successfully complete the RDP High School equivalent courses required for program admission
- Apply to a Red Deer Polytechnic program and subsequently submit a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) application; then apply for a Challenge Examination of RDP high school equivalent courses required for program admission
Residency Requirement
In order to qualify for a Red Deer Polytechnic program credential, students must complete 50 per cent of the credit requirements for the credential through enrollment in RDP courses. Some RDP programs may have a different residency requirement.