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Early Post-Secondary Opportunities

The following Early Post-Secondary Opportunities (EPSOs) are currently available at Houston County High School.  Some of these opportunities have criteria or prerequisites that must be met first.  These opportunities will be made available for students to request for their schedules next year; however, we cannot guarantee that every class will have enough interest to become an active class.

Industry Certification Opportunities

  1. OSHA 10 (Certification for Ag,  STEM, Business, and Health Occupation majors) - This certification is made available to any student in the Ag, STEM, Business Management, or Heatlh Occupation courses.   At this time,  the certification training required is provided to the student at not cost to the student.  This is a national certification.
  2. Certified Production Technician - This certification  is  made  available to  the students enrolled in the Advanced Manufacturing Production Associate and Technician dual enrollment courses.  The student must take and pass all four module assessment in order to obtain the certification.  At this time, the certification training and assessments required are provided to the student at no cost to the student.

State Dual Credit

These courses require the student to take a challenge exam at the conclusion of the course. Upon successfully passing the exam, the student may earn college credit in that course in the state of Tennessee only. .

  1. State Dual Credit US History – This course can count as the required US History credit needed for high school graduation. Upon passing the challenge exam at the conclusion of the course, the student may possibly earn 3 college credits in US History II.
  2. State Dual Credit Psychology – This course counts as an elective credit for HCHS. The student may possibly earn 3 college credits in Intro to Psychology.
  3. State Dual Credit Pre-calculus – This course counts as a math credit toward the four math credits required to graduate from HCHS. The student may possibly earn 3 college credits in Pre-calculus.
  4. State Dual Credit Statistics – This course counts as a math credit required to graduate from HCHS. The student may possibly earn 3 college credits in Statistics.
  5. State Dual Credit Speech – This course counts as an elective at HCHS. The student may possibly earn 3 college credits in Speech or Communications.

Dual Enrollment

If the student has never taken a dual enrollment course, the student is required to apply for admissions to Nashville State Community College. (The application information is available in the counseling office and must be completed as soon as possible.) Almost all of the dual enrollment courses have an ACT or AccuPlacer requirement. It is up to the student to make arrangements to take the ACT or AccuPlacer as soon as possible. The dual enrollment courses do have a tuition expense; however the dual enrollment grant may be used to pay for up to four classes. (A college GPA of 2.75 must be maintained in order to stay eligible for the grant.)

  1. Dual Enrollment Writing Comp I - This course counts as English III. The students may earn 3 college hours of Writing Comp I through Nashville State. (Must have an 18 on ACT English and 19 on ACT Reading or successfully pass the equivalent scores on the AccuPlacer.)
  2. Dual Enrollment Writing Comp II – This course counts as English IV. The students must have successfully completed Writing Comp I. The students may earn 3 college hours of Writing Comp II through Nashville State. 
  3. Dual Enrollment World Literature – The students must have successfully completed Writing Comp I & II. This counts as an elective at HCHS, but 3 college hours of World Literature through Nashville State may be earned.
  4. Dual Enrollment Anatomy & Physiology – This course will count as the third required course for students in the Health Occupations program of study. The students may earn 3 college elective credits through Nashville State. (This is not the required Anatomy & Physiology that most universities require for majors like nursing.) Students wishing to get the DE credits must have maintained at least a B average overall in all Health Sci Ed and Diagnostic Med otherwise will be placed in the noncollege credit bearing Anatomy & Physiology course. There is not an ACT or AccuPlacer requirement.
  5. Dual Enrollment Medical Terminology – This course will count as the fourth course for the students in the Health Occupations program of study. The students may earn 3 college elective credits through Nashville State. Students wishing to get the DE credits must have maintained at least a B average overall in Health Sci Ed, Diagnostic Med & Anatomy/Physiology otherwise will be placed in the non-college credit bearing Medical Terminology course. Students that have not taken any of the health occupation courses may apply provided that there are seats available and met the requirements of an honors course.
  6. Dual Enrollment Advanced Manufacturing Production Associate - This course will count as the third course for the students in the Engineering by Design with Manufacturing Option program of study.  The students may earn 216 hours through TCAT - Dickson.  
  7. Dual Enrollment Advanced Manufacturing Production Technician - This course will count as the fourth course for the students in the Engineering by Design with Manufacturing Option program of study.  The students may earn 216 hours through TCAT - Dickson.