Curriculum
Click here to view the complete course offerings for the 2008-2009 school year in PDF format.
In each of his four years at Gilman, a student must carry the equivalent of five full-credits. The basic minimum requirements are as follows:
- English—4 years (4.0)
- Religion—1 year (1.0)
- Mathematics—3 years (3.0)
- Art History—1 year (0.5)
- Foreign Language—3 years (3.0)
- Music History—1 year (0.5)
- Science—2 years (2.0)
- Athletics—4 years (1.0)
- History—2 years (2.0)
- Electives—4 credits (4.0)
Notes
- English: must be enrolled each year of high school
- History: US History in 11th grade; HC31 in 10th or EH31/33 (10th) plus an elective in 12th
- Foreign Language: must reach Level III; three consecutive years in same language
- Mathematics: must complete MA51 (Precalculus) or the first semester of MC52
- Science: Two years of Lab Science (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)
- Starting with the class of 2008, students must complete a total of six credits in Math and Science.
A student in the State of Maryland needs 21 academic credits for graduation. (Students in the classes of 2006 and 2007 need 20 academic credits.)
In addition, 50 hours of Community Service must be completed within any twelve-month period.
9th Grade
The standard load for freshmen is six credits, but some students take the minimum load of five credits. Every freshman must take a year of English, Mathematics, Religion, and Foreign Language (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, or Spanish). For their fifth and sixth credits, students choose from Science (Physical Science), History (Modern World or American Government), Art, or a second foreign language.
10th Grade
The standard load for sophomores is six credits. In addition to continuing with Mathematics and Foreign Language, most sophomores take the three-credit Humanities sequence, with parallel courses in English, European Civilization, Art History and Music History. Those students who elect to take a second foreign language enroll in a special two-credit, interdisciplinary Humanities course that counts toward the requirements in English, Art History and Music History. Sophomores generally complete their Science requirement by taking Biology or A.P. Physics.
11th Grade
The standard load for juniors is five credits, but some students take more. All juniors continue with English, Mathematics, and Foreign Language, and they all take United States History. Most juniors can expect that they will take either English or History at BMS or RPCS—this is done to ensure that there is a healthy mix of boys and girls in all sections of these coordinated courses offered at the three schools. Most juniors choose to continue with Science (usually either Physics, Chemistry or A.P. Chemistry). Juniors may also select from a wide array of elective courses.
12th Grade
The standard load for seniors is five credits, though a few students take more. Seniors must take five courses that meet in the first three periods each semester. Seniors must take at least one English elective each semester. As long as they have met the basic requirements, seniors have many options available for arranging a rich program from electives at Gilman, Bryn Mawr, and/or Roland Park Country School. With special permission and advanced preparation, a senior may do independent study with a Gilman teacher, or he might take an approved course at a college. Courses taken at educational institutions other than Gilman, Bryn Mawr and Roland Park must be paid for independently and thus represent costs beyond the Gilman tuition.
Entrance into an honors or an Advanced Placement course is based on a careful departmental evaluation of the individual student. Specific criteria vary by department; most take into account, for example, the boy’s strengths and weaknesses, his prior performance in the department, the overall rigor of his proposed schedule.
Several senior level courses include a service component; please read the course descriptions carefully. In addition, several senior course offerings are marked “Encounter option available.” If an enrolled student is interested, the instructors of these courses are willing both to help the student to design an encounter project and to oversee it.
