Review the Academic Policies. There are opportunities for acceleration at CCHS. View acceleration courses.

Advanced Placement | Dual Enrollment | Visual and Performing Arts | Pre-Engineering Program

Curriculum Guide for the 2026-2027 School Year

The following are classes that require an application. Applications are due February 16, 2026.

Advanced Placement

Cathedral Catholic High School regularly offers a total of 26 Advanced Placement courses as part of its curriculum in English, mathematics, science and engineering, social science, visual and performing arts and world languages.

  • Students receive honors credit for AP courses.
  • Students enrolled in these courses are highly encouraged to take the AP exams in May.
  • Successful completion of an AP exam may earn students college credits (this college board search tool shows how schools award credit for AP testing).

Both of my daughters took dual enrollment courses at Cathedral. These courses exposed them to college-level pacing and research, which were critical to preparing them to excel in future university programs. The successful completion of college credits in high school dual enrollment courses is the highest indicator of college readiness and adds a rigorous and challenging element to high school curriculum, as it requires building skills in time management, research application, strong academic writing and collaboration with peers on advanced projects.

Stephanie LaQua

Cathedral Catholic High School’s AP classes are just the right balance of challenging, interesting and fulfilling. With little to no busy-work, everything assigned directly helps you prepare for the AP Test.

Liam Walsh ‘22

Cathedral Catholic's AP classes are fast-paced, but they provide students with every resource needed to excel on the AP exam, including important analytical skills required for college.

Ava Rusnak ‘22

For me, taking dual enrollment courses was a way to challenge myself academically, while also receiving college credit that I did not have to take the AP exam for. The class is definitely challenging but also extremely rewarding and takes the stress off preparing for an AP test.

Kiera Rall ‘23

I've had such a great time working at Cathedral Catholic High School. The administration is very helpful and the students are all so wonderful. The dual enrollment program is truly helping students learn and prepare for their journey into higher education. Plus, I couldn't have asked for a better group of students!

James Garcia, Dual Enrollment Teacher

Over the past four years at Cathedral Catholic, I have found myself in many AP classes with very supportive teachers and students around me who all wanted to work towards the same goal of achieving success. Every teacher I have had loves to answer my questions and has made my life easier with their expertise on the subject.

Daniel Khristich ‘22

Dual Enrollment

Cathedral Catholic High School partners with MiraCosta College to offer dual enrollment courses.

  • These courses count toward a student’s units needed for high school graduation while also providing college credits that appear on a MiraCosta college transcript.
  • These courses are taken during the school day with no additional cost beyond regular tuition.
  • Students may take up to two dual enrollment courses per semester in their junior and senior years.

There is also a dual enrollment course in Spanish offered in summer school.

In total, Cathedral Catholic offers 12 college courses as part of its dual enrollment program.

Visual and Performing Arts

Cathedral Catholic High School offers a broad array of curricular options in the arts for all students from the novice to collegiate level.

Visual Arts

  • 2D media
  • 3D media
  • Digital media
  • Film
  • CCTV

Performing Arts

  • Drama
  • Technical theater
  • Instrumental music
  • Choral music
  • Music theory
  • Digital music production

The Visual and Performing Arts program’s innovative approach seeks to provide strong foundational support in technique and historical context while fostering opportunities for performance application. In alignment with the mission of Cathedral Catholic High School, the Visual and Performing Arts Department prepares students to be lifelong learners and global citizens.

It is Cathedral Catholic’s highest hope that pursuit of artistic excellence through self-expression and collaboration will lead to transformation in the lives of students, as well as their communities.

Pre-Engineering Program

Cathedral Catholic High School’s Pre-Engineering Program aims to equip students with the necessary skills for success in future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs. Comprised of specialized courses and high-level academic content, the program offers students a comprehensive education.

Upon completion of eight required courses, graduating students receive recognition on their transcript as having “Graduated with Distinction in Engineering.” The program not only prepares students for the rigors of college-level engineering and science programs but also cultivates essential skills such as time management, scientific analytical thinking, problem-solving techniques, and technical knowledge.

The Pre-Engineering Program has taught me problem solving and scientific analysis skills that I applied on a daily basis as a lab intern at a biotech company during the summer of 2023.

- Jennifer Gurtler '24

Teaming up with a real architectural company through the program allowed me to see if it was really something that I wanted to do.

- Natalie Rubio '19

 

The program has provided me a pathway to see different examples of courses and concepts that I could see in my future. 

- Carolina Ternero '22

The hands-on project-based approach of the Pre-Engineering Program gave me the opportunity to learn beyond the conceptual elements of engineering and practice a more realistic approach to addressing our problems, placing me far ahead of my peers in college courses.

- Nate Nash '20, University of Notre Dame '24, Nuclear Submarine Officer, US Navy

 

  • Educational and engaging off-campus industry tours
  • Local, state and national science and technology activities, including workshops, seminars and events
  • Industry workplace experiences
  • Daily use and access to the McSweeney Engineering Complex:
Computer Lab with industry-level programs and capabilities 
CAD/CAM softwareCNC milling machine
3D printing CNC plasma cutting machine
Project testing facilityRaw materials
  • Preparation for the challenges of college and professional STEM-related fields:
Developing students’ time-management organizational processes
Scientific analytical thinking skills
Problem-solving techniques
Technical knowledge

Students who are interested in…

  • hands-on laboratory projects and assignments
  • innovative and creative thinking
  • collaborative team and group problem-solving
  • innovative instruction
  • Introduction to STEAM
  • Advanced STEAM
  • 4th Year STEAM Capstone and Practicum
  • Engineering Design
  • AP Computer Science A
  • AP Chemistry or AP Biology
  • AP Physics 1 or higher level physics
  • AP Calculus AB or higher-level calculus

For more information, contact Mr. Andrew Knoll

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