A credit refers to the value given for a semester course.  In general, a semester course is worth 1 credit and a year course is worth 2 credits.  All Marquette students are required to carry eight credits each semester.  Juniors and seniors are allowed to carry seven credits each semester if a work release is obtained.

Beginning with the Class of 2011, the Board has specified 37 of the 56 credits to be taken in the following departments: theology, English, math, social studies, science, and computers.  Specifically, each student graduating from Marquette must successfully meet the following departmental requirements:

8 credits of Theology
A waiver for non-Catholic students may be granted for individual courses upon consultation of the theology department and approval by the school board. Exception:  Adolescent development mandatory in order for Marquette and its students to comply with current state standards.
9 credits of English (including 2 credits each in English I, II, and III)
6 credits of Mathematics (including 2 credits each in Algebra or Basic Algebra)
6 credits of Natural Science (including 2 credits each in Freshman Science and Biology)                                      7 credits of Social Studies (including 2 credits each in World Studies and U.S. History and 1 credit each in American Government and Sociology)
1 credit of Computers I

The other 19 credits may be selected by the individual student from those courses offered at Marquette and those shared-time courses at Bellevue Community High School which are approved by Marquette's administration. 

The graduation requirements for the classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010 remain at 56 credits with 8 credits of Theology, 8 credits of English, 4 credits of Mathematics, 4 credits of Natural Sciences, 6 credits of Social Studies, and 1 credit of Computers I.

In addition, each student is expected to take physical education each semester; waivers for an individual semester will be granted only for medical reasons or scheduling conflicts deemed irresolvable by the administration.  Each year of physical education carries 1/2 credit per year which counts toward the 56 credits required for graduation and is calculated into the student's grade point average.

Students for Educational Services (SES) is available to juniors and seniors and is worth 1 credit per semester.  These credits count toward the 56 credits required for graduation but are not calculated into the student's grade point average.

Driver education is  available only during the summer through one's home school district (Bellevue, Andrew, Dubuque, etc.).

In general, a student is not allowed to enroll in a course at BHS if the same course is offered at Marquette.  The Marquette administration reserves the right to limit the number of shared-time classes taken by a Marquette student in a particular semester.  A maximum of two courses is allowed at BHS.  An additional course may be taken at BHS with administrative approval.

The usual way to make up lost credits through failure or dropping a course is to repeat the course (or take its equivalent) the following year. Alternative actions, such as correspondence courses or on-site class work through one of the area's community colleges, may be acceptable pending administrative approval. Should a student not be able to complete 56 credits in one's four year's at Marquette, the administration may issue a Certificate of Attendence to the student in lieu of a diploma.

In the light of increasing entrance requirements for Iowa's colleges and state universities, those planning to go to college are urged to take additional mathematics including Algebra II, additional science including Chemistry, and at least two years of a foreign language.