Register now for 2023-24 (grades 7-11)

STEM IA High School

High School Courses

Our high school programming is structured to meet the high standards of Alberta’s curriculum while allowing students flexibility to explore unique and innovative STEM courses. Our program prepares students for post-secondary studies through our exemplary programming and teaching, and helps students make informed choices about their education path beyond grade 12.

There are three components to our course offerings:

  • Core Courses delivered according to the Alberta curriculum in preparation for graduation
  • Honours Academies that offer challenging academic courses for motivated students (developed in conjunction with post-secondary experts)
  • Options Courses that provide numerous options to explore innovative STEM programming across a broad range of leading edge topics

These courses are supported by Alberta’s first MIT Fab Lab – a digital fabrication facility providing formal links to 1750 labs in over 100 countries.

Alberta Curriculum

Core Courses

We follow Alberta Education’s Programs of Studies for all our core courses. We have high academic standards for all of our courses, and believe a well-rounded education is important for all students.

In addition to our complementary courses, below are the core courses available:

Please note, 20 and 30 level Science courses may be offered in various grade levels depending on course enrollments.

Honours Academies

The Honours Academies at STEM IA provide next level learning opportunities for self-motivated students interested in research, academic challenge and deep scholarship. 

Students in these courses have the opportunity to go beyond the confines of the Alberta Program of Studies, exploring specific STEM topics in greater depth through the lens of technological applications. Reflecting STEM IA’s commitment to keeping pace with technological advancements in our programming, our course curricula will be developed and continuously reevaluated by advisory boards from Canadian post-secondary institutions and professionals in relevant STEM disciplines.

The preliminary Honours Academies are described below. Course offerings may change in response to student needs and interests.

Options Courses

At STEM Innovation Academy, options courses are organized and delivered in strands. Within each strand, courses build the knowledge and skills of that discipline in partnership with industry and post-secondary experts. Courses provide a scope and sequence of learning experiences that build foundational STEM skills, while using the design process to create innovative solutions to unique problems.

Students will choose courses from the different strands to develop a diverse set of knowledge, skills and experiences while developing and practicing interpersonal skills integral to success in the ever-evolving workforce.

Engineering and Design

Courses in the Engineering and Design strand focus on utilizing the design process to create innovative solutions to real-world problems. Students learn a variety of hands-on and digital skills and gain valuable prototyping and fabrication experience in our MIT Fab Lab, which connects students to their global peers via a network of 1750 labs in over 100 countries.

Computational Thinking

In today’s digital age, computational thinking is an essential skill.  It is a systematic approach to solving complex problems by breaking them down into a series of distinct steps.  Solutions are presented in a form that can be effectively carried out by people or computers. Courses in the Computational Thinking strand involve students undertaking hands-on learning in computer programming and electronics to create ‘smart’ design solutions.

New Media

Innovative ideas are spread by creative, effective, and engaging communication. Courses in the Media strand leverage digital technologies and the art of communication to connect with authentic audiences using persuasive storytelling.

Health and Medical Sciences

Many students are interested in future careers in the field of medicine and/or health sciences. Tremendous innovations are taking place in these fields – including right in our own backyard. Students have an opportunity to explore multiple facets of these exciting field through a unique selection of courses.

Program Enhancements (Grades 10-12)