Dual Diploma Program
for Partner Schools

gravitas_featured_partners_become_a_partner_mobile_revised
gravitas_become-partner-icon-01
gravitas_become-partner-icon-02
gravitas_become-partner-icon-03
gravitas_become-partner-icon-04
gravitas_featured_partners_become_a_partner_revised

Dual Diploma Program
for Partner Schools

gravitas_become-partner-icon-01
gravitas_become-partner-icon-02
gravitas_become-partner-icon-03
gravitas_become-partner-icon-04

Why Choose Gravitas Dual Diploma Program?

Global Learning Environment: Gravitas School’s Dual Diploma Program offers students exposure to a truly global learning environment. Students interact with peers from all over the world, breaking geographic limitations and fostering a diverse and caring educational experience.

Character Development Focus: Our curriculum emphasizes “Character Before Career,” ensuring students develop strong character. This approach prepares students to face real-world challenges with confidence and moral conviction.

Top-Tier University Exposure: Graduates of Gravitas School have exceptional opportunities for higher education. Impressively, over 40% of our graduates matriculate to the top 30 highest-ranked universities in the United States.

Partner with Gravitas School to offer your students a world-class education that combines academic excellence with character development, preparing them for a bright future.

Dual Diploma Program Details

Enrollment Timeline: Students can start as early as the summer before 5th grade and must begin no later than the summer before 10th grade. Early enrollment is encouraged, with the ideal start being the summer before 7th grade.

Course Load:

  • Grades 5-10: 2 courses per year (one summer course, one full-year course).
  • Grades 11-12: 3 courses per year.

Pathway to Dual Diploma: Full-time students at other schools can earn a dual diploma from The Stony Brook School by taking a fixed set of courses that meet Gravitas graduation requirements.

Pre-Dual Diploma Courses (Grades 5/6)

  • Ancient World History 5/6
  • Modern World History 5/6
  • English 5/6 Writing
  • English 5/6 Literature

Required Dual Diploma Courses

  • English 7/8 Writing
  • English 7/8 Literature
  • Ancient World History 7/8
  • Modern World History 7/8
  • English 9 (Regular or Honors)
  • Humanities 9
  • English 10 (Regular or Honors)
  • Humanities 10
  • English 11 or Advanced English Rhetoric and Composition
  • English 12 or Advanced English Literature and Composition
  • European History or Advanced European History
  • United States History or Advanced United States History
  • College-Level Ethics
  • Faith and Philosophy

GPA Requirement: A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for the dual diploma.

Special Notes

Multilingual Support: Finalsite can be translated into 18 different languages for a seamless user experience.

TOEFL Requirements: TOEFL score expectations per grade:

  • 5-6th Grade: 70
  • 7-8th Grade: 80
  • 9th Grade: 90
  • 10th Grade: 100

Students with lower scores are still encouraged to apply, as we evaluate each candidate holistically.

 

Pre-Dual Diploma Course Descriptions

ENGLISH 5/6 Literature

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

The literature in English 5/6 teaches a love of reading and beginning skills in literary analysis. Students will engage in a comprehensive exploration of thematic elements, textual inferences, and literary devices through the class novels: Freak the Mighty, The Giver, Seedfolks, The Wednesday Wars, Thirst, and A Long Walk to Water. Through the critical analysis of these selected texts, which serve as exemplary models, students will draw meaningful connections to their personal experiences through written and spoken reflections. The course rigorously incorporates grammar curriculum, vocabulary connections, and diverse writing exercises throughout each novel unit.
ENGLISH 5/6 Writing

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

The English 5/6 Writing course leverages literature as mentor texts to enrich students' writing, reading, vocabulary, and grammar skills. Each writing unit – Narrative, Descriptive, Expository, and Persuasive – centers around a carefully selected novel, Bud, Not Buddy, A Single Shard, Esperanza Rising, and I Am Malala, respectively. These exemplary models provide a rich context for literary analysis and the application of various writing styles. The units also interweave research, vocabulary, and grammar components throughout, including parts of speech, parts of a sentence, and revision techniques for clarity and style. Ultimately, this course aims to foster a love for creative and critical written expression, and to empower students to articulate their ideas with confidence and clarity.
ANCIENT WORLD HISTORY 5/6

No prerequisites

Offered every other year 

In this course, students will explore some of the world’s most ancient civilizations. Chronologically, the course is a survey beginning with an examination of the world’s earliest civilizations and ending with regional and transregional transformations. Students are trained to analyze political, economic, religious, social, and cultural aspects of societies from the distant past. Through careful reading and analysis of primary and secondary texts students learn to develop historical thinking and writing skills.
MEDIEVAL WORLD HISTORY 5/6 

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

This course delves into the diverse and interconnected histories of Medieval Europe, the Byzantine Empire, East Asia under the Tang and Song dynasties, the spread of Islam and achievements of the Abbasid Caliphate, and the Trans-Saharan Trade Routes and Indian Ocean Complex. Students will explore the empire-building of the Mongols, the Crusades from varied perspectives, and the impact of the Black Death across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Mapping the extents of the Ottoman Empire and the Ming Dynasty, students will analyze ethnic and religious compositions, the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, Ming consolidation of power, and interactions with European traders and missionaries through Zheng He's voyages. This course offers a comprehensive understanding of cross-cultural interactions, trade networks, empire-building, and key historical figures shaping the postclassical era.

 

Dual Diploma Course Descriptions

ENGLISH 7/8 Literature

No prerequisites 

This course will help students develop their ability to understand and appreciate great works of literature. In addition to regular assigned readings and class discussions, students will learn by completing reflective essays, literary analysis assignments, and creative projects. The course begins with an assortment of short poems and traditional stories, then moves on to longer, more complex texts like Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Students will be encouraged to offer both interpretive and evaluative responses to the readings and provide clear, well-reasoned support for their assertions.
ENGLISH 7/8 WRITING

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

English 7/8 Writing teaches students how to write clearly and effectively. After practicing brainstorming and clustering techniques with a particular topic, students will organize their thoughts by creating formal outlines. Five paragraph essay structure is introduced in this course. As students write several drafts of each composition, they strive for clarity in content and correct English usage. Students write expressive, persuasive, informative, and creative pieces. Grammar (including parts of speech and parts of sentences) is taught throughout the year.
EARLY MODERN WORLD HISTORY 7/8

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

In this course, students will explore the major issues and turning points that have shaped the modern world. The course will focus on the period from the rise of democratic ideas in the late 18th century to the present day. Students will study the social, political, geographic, and economic factors that have transformed governments, societies, and cultures throughout the world. Students will also study recent history, focusing on the development and expansion of the western world, and the growing interdependence of people and cultures throughout the world.
LATE MODERN WORLD HISTORY 7/8 

No prerequisites 

Offered every other year

This course delves into the transformative forces of the Industrial Revolution, which emerged in Western Europe and spread globally, impacting agriculture, production, transportation, and society. Students will explore how Western European interactions with Africa and Asia evolved from coastal trade to imperial control, examining the motivations and consequences of industrialized states seeking resources and markets. The course then delves into the upheavals of World War I and World War II, which reshaped geopolitics, societies, and environments, leading to efforts at stability. The latter half of the 20th century is analyzed through the lens of the Cold War, as the United States and Soviet Union compete globally. Additionally, students will examine nationalist and decolonization movements, studying the varied methods used for independence and the complexities that emerged post-independence. This course offers a comprehensive understanding of the major geopolitical, economic, and social shifts from the Industrial Revolution through the 20th century.
ENGLISH 9 / ENGLISH 9 HONORS

Prerequisite for English Honors is an A- in the previous English course and may require a placement assessment. Students may be moved from honors to regular or vice versa at the recommendation of the English teacher or the administration.

9th Grade English is a course in reasoning, reading, and writing. Students learn logic and argumentation, grow as readers and writers, and develop public speaking skills. Through the study of literature, including texts that integrate with Humanities 9, students learn to analyze texts. Students learn grammar and composition through a variety of writing assignments, and then learn to present and defend what they have written orally. Live instruction is largely discussion-based, with students grappling with the essential questions of the course in community. Honors students will have additional or alternative literature selections at times throughout the course and will be challenged to reason, write, and speak at a higher level. (1 credit)
HUMANITIES 10

No prerequisites 

Humanities 10 continues the narrative begun in Humanities 9. The course begins in the Hellenistic world and assesses the development and strength of the Roman Empire. Through careful examination of the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the life and teachings of Jesus are studied in depth. The course then traces the development of the early church up to the time of Constantine, where issues of orthodoxy and heresy are explored. Students then turn to the Middle Ages to explore the rise of the Byzantine Empire in the East, and the complex social, religious, and political systems of Europe after the fall of Rome. The course concludes with an examination of the Late Middle Ages and its intellectual achievements, with special emphasis on Dante's Divine Comedy. This class provides students with a strong foundation to study European History. (1 credit) 
ENGLISH 10 / ENGLISH 10 HONORS

Prerequisite for English Honors is an A- in English 9 or a B+ in English 9 Honors and may require a placement assessment. Students may be moved from honors to regular or vice versa at the recommendation of the English teacher or the administration.

English 10 is a study of modern literature that focuses on the theme of wisdom. The course includes a substantial focus on the development of critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Students will grow as readers, writers, and thinkers as they read great works; write narrative, literary analysis, and argumentative essays; and wrestle with challenging questions and life-shaping ideas. (1 credit) 
COLLEGE-LEVEL ETHICS

Prerequisites: None

This dual credit course examines ancient and modern traditions of moral and political philosophy, focusing on the simple question: "What is Good?" Students will begin by studying modern attempts to rationally answer this question from Immanuel Kant to the present day, alongside the critics of this Enlightenment tradition, most notably Friedrich Nietzsche. The course concludes by examining alternatives to the Enlightenment tradition, with special consideration of virtue theory in both its ancient and Christian versions. (1 credit) 
ENGLISH 11/12 RHETORIC & COMPOSITION

No prerequisites

This course is designed to prepare students to become college-level readers and writers. Students will read a variety of texts, both older and contemporary, and texts from a variety of genres-- including plays, novels, short stories, poems, personal essays and persuasive essays with the aim of becoming better writers themselves. Students will grow in writing personal and persuasive essays, as well as in writing reflectively and creatively. (1 credit) 
ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE & COMPOSITION

Prerequisites: A- in previous English course, or B+ in previous English Honors course. 

This course will utilize a study of important works drawn from British literature to help students develop the interpretive and analytical skills needed for success in college English composition courses. Though the course is not officially an AP course, students will be well-prepared for the AP English Language and Composition examination. This course will help students develop as perceptive readers and as persuasive writers. Students will continue to work on presentations and public speaking. (1 credit) 
EUROPEAN HISTORY

No prerequisites

European History is an introductory course in the historical and cultural developments of the European continent and, by extension, the rest of the world insofar as it has been impacted by Europeans. Students engage the intellectual, political, economic, religious, and social aspects of European civilization from the Renaissance to the present. Along the way, they delve deeply into topics like the rise of the nation-state, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars, and the Cold War. Classroom practices and assessments, including tests, independent research papers, seminar discussions, and student presentations, all aim to help students understand human history and to impart to them the intellectual virtues needed for historical inquiry into truth, goodness, and beauty. (1 credit) 
ADVANCED EUROPEAN HISTORY

Prerequisites: B+ in previous History course, or B in previous History Honors course; B+ in previous English course.

Taught at a more demanding level than European History, Advanced European History is designed for those students wishing to do college-level work. Though not officially an AP course, those wishing to take the AP Examination will be well-prepared to do so. The course begins with the Renaissance and Reformation and ends in the present, delving deeply along the way into topics like the rise of the nation-state, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars, and the Cold War. We stress intellectual and cultural history while tracing the political, economic, religious, and social themes through the centuries. Added emphasis is placed on critical reading, writing, and point of view analysis in primary source documents. Most class periods are conducted as seminars, so students are expected to prepare and participate excellently every day. As in European History, classroom practices and assessments aim to help students understand human history and to impart to them the intellectual virtues they need for historical inquiry into truth, goodness, and beauty. (1 credit) 
FAITH & PHILOSOPHY

No prerequisites

Faith & Philosophy is a discussion-based seminar that serves as the capstone Bible curriculum for all  students of The Stony Brook School. It is designed to integrate with humanities coursework by examining human life within a broad historical and cultural context. It develops the skills of critical reasoning, interpreting texts (hermeneutics), research, writing, and public speaking. The course consists of three major units: Philosophy, World Religions, and Biblical Studies. The Philosophy unit challenges students to understand the multivalent reasons why human beings believe the things they do, and thus to become more thoughtful about how they answer "the big questions" of life (Why am I here?, Is there a purpose to life?, What does it mean to be human?, Is it reasonable to have faith in God?, How do I know right and wrong?). The World Religions unit focuses on an exploration and comparison of the major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the final unit of the course, Biblical Studies, students investigate Christian theology through an in-depth study of the Gospel of John. (1 credit)
ENGLISH 11/12 LITERATURE & COMPOSITION

No prerequisites

This course is designed to prepare students to become college-level readers of great literature. In addition to a variety of shorter texts, students will read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (anonymous), Macbeth (Shakespeare), Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen), and The Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky).(1 credit) 
ADVANCED ENGLISH 11/12 LITERATURE & COMPOSITION

Prerequisites: A- in previous English course, or B+ in previous English Honors/AP course.

This course is designed for the outstanding and highly motivated student of English. Though not officially an AP course, it will prepare students well for the AP Examination in Literature and Composition. Since college-level work is expected, the scope, pace, amount, and quality of work are correspondingly greater than that which is required in regular English 12. Students are offered greater challenges and more opportunities to develop and exercise critical judgments. (1 credit) 
UNITED STATES HISTORY

Prerequisite is European History or Advance European History

United States History provides an economic, political, religious, and sociological perspective into the foundations of the United States and the subsequent successes and failures of the Republic through the past three centuries. Students are challenged to examine and critique modern America with respect to her historical foundations. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of the Americans in their major conflicts beginning with the Revolutionary War and ending in the present war on terrorism. This course seeks to use history as a medium to teach critical thinking, analytical writing, and rhetorical presentation in preparation for college. (1 credit) 
ADVANCED UNITED STATES HISTORY This course is designed for those students wishing to do college-level work and perhaps prepare for an AP Examination. In addition to the content and virtues taught in the United States History course, this course looks more broadly at the whole of United States history, from pre-colonial times to the present, with an added emphasis placed on working with primary source materials. (1 credit) 

 

  • right_arrow

    Email michael.webster@sbs.org for more information