Programs for High Schoolers

At Ivy Tech Madison, high school students have an opportunity to jump start their future college and career goals!

Through partnerships with each area high school, students can earn credit that is transferable to other colleges and universities, complete the first year of college, or even earn degrees and certifications that lead to a career right out of high school. Not only do students save both time and money, they also gain foundational skills that are important to being a college student

During the 2022-2023 school year, we served 431 dual enrollment students and over 1,100 dual credit students earned college credit. This saved families in our community more than $1.3 million dollars in tuition costs in just one year alone! Learn more about these opportunities below.

Ivy Tech Dual Enrollment Program Overview

Dual Credit

College credit courses taught at your High School

Dual Credit

Ivy Tech Community College courses taught through the dual credit program provide college credits and allow students to fulfill high school graduation requirements, as well as start building their college career. Ivy Tech Community College courses are taught during the regular school day by certified high school teachers. Access our current Dual Credit Handbook.

There is no cost for dual credit courses taken at your high school! To get started, talk to your high school counselor. Students will need to complete the dual credit application, as well as any course prerequisites.

Dual Enrollment

Earn college credit while in High School

Start as a Sophomore - Indiana College Core

Ivy Tech Community College’s Start as a Sophomore program, also known as the Indiana College Core, prepares you for a successful start to your associate degree with Ivy Tech and your bachelor's degree. Through this program, students earn a 30-credit hour block that transfers to all other public four-year colleges in Indiana.

Nearly 100 high school students complete their Indiana College Core requirements through Ivy Tech Madison every year, and for most of our high school students, it’s free!
Business Administration
The principles taught through Business Administration at Ivy Tech are threaded in all industries including non-profit business and education. Students will be creating marketing plans, budgets, building personal websites, simulations, case-studies and creating community connections. At the completion of the program students can earn:
- Ivy Tech Certificate (CT) or Technical Certificate (TC)
- Total of 31 college credit hours
View video or download informational flyer
Industrial Maintenance
If you like to work with your hands and interact with machines then this is the program for you. With lecture time limited to 20% or less, students gain valuable knowledge to prepare themselves for a rewarding career. At the completion of the two-year program students earn:
- Three SACA certifications NIMS certification, OSHA 10 certification, and MSSC CPT certification
- Ivy Tech Technical Certificate (TC)
- Total of 34 college credit hours
View video or download informational flyer
Cloud Technologies
Cloud technologies are already a part of your everyday life as an Internet user. As a Cloud Technologies student, you’ll evaluate network infrastructure products and services, get familiar with network security concepts, use and implement cloud technologies in organizational environments, strengthen critical thinking skills, acquire transferable and foundational skills in system administration, unpack complex problems and systems, discover how modern organizations handle evolving infrastructure, get comfortable with popular Cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, and earn the CompTIA A+ certification.

At the completion of the two-year program students earn:
- CompTIA A+ certification
- Ivy Tech Technical Certificate (TC)
- Total of 30 college credit hours
Download informational flyer
Welding
Heavily embedded with valuable industry-recognized certifications, welding skills are in high demand. A blended curriculum of on-campus classes, combined with digital technology, helps students to master their knowledge. At the completion of the two-year program students earn:
- Four American Welding Society certifications (MIG, TIG, Flex Core and Stick)
- Ivy Tech Technical Certificate (TC)
- Total of 34 college credit hours
View video or download informational flyer
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Certified Nursing Assistants are a critical part of the healthcare team. CNAs are often the primary caregivers of patients and assist with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating as well as measuring vital signs such as blood pressure and temperature. Students in the Healthcare Pathway will complete five credit hours of post-secondary coursework (HLHS 107) in preparation for the Certified Nursing Assistant licensure examination. The program is 16 weeks and students will complete 48 classroom hours, 32 lab hours, and 48 clinical hours. At the completion of one semester, students earn:
- CNA License
- Total of 5 college credit hours
View video or download informational flyer
Medical Assisting
Our students get to participate in simulation labs acting as a member of a healthcare team to prepare for the real-world as a Medical Assistant. Classes will focus on patient care, venipuncture, electrocardiogram, vital signs, injections, medical coding, electronic charting and medical records. Students will learn in a variety of settings, including a computer lab, phlebotomy lab, laboratory skills lab, and clinical skills lab. At the completion of the one-year program students earn:
- Ivy Tech Technical Certificate (TC)
- Total of 33 college credit hours
View video or download informational flyer
Pre-Nursing

Completion of the pre-nursing coursework allows students to directly apply to the Ivy Tech nursing program after high school. Students in the Ivy Tech nursing program have opportunities to care for real patients in a variety of clinical settings, and skills are also learned in simulation labs. We utilize a variety of learning strategies in the classroom and clinical settings to appeal to every learning style.

View video or download informational flyer

Internships

Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Dual Enrollment Students

Internships

At Ivy Tech Madison, the K-14 and Career Coaching and Employer Connections (CCEC) teams have collaborated to establish meaningful work-based learning opportunities for dual enrolled high school students. Since January 2019, twenty-eight dual enrollment pathway students have been placed in paid internships throughout Jefferson County, Indiana.

Internship time frames include: during spring break, summer, and limited hours after school, and are above and beyond the curriculum. Before students are placed, they strengthen their soft skills by creating a resume, participating in mock interviews, developing reverse job fairs and even joining an etiquette dinner with area employers. This work begins on day one of class as all students in the program complete IVYT, a one credit hour course designed to give students the skills and strategies necessary to reach their educational, career and life objectives.

Watch this video to learn more about dual enrollment internships.

Homeschool

Ivy Tech Madison partners with homeschool families

Homeschool

At Ivy Tech Madison, we partner with homeschool families in our community as an affordable post-secondary option to supplement homeschool curriculum, earn transferable college credit and even explore career interests! Classes are available in a variety of formats, including in-person, online and virtual. To discuss these opportunities more, please reach out via the contact information below!

Andrea McDole
Executive Director of K-14 Initiatives
(812) 265-2580 ext. 4145
amcdole3@ivytech.edu

Next Steps

If you are interested in earning college credit during high school, talk to your counselor or reach out to:

Andrea McDole
Executive Director of K-14 Initiatives
(812) 265-2580 ext. 4145
amcdole3@ivytech.edu

High School Student Testimonial

“Starting as a freshman in high school, I have utilized the classes that Ivy Tech has offered and been able to jumpstart myself in college when I graduate. I have been able to experience what college across different disciplines are like and I know what I can expect in the future when I become a full-time college student. I have more than 100 college credit hours and then I attend college in the fall I will be starting as a junior... This saves me time and money, and it gives me the opportunity to focus more on my interests and hobbies while in college. Overall, taking a dual credit and dual enrollment classes really gives you a good perspective on what classes will be in the future for those wanting to pursue post-secondary education.”

–Neel Mistry | 2022 Associate of General Studies and Indiana College Core Ivy Tech Grad

Madison Campus