MODULE 4: PLANNING FOR A 2-YEAR DEGREE

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How to strategically map out a full Associate of Arts (AA) degree through PSEO—before your student even graduates high school.

This module gives families a clear, step-by-step framework for understanding how to complete a 2-year college degree during high school using Minnesota’s PSEO program. We guide you through the three key components every family needs to consider when selecting college classes and building a long-term academic plan.

Meeting High School Graduation Requirements

We start by showing how to align PSEO courses with Minnesota’s high school graduation requirements. You’ll see real examples of how our son Charlie used college courses to fulfill required high school subjects. We'll explain dual credit, how credits transfer, and how to ensure nothing gets missed.

You'll learn:

• How many credits are required for MN high school graduation
• Which college classes meet each subject area
• Tips for reviewing with your high school counselor

Understanding Bethel University's AA Degree Requirements

Next, we walk through what’s required to actually earn an Associate of Arts (AA) degree from a college like Bethel. 

This includes:

• Completing at least 60 credits
• Meeting the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) goal areas

We’ll break down how the MnTC works and how it helps students transfer easily to four-year universities.

Looking Ahead: Planning Around a Future Major

We don’t stop at just finishing the AA. In this section, we help you plan backward from your student’s future college major—in our case, Business and Entrepreneurship at Bethel.

You'll learn how we selected early business courses (Intro to Business, Microeconomics, etc.) that not only helped fulfill AA electives but also counted toward Charlie’s future bachelor’s degree. This section shows how smart course selection now can reduce class loads later and accelerate career-focused learning.

The Value of the AA Degree After High School

Once your student finishes their AA, they’ll enter college after high school as a junior—often with general education requirements completely fulfilled. 

That means:

• No more English comp, math, science, or core electives
• More room for internships, study abroad, and major-specific courses
• Potential to graduate from college earlier

We explain how this works at Bethel and other colleges and what to ask when considering where to continue after PSEO.

Strategic Course Planning: Our Credit Tracker in Action

This module includes a walk-through of our real Google Sheet credit tracker—a tool we used to:

• Align high school and college requirements 
• Track credits by semester across 10th–12th grade
• Map out which classes counted toward the AA and which supported future majors
   

We share screenshots and explain how we used the tracker to plan ahead with clarity and confidence.

Why We Started in 10th Grade

We also share how Charlie began his PSEO journey early—starting in 10th grade through Normandale Community College’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. These CTE options are open to eligible 10th graders and offer great introductory courses in areas like business, marketing, and computer science.

You'll learn:

• What types of CTE classes are available to 10th graders
• How early credits can build momentum for an AA degree
• How Normandale and other colleges structure their CTE options

Resources Includes in this Module:

• Editable Credit Tracker Template (Google Sheets or Excel)
• Course Planning Checklist
• MnTC Goal Area Cheat Sheet
• Bethel AA Degree Snapshot
• Sample 10th–12th Grade PSEO Timeline

What You'll Walk Away With

By the end of Module 4, you’ll understand how to design a personalized course plan that fulfills:

• State high school graduation requirements
• College AA degree requirements
• Major-specific prerequisites
   

All while saving time, money, and stress—because every class serves more than one purpose.