WASATCH ACADEMY AMERICAN
DIPLOMA PROGRAM
About Wasatch Academy
Established in 1875 and located in central Utah, Wasatch
Academy educates students from 39 countries and 28 U.S.
states. Today the school instructs more than 350 students
providing outstanding educational opportunities to a richly
diverse student body. In 2008 Wasatch Academy recognized
the need for forming international partnerships. Our current
Wasatch International Partnership Program encompasses a broad range of possible
relationships, including agreements with schools or institutions that provide educational
student and teacher exchanges to dual diploma programs.
American Diploma Program in China
Wasatch Academy offers a dual-diploma
program to Chinese students in partnership
with key Chinese public high schools and the
AHEAD Education Group. Enrolled students
are eligible to receive credits for specified
academic courses taught by Wasatch
Academy affiliated teachers.
After successful completion of the set credit
requirements, students enrolled in the Dual
Diploma Program will obtain an American
high school graduation diploma from
Wasatch Academy and a Chinese graduation diploma from the Chinese partner school.
Students are selected and enrolled in the program based on prior achievement and/or testing.
Partner schools are all nationally ranked key public high schools. Wasatch Academy partners
with the AHEAD Education Group to manage program administration. logistics and HR.
The Program was developed in response to the growing number of Chinese students eschewing
the path to the Gaokao to go overseas to attend university. In addition, it seeks to address the
very real dearth of quality international divisions in Chinese high school properly introducing
their students to foreign curriculum and preparing them for overseas studies.
Current Wasatch Dual-Diploma Program centers are located in Nanjing, Xi'an and Kunshan
(close proximity to Shanghai)
Academic Program

The diploma program is three years
in length and runs from Chinese
Senior 1 to Senior 3, analogous to
Grades 10-12 in the U.S.

Wasatch and the Chinese school
each cover about 50% of the total
credit requirements. Number of
American classes generally increase
each year. Each campus' credit
requirements and course offerings will differ slightly due to local municipal regulations.
American credits are usually those in the core subjects English, Math, Science and Social
Science.

Students are required to complete all credit requirements in good standing o receive
their diplomas. Students will be required to take summer school, online courses or re-do
a year if classes are not passed.

Wasatch American classes are to be taught entirely in English though allowances and
accommodations are occasionally necessary, particularly in Grade 10, for students
transitioning to a full English academic immersion environment.

This is not a 'gated' American program and the goal is not to strictly copy the system,
culture and protocols of a school in the US . The program seeks to bring the benefits of
the American education system to China while concurrently leveraging and recognizing
the strengths, successes, practices and culture of the host Chinese school.

Accordingly, for the first few years,
the teachers will be moving
between classrooms while the
students stay in the same room for
all classes as is the norm for China.
Individualized student schedules,
homeroom teachers, and other
features of many Western schools
will be gradually implemented over
time. This is in respect to the host
school’s local protocols and giving
them time to first adjust to
unfamiliar academic curriculum and
administrative practices.
Students
 The majority of program students
apply directly out of the Chinese high school's
own middle school division. A more holistic
application process is being developed but for
now, program students generally must meet
the same or higher standards to those
admitted to the Chinese division plus have
above average English scores.
 All students have the intention of
going to the United States for college.

There is regular class cap of 25 students per class. Students are all Chinese nationals
though foreign students are welcome to join the program.

The majority of students are boarding students though the percentage varies from
campus to campus.

Students are prohibited from taking time away from the program to focus solely on SAT,
TOEFL and other standardized test training.
Teaching

The academic school year runs from September to June while generally following the
local work and holiday schedule. Orientations begin around mid-August and teachers
will generally be off from the end of June.

Exams are conducted at the end of
each semester. Semester I generally
ends in January and Semester II at
the end of June. The year is usually
broken up by the Chinese Spring
Festival Holiday that lands usually
in February.

Teachers will be provided with
appropriate materials and directions before the start of the year but the nature of the
American program necessitates greater student-centered approaches and openness to
class planning. The results are classes in this program are less packaged and requires
faculty to develop creative lessons and proper learning goals in conjunction with
Wasatch Academy's Academic Director.

Teachers are commonly projected to teach approximately 20-23 periods of class in your
core subjects. This may vary slightly due to enrolment, adjustments in the course
offerings and the needs and stage of the project at each particular campus.

Wasatch Academy administration and teaching staff visit 4-6 times a year for support,
development and class observations; all staff have access to Wasatch Academy for
ongoing academic support and direction.

A key part of this job is to help
build a strong and vibrant academic
environment through your
professionalism, enthusiasm and
ability to integrate the best of
multiple cultures. You are strongly
encouraged to build the personal
relationships with students,
Chinese faculty and local
management critical for the longterm viability of this program as
well as gain an insight into the local
practices, successes, challenges
and cultural nuances of the host
school.

The average school day runs from 8:00AM – 5:00PM consisting of eight 40-45 minute
periods a day. Again, this will vary from school to school. This includes an extended
lunch period of 75-120 minutes to allow students to rest. All boarding schools have
mandatory study hall four nights a week. Teachers will collectively assist in supervising
study hall if necessary.

Each teacher will help organize one extra-curricular activity for the students.

Teachers will need to submit to Wasatch, the host school, and AHEAD academic data
and documents over the course of the year, both for normal operations as well as to
fulfill bureaucratic regulations and requests that allow the program to operate.
AHEAD Education is the official developer and local managing partner of the Wasatch Academy
American Diploma Program and is proud to be working with partners committed to greater cooperation, accountability, and academic rigorousness within the sphere of international
education in China and beyond.