Course Catalog 2026-2027

PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT

Marin Academy is a co-educational high school committed to scholarship and personal development. We see the high school years as a critically important time when students are discovering who they are, what they value, what they enjoy, and where they are headed. We want our students to develop the skills and knowledge that will serve them well both now and in the future, and as such, an MA education is designed to prepare them to lead and thrive in a world where everything is connected, and challenges are rarely solved alone or through a single discipline.

We provide a challenging academic program based on experiential education that focuses on the critical and creative thinking our students need to chart their course in the world. We encourage students to explore complex ideas and diverse perspectives, to test their values and judgments, to make their own discoveries, and to make mistakes. We focus our curriculum on problems, projects, and questions that, by design, spur students to think deeply about issues. And we empower students by putting them at the center of their education, requiring them to lean into creative thinking and problem-solving as they play an active role in their quest for meaning and purpose.

We have developed a deeply researched understanding of the competencies that students will need to lead and thrive in a rapidly evolving world, and every facet of an MA education is designed to help students develop these five core competencies:

Demonstrated Empathy
Students utilize cross-cultural awareness and emotional intelligence to understand and appreciate difference, privilege, and their connection to others in a global community with integrity and gratitude.

Imaginative Curiosity
Students use their imagination, content knowledge, inquiry skills, and passion to wonder, explore ideas, solve problems, and create.

Intellectual Flexibility
Students work both collaboratively and individually to embrace academic and intellectual challenge, using multiple perspectives and evidence to support, challenge, and refine their arguments. They can persuade— using evidence based on sound research—and they can be persuaded to change their minds.

Compelling Expression
Students effectively articulate their ideas, feelings, and passions through arts and languages and are proficient in multiple modes of written, oral, artistic, and media communication and presentation.

Strategic Boldness
Students use a growth mindset and reflection to collaborate, courageously engage, and take healthy risks to gain confidence, leadership, and resilience. They are biased toward action, and use their educational and other gifts toward impacting their communities and the world.

In keeping with these competencies, we believe students thrive in a supportive, compassionate environment that promotes friendly, open dialogue based on respect and trust. We encourage students to explore complex ideas and diverse perspectives, to test their values and judgments, to make their own discoveries, and to make mistakes, often their greatest teachers. We ask each individual to recognize our shared responsibility to inspire and foster a purposefully diverse, equitable and just community, where students and adults of varied backgrounds, beliefs, attributes, and abilities relate to one another as individuals worthy of respect. Further, we embrace our responsibility to promote, within and beyond the boundaries of Marin Academy, the values inherent in a democratic society.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION

A total of 23 credits are required for graduation. 19.5 of these credits are required courses or courses elected from among designated departmental offerings; the other 3.5 may be chosen from any area. One credit is given for a year-long course that meets three times a rotation.

English
Four years of English are required, and students need to be enrolled in an English class every semester. English I (required in the ninth grade), English II (required in the tenth grade), and English III Honors (required in the eleventh grade) are mandatory. During senior year, two semester-long courses must be taken from the various upper-level electives offered.

History
Three years of History are required, including Modern World History I (required in the ninth grade), Modern World History II (required in the tenth grade), and United States History Honors (required in the eleventh grade). Four years are recommended.

Human Development
Two semesters are required; fall semester in ninth grade and spring semester in tenth grade.

Mathematics
Three years of mathematics and the completion of Algebra II are required. Four years and the completion of Precalculus are recommended.

Science
Three years of laboratory science are required. This includes Biology (required in the ninth grade), Chemistry (required in the tenth grade), and one year of physics (Physics, Advanced Physics with Calculus, Astrophysics, or Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). Physics may be taken in either the junior or senior year. Four years of science are recommended.

Visual and Performing Arts
Two years of fine arts are required. More are encouraged.

World Languages
Three years of the same world language regardless of starting point and to at least Level 3 or two years each of two different languages (four years total) are required. Four years of world language are recommended.

Life Fitness
Two years, both 9th and 10th grades, are required. Students can participate on MA Interscholastic Athletics, through Independent Study, and the Life Fitness program. Four years is recommended.

Marin Academy reserves the right to modify the curriculum, as described in this catalog, including the addition and deletion of courses and the modification of course materials.

COURSE PLANNING

Students, in consultation with parents, advisors, teachers, class deans, and others at Marin Academy, are very much in charge of planning their course of study at MA. While there are a number of graduation requirements and required courses, as you become a junior or senior, you have the opportunity to think carefully and engage thoughtfully in creating a program of study. We encourage you to challenge yourself by trying new things or going into greater depth and at the same time to balance your curricular interests with co-curricular involvement. Below is an explanation of the course planning process and some things to consider while choosing courses.

Course Selection
In the spring, students meet in class meetings to hear about the course selection process for the following year, and the course catalog is published. Recommendations are made by existing teachers for certain classes, such as math or world language, and students have individual meetings with their advisors. Students and parents/guardians then come with a preliminary schedule request form and meet together with advisors. During this scheduling conference, additional guidance is given and, with adult support, students complete a formal course selection.

After the course selection process and necessary forms are turned in, class deans, the dean of academics, and (for rising seniors) college counselors review course selections and may reach out to students with questions or concerns.

Course Recommendations
Students’ current teachers—in consultation with department chairs—make course recommendations. In order to be recommended for certain honors courses, a student needs to earn excellent grades (the exact grade needed varies by department; please see specific course descriptions) and show a commitment to a challenging course of study. Students may choose to apply to courses they are not recommended for; however, students best poised to do so are those looking for challenge regardless of grade outcomes. The Academic Office and department chairs can give additional information on this process.

Graduation Requirements and the University of California
Please see MA’s graduation requirements on the previous page. Note that a student who meets these requirements also meets the minimum course requirements for the University of California and California State University systems as long as the grades earned are C-minus or higher in every required course. Please remember that UC eligibility does not guarantee admission.

Course Load
We encourage students to take the following load of courses each year:

9th Graders: Seven courses all year. These courses are English I, Modern World History I, Biology, a math course, a world languages course, an arts course, Human Development (fall), and Introduction to Transdisciplinary Learning (spring).
10th Graders: Six courses in the fall and seven in the spring. These courses are English II, Modern World History II, Chemistry, a math course, a world languages course, an arts course, and Human Development (spring).
11th Graders: Six courses (seven may be allowed with approval by the Academic Dean). Juniors typically take English III, United States History, a science course, a math course, a world language class, and an arts course.
12th Graders: Six courses (seven may be allowed with approval by the Academic Dean). In addition to taking a full load of courses, applying to college in the fall will take a significant amount of time. Seniors typically take two semester-long English electives, two semester-long history courses, a science course (must be a physics course if the requirement has not been fulfilled in the junior year), a math course, a world languages course, and an arts course.

Keep in Mind
There are many people who can offer advice and guidance, but in the long run the student should think of both the immediate (what classes to take next year) and the long term (overall course of study at MA). What courses work together, what courses challenge you, and what courses expose you to new ideas or new ways of looking at the world?

Course Selection and College Admissions
The high school transcript is a very important part of the college application process. Colleges and universities will look to see both how you have challenged yourself in choosing courses and the grades earned. How your transcript will be viewed will vary widely from school to school.

The University of California will calculate your grade point average using UC-approved courses taken in the sophomore and junior years. However, the application requires that you report your grades in the ninth grade as well as list the courses you plan to complete in the twelfth grade, and all of this information is considered in the admissions process. Please read the course catalog carefully in order to see which courses are UC-approved as general electives (versus within a discipline).
Private colleges and universities will look at your entire four-year program but may choose to exclude certain courses when calculating your GPA. Some schools will weight your GPA and some will use an unweighted GPA.

Add/Drop Process for First and Second Semesters
Once school has started each semester, students may add, change and/or drop courses through the first four days of classes. After this, and until the end of the second rotation of classes (12 days), students may no longer add or change courses, but they may drop a course (without the possibility of adding a course to replace that dropped course). An add/drop form may be picked up from the Academic Office; it requires a series of conversations and signatures in order to complete it.

LIFE FITNESS

To complete the requirement, 9th- and 10th-grade students can participate in the following pathways :

Life Fitness Courses: Courses will be offered in 3 seasons. Students are required to complete 2 of the 3 seasons.
Interscholastic Athletics: Participation on any MA sports team during the competitive season.
Independent Study: Completion of an approved, documented independent active movement program outside of our provided MA Interscholastic sports offerings. Students may pursue Independent Study during the academic year.
Dance Program: Only available to students who have completed the initial two-year Arts requirement.

Life Fitness Independent Study
This program primarily serves students who have vested physically active interests outside of MA. Their devoted time to practices, performances, competitions, etc., are similar to our MA Interscholastic sport teams with daily frequency of 5-6x practice per week, during a 12-week season. Students must submit an application that includes the type of activity, frequency of training, and contact info of the supervising sponsor. The sponsor (other than a parent) must be able to confirm and verify with a signature that the hours being petitioned for have been completed. Students are required to keep a written record that documents those hours. Other signatures required to complete the Independent Study form are one parent/guardian, the student’s Advisor, the student’s Class Dean, and the Assistant Athletic Director. The online application is available at the MA Athletics webpage under “Forms.

ATHLETICS

Marin Academy’s interscholastic athletic program provides opportunities for students to develop and coordinate their physical, mental, and emotional skills in a team environment under the direction of qualified coaches. Students who choose to participate in athletics must understand the commitment it entails: consistent attendance at daily practices and games (for sports offered during the winter and spring seasons, this includes attendance over some school breaks); respect for teammates, coaches, and officials; and acting with integrity. Teams represent Marin Academy in the Bay Counties League - West.

In addition to an individual’s athletic development and team experience, the Marin Academy Athletic Program is committed to character development and good sportsmanship. Sportsmanship and fair play are critical components of the program. Coaches and athletes are expected to represent MA in a manner that is respectful to others both on and off the field of play. This model deportment is expected of our community, e.g., our fan base, as well. Our objective is to develop and maintain the highest standards of courtesy, emotional discipline, and good sportsmanship. Simply put, to borrow the adage from Stanford’s Positive Coaching Alliance of which Marin Academy is a long-time partner, “We Honor the Game Here.”

SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND CO-CURRICULARS

Honors Courses
All of the departments in the school (except for the Visual Arts Department) provide an opportunity for students who are interested in taking special courses and thereby earning honors credit. In the English Department, all senior electives receive honors credit. In the History Department, U.S. History and all elective courses receive honors credit. All science electives (courses after Chemistry) receive honors credit. In math and world language, placement into honors is determined by teacher recommendation. Students interested in undertaking honors level work are directed to the description of such courses in each department.

Transdisciplinary Courses
Education in the 21st century is evolving towards transdisciplinary learning, which centers around an authentic, relevant, and complex issue, and invites students to operate within, between, and beyond disciplines to address this issue. We have two different types of Transdisciplinary courses at MA: the Transdisciplinary Leadership Program (TLP) and Transdisciplinary designated courses housed in other departments (T*). Assessments in these courses will address these relevant issues and be presented to an authentic audience for feedback and for continued reflection and revision.

Independent Study
In most departments, students may undertake independent study. Such study is reserved for students who have exhausted the course offerings in a department and wish to continue specialized study. Such students must have a faculty advisor in the subject area they are studying, demonstrate the ability to conduct intensive, independent work, and file a written course plan (forms available from the registrar) during normal registration. Students must begin making plans for an independent study proposal during the spring semester for a program to be undertaken in the following fall. Permission to pursue the program will depend on the approval of the chair of the appropriate department, appropriate class dean, and the Dean of Academics.

Theater Productions
Marin Academy presents three theater productions each year. Auditions for the fall and winter productions are open to all MA students; rehearsals take place after school with additional evening and weekend rehearsals two weeks before the performance. The spring Black Box production features the advanced theater students and is the culmination of their classwork.

During the course of a student’s years at Marin Academy, there will be opportunities to participate in a variety of productions—including classics, modern, contemporary, and new and original works—and the ways in which students can participate go beyond the stage. Productions often incorporate live music, with the spring show featuring student composers. Students periodically direct their own productions, such as the One-Act Play Festival, independent studies, or senior projects. Students also help run the technical aspects of all productions as they learn, through MA’s Tech Program, how to implement set, light, and costume designs and how to manage live performances (including stage managing, running crew, and operating light and sound consoles).

Minicourse
Each year, in late winter or early spring, the school devotes one week to Minicourse. Minicourses help fulfill an integral part of Marin Academy’s philosophy, which calls for a challenging and experiential education that helps develop inquiry and healthy risk-taking as modes of learning. The Minicourse catalog comes out in November and contains 20 to 30 offerings each year; past courses have included such experiences as Bay Area Art Museums, Backpacking on Catalina Island, Electric Guitar Building, and American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Leaders and teachers are faculty members, outside professionals, parents, and alumni. Minicourse is required each year for all students.

Outings Program
The Outings Program is one of the most widely supported and creative aspects of life in the school. Because outdoor experiences are an important integral part of the educational philosophy of the school, many weekends during the school year see faculty and students participating in various activities such as backpacking, snow camping, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, and skiing.

Trips vary in length, from afternoon and day-long outings to four day backpacking trips. These trips, structured and guided by faculty members and other adults in the community, not only allow the participants to explore the wonder and beauty of nature but also allow them to know and live harmoniously with each other, sometimes under primitive conditions. It is hoped that each student will become comfortable in the outdoors as they learn to navigate the wilderness in their time at MA.

Senior Project
Senior Project, an MA graduation requirement, is an opportunity for students to model and demonstrate independence in their learning process as they explore an interest and contribute to a communal body of knowledge, allowing others to benefit from the work or the process they undertake. Seniors do this with adult mentorship during the last weeks of the regular school year. Senior Project focuses on the competency skills of Building Context for Action (“using context to develop viable ideas for action and strategies for making change”) and Planning and Implementing action (“how does my plan derive from or extend the work of others while naming, elevating, or crediting their action and ideas”). During senior project time, students work a minimum of 90 hours (30 hours a week) on a preapproved project that addresses an essential question, involves community connection beyond MA, and has authentic significance, public interest, and broad visibility.