▁special ized ▁courses ▁such ▁as ▁Techn ical ▁Theatre , ▁Theatre ▁Production , ▁and ▁Act ing ▁Studio . ▁ ▁General ▁academ ics ▁North western ▁students ▁generally ▁undert ake ▁a ▁college ▁prepar atory ▁curr icul um ▁that ▁follows ▁the ▁gradu ation ▁requirement ▁gu idel ines ▁set ▁forth ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Maryland , ▁which ▁includes ▁four ▁years ▁of ▁English ; ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁mathematics , ▁science , ▁and ▁social ▁studies ▁( U . S . ▁History , ▁L / S / N ▁Government , ▁and ▁World ▁History ▁are ▁required ); ▁one ▁credit ▁in ▁fine ▁arts ▁and ▁Found ations ▁of ▁Technology ; ▁and ▁a ▁ ½ ▁credit ▁of ▁Personal ▁F it ness ▁( Phys ical ▁Education ) ▁and ▁Health . ▁Stud ents ▁choose ▁from ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁" comple ter ▁elect ives ", ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁ways ▁they ▁can ▁ear n ▁those ▁elect ive ▁cred its . ▁Two ▁cred its ▁of ▁a ▁foreign ▁language ▁( of ▁the ▁same ▁language ) ▁are ▁required , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁three ▁cred its ▁is ▁mis cell aneous ▁elect ives . ▁Option ally , ▁a ▁student ▁may ▁elect ▁to ▁complete ▁two ▁cred its ▁in ▁Advanced ▁Technology ▁Education ▁and ▁three ▁cred its ▁in ▁mis cell aneous ▁elect ives . ▁As ▁another ▁option , ▁a ▁student ▁could ▁complete ▁a ▁state - appro ved ▁technology ▁program ▁and ▁any ▁remaining ▁cred its ▁in ▁elect ives . ▁ ▁North western ▁students ▁can ▁also ▁choose ▁from ▁ 2 0 ▁Advanced ▁P lacement ▁courses , ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁AP ▁course ▁offered ▁in ▁every ▁major