Career Center
There are many skills that can be learned in high school that will help prepare you to fulfill the unique calling God has placed on your life. We’ve pulled a few careers and key courses together on this page as a quick reference guide to help you get started, but the options and opportunities are endless. If you use a course not listed here that you feel is key in developing career-related skills, let us know! Email SchoolhouseTeachers.com Executive Manager at stmanager@theoldschoolhouse.com.
General Classes Applicable to Many Careers
Advanced Public Speaking: This is an eighteen-week class designed for students who want to gain more instruction in public speaking and the evaluation of speeches. This course requires the student to study various types of speeches and both write and deliver several of his or her own. It is recommended that the student complete the Introduction to Public Speaking class before moving into this class, as it will build on some of the concepts learned.
Business Plan Creation: This course is designed to enable young entrepreneurs to create thorough, accurate, and complete business plans. It is an in-depth course designed to be taken at the student’s own pace. Printable and video instruction are included, as well as a number of supplemental resources.
Career Exploration: Carol Topp of HomeschoolCPA.com teaches an eight-week course designed to help your student consider the world of career possibilities. From seeking God’s will and inventorying their talents to understanding career clusters and job shadowing, Career Exploration helps your teens prepare for whatever future God has designed for them.
How to Write a Resume:This course walks students through the basics of resumes and resume writing in four easy-to-understand lessons. The first lesson describes what a resume is, why it is important, and how to use language effectively when writing a resume. The second lesson explores the main parts of a resume and offers examples and advice on these parts. The third lesson covers the four different types of resumes: chronological, functional, combination, and targeted. Students will learn when to use each type of resume and explore examples of each type. The fourth lesson offers guidelines and tips on formatting a resume.
LibreOffice Writer Basics: LibreOffice is free word processing software that meets many needs in both the home and in numerous places of employment. LibreOffice Writer Basics introduces students to installing the program, the toolbars, list formatting, headings, images, shapes, and fonts. Video instruction and printable assignments are included.
Public Speaking (Introduction): Homeschool and recent Biola University graduate Rebekah Bell has excelled as a young public and debate speaker in national competitions. This five-month introductory course teaches the basics of public speaking and the several types of speeches.
Starting a Micro Business (For Teens): Carol Topp’s second eight-week class with SchoolhouseTeachers.com, Starting a Microbusiness (for Teens), looks at what can be learned from starting a micro business, how to find your ideas and make a business plan, how to market your business, and more.
What’s Next? Discovering God’s Will for Your Life: Searching for your next step in life can be exciting yet overwhelming, intriguing yet stressful, adventurous yet painful. “What’s next?” is a question everyone asks and struggles with at some point in his or her life, and many people end up asking this question multiple times. For some of us, “What’s next?” is a question of dreams—What could the future look like if I did this or that? There’s an excitement that comes with thinking about all the possibilities and potential. For others, the question is stressful, and the answer may require a major transition, like moving away from family or changing jobs. Thinking about the future carries with it equal parts of angst and anticipation. “What’s next” always ventures into the unknown. If you’re asking “What’s Next?”—join the club! You’re not alone. Join us as we work together to learn about finding God’s will for your life.
Accountant
Accounting 101 is designed to equip students with the mastery of accounting fundamentals they will need to be prepared for their college classes while presenting these concepts in easy-to-digest ways. Its goal is to help students appreciate the state of the industry and the world of finance as a whole in such a way as to be able to operate from a Christian worldview to effect positive change if they choose an accounting or other business career. Concepts are presented in units, with each unit being broken down into weekly lessons.
Art-Related Careers
Take a look at all of our Art classes!
Inkscape Online Adventure: This digital art course from Vicki Watson provides more than 10.5 hours of video demonstrations with step-by-step instructions for students who want to learn to create vector graphics with Inkscape, a free online drawing tool. It teaches students how to master the basic tools and concepts essential to vector graphics, takes the mystery and frustration out of the pen and node tools, helps students become familiar with all the tools and features of Inkscape, builds confidence, and teaches skills and concepts that can carry over to other vector programs such as Illustrator.
Introduction to Architecture with Tammie Bairen is a thirty-six week class that discusses some basic components of architecture as well as various structures including skyscrapers, bridges, cathedrals, homes, castles, and sports arenas. Students will learn about various aspects of each structure, including the marvel of its inception at that particular point in history, its function, the architects (where applicable) responsible for its creation, and the science behind its stability.
Introduction to Graphic Design is an excellent guide to the basics of graphic design for your middle school and high school students. It will teach students how to recognize quality graphic designs in the products they see and interact with every day, what makes certain designs stand out, how to design an eye-catching ad that communicates a specific message to a target audience, and what types of jobs are available for graphic designers today.
Photography: Michele Peterson’s thirty weekly lessons teach students how to see the way their camera “sees” and then to use that knowledge to create a recipe for the perfect picture.
Film-Related Careers
Filmmaking: Director/Producer/Co-Writer of Advent Film Group, George Escobar offers thirty-three weekly lessons which take a detailed look at various aspects of the Christian filmmaking industry, including choosing the right camera, lighting, audio, production and post-production, and finding God’s stories.
Graphic Designer
Introduction to Graphic Design is an excellent guide to the basics of graphic design for your middle school and high school students. It will teach students how to recognize quality graphic designs in the products they see and interact with every day, what makes certain designs stand out, how to design an eye-catching ad that communicates a specific message to a target audience, and what types of jobs are available for graphic designers today.
Digital Art and Product Designs for Small Businesses: This digital art course introduces students to the world of possibilities for putting their artistic and creative skills to work online in any number of fields. The course covers rules governing images, where to find them, how to edit and manipulate images, fonts and word art, logos and banner ads, product design, and more.
Internet-Based Careers
Digital Art and Product Designs for Small Businesses: This digital art course introduces students to the world of possibilities for putting their artistic and creative skills to work online in any number of fields. The course covers rules governing images, where to find them, how to edit and manipulate images, fonts and word art, logos and banner ads, product design, and more.
Internet Entrepreneurship for Teens: Do you have a teen who is itching to start his or her own business? Do you have a child who loves to dream big and reach for the stars? We would love to introduce you to Dana Beasley and her class—Become an Internet Entrepreneur! Twenty-four weekly lessons help your teen learn how to start and promote a business and learn timeless business principles. Whether your teen actually starts his own business during this course or creates a mock business, he should be prepared to discover brand new ways to explore his God-given passions and purpose.
Lawyer
Mock Trial: More than two dozen units are available in this course taught by attorney, wife, and homeschool mom Deborah Burton. Lessons are designed to help students learn about the law and participate in their own mock trials. Teacher helps are provided.
Logic: Lisa Duffy’s fifteen-week course teaches students how to identify common fallacies such as the appeal to pity, appeal to fear, begging the question, hasty generalization, and many more.
Constitution and Bill of Rights: This class about the Constitution and Bill of Rights is taught by Attorney Kevin Smith, a husband and father who works with the Alliance Defending Freedom as well as operates his own law firm. Sixteen weekly lessons contain analysis and study of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, prompts for independent study, term paper assignments, and exams. A Teacher’s Handbook and answer key is included.
Medicine-Related Career
Explore all of our Health and Fitness classes!
Advanced Chemistry: This advanced chemistry course covers all the basic topics of general chemistry. As an advanced course, it is suitable for grades 11-12 and would be best appreciated by a student who has already had a basic introduction to chemistry. This course includes approximately 25 hours of video instruction, supplemental readings, extensive practice exercises, and answer keys.
General Biology by Core Academy: This is a general high school biology course. The first semester includes a special introduction to science, human biology, ecology, and zoology. In the second semester, students will learn about botany, microbiology, cell biology, genetics, and origins. This course includes approximately 25 hours of video instruction, supplemental readings, and answer keys. A Christian, creationist worldview informs the lessons where appropriate.
Life Science: This full-year high school science course studies the basic topics of life science including the scientific method, molecules, organic and inorganic compounds, cell structure and function, cell division, plant and animal tissue, support and transportation systems in plants and animals, biospheres and ecosystems, biodiversity, and classification.
Museum/Historian Work
Fashions in History is a multi-level multidisciplinary study for young ladies, focusing on women and children’s fashions from the 18th century to 1910. In addition to readings on the main topic, the study contains optional readings on dolls and 19th-century culture for students of all levels, conversations about museum and archival topics, historic needlework, historic recipes, coloring pages, practice in computer skills, vocabulary, clothespin-doll-making projects, and a short course in hand-sewing and embroidery. Any part of this curriculum may be used to supplement a regular history or home economics course, or it may be used as an elective course.
Music-Related Career
Advanced Music Theory: This advanced music theory course is designed for the student who has already mastered the skills presented in Music Theory I and II. It explores scales, intervals, chords, and modes, providing students with a firm understanding of music theory.
Appreciating the Gift of Music: This fun introduction to music class for kindergarteners focuses on helping children enjoy music. There are lessons about instruments (including their own bodies!), three well-known instrumental pieces, and the difference between rhythm and beat. Ample instruction and guidance is provided for the parent so you can confidently enjoy sharing this course with your children even if you don’t know an accordion from a xylophone.
Beginner Drum Lessons: Through text and video lessons, this course teaches students to play the drums while also helping them understand the elements of music such as melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Composing with the Masters is an advanced music course designed to help students recognize elements in compositions from various masters and begin to incorporate them into their own musical compositions. Composers from medieval through modern times are studied.
Fun with Music: Fun with Music is a collection of games designed to help students of all ages learn important musical terminology including note names, music intervals and key signatures, symbols, and other terms. These games can be adapted in countless ways to fit your student’s age and interest level.
Great Musicians: This course is based on a series of short books originally published in the early 1900s about twelve great musicians. Each book is written in simple, easy-to-understand language that brings the musicians to life for the readers. Each book concludes with simple comprehension questions and an optional story activity.
Guitar: Jerry Jennings, recording artist, performer, teacher, and author, delivers twenty-eight weekly lessons using video and written material to help students with an interest in playing the guitar develop a strong foundation of skills on which to build.
If It Isn’t Baroque . . . The History of Western Music: Michelle Martin, who also teaches Music Theory I & II, is the instructor for this twelve-week course that explores the history of Western music from ancient times through the modern day. The topics include the origins of music, musical styles from history, key composers and developments in musical history, and differences in various musical styles.
Music Theory I & II: Music is a language, and in order to fully appreciate it, one first needs to understand how it works. Each sixteen-week course teaches key terminology and concepts in music theory and illustrates these concepts with pieces of classical music.
Music Throughout History: In Music Throughout History, students study the history of music from the medieval period through modern times. The course begins with a look at music around the world and then moves to a study of how music in America has changed and developed over time. Both famous and lesser-known composers and hymn writers are studied.
Music/Voice: Joy Sikorski, award-winning film composer, performer, educator, and founder of both SingBabySing and Singing Mastermind, equips your entire family to free their voices and replace fear with confidence through monthly lessons.
Violin (Beginners): Nancy Blue’s Beginning Violin class “Strings of Praise” will have you and your children learning to play the violin before you know it! Nancy’s thirty-two weekly lessons teach beginning violin skills through video instruction and primarily uses the Suzuki method.
Pastor
Advanced Apologetics: This in-depth apologetics course begins with an introduction to apologetics and then moves through traditional approaches to apologetics, general apologetics, foundations for apologetics, philosophical apologetics, historical apologetics, classical apologetics, and advanced apologetics.
Christian Values in J.R.R. Tolkien: This 18-week class leads your student on an in-depth study of six Tolkien works as well as a biography of the man behind the stories. These studies are designed to challenge your student to think deeply and critically about the truths presented. Two short papers and one longer paper (10-12 pages) are also required.
Church History begins with the foundations of the church in the Old Testament and continues through to the present day. Weekly text-based lessons are each broken into four daily assignments and will involve adding dates to timelines, making maps, reading works from all periods of history, and short-answer writing to provoke thought and deeper comprehension while students read.
Drive Thru History: Ancient History: Explore more than 2,500 years of history with host Dave Stotts as he takes you on a whirlwind tour of ancient history with a special focus on Rome, Greece, Turkey, and Byzantium. Visit the Forum, the Parthenon, Mars Hill, Corinth, Istanbul, and so much more! Plus, enjoy a special set of worksheets available only on SchoolhouseTeachers.com!
Geography of the Bible is a series of seventeen videos that explores the ancient lands of the patriarchs, Israel at the time of Jesus, and the lands traveled to and written about in the epistles and Revelation. Through videos and worksheets, students will take a closer look at the lands of the Bible, the people who lived there, and the many incredible events that took place in that region that continue to shape our world today.
Methods of Bible Study: Many students know Bible study is important, but sometimes understanding how to read and study the Bible in a way that helps them truly understand it can be a challenge. This course challenges preteens and teens to go deeper in their study of God’s Word, looks at four ways to study Scripture, and walks them through nine Bible studies.
Philosophy & Ethics: This in-depth philosophy course begins with an introduction to Christian philosophy and the philosophy of religion and then continues into a detailed study of Christian ethics. It concludes with a series of lectures exploring the history of Christian thought from Plato through the modern day.
This Changed Everything: This video series is about the Protestant Reformation.
Worldviews in Literature: This course examines worldviews and how they manifest themselves in literature. Taught by Dr. Steven Hake, the Chair of the Department of Classical Liberal Arts and Director of the Literature major at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, this advanced literature study will look at how authors have answered the “big questions” of philosophy. There are discussion questions in the form of weekly written assignments for the student to complete, along with one-page journal entries and a ten-page final paper.
Worldviews, World Religions, & Cults: This incredible video course is a great resource for high schoolers who feel called into the ministry. The course is divided into five sections and covers topics including being a new pastor, dealing with conflict, building confidence in your leaders, ministering to families, discipling, global missions, and much more. It includes more than 300 video clips totaling over 22 hours of content and includes more than 1,000 study questions.
Photographer
Photography: Michele Peterson’s thirty weekly lessons teach students how to see the way their camera “sees” and then to use that knowledge to create a recipe for the perfect picture.
Photography Challenge: Michele Peterson continues to help photography students of all ages expand their skills and stretch their creativity. Weekly photography challenges continue to build on the skills learned in Photography by expanding students’ skills and stretching their creativity. If a student already has a solid understanding of photography, the challenges may be done independently of the Photography class.
Veterinarian
In Animal Science with veterinarian and teacher Dr. Sonya Brouillette, we’ll study twenty-seven weekly lessons covering animal classification, digestive systems, reproduction, food animals, companion animals, human responsibility toward animals, and preventative care in domestic animals.
Friendly Anatomy: Thorough knowledge of a subject area begins with a solid foundation. Veteran educator and large-animal veterinarian, Dr. Joey Hajda, builds this foundation with you in a gentle, friendly manner. Bone by bone, structure by structure, learn the anatomy of the bovine skeletal system. This is the perfect resource for the aspiring veterinarian or animal health technician.