Students interested in pursuing a career concentration should meet with their school counselor to select the best sequence of courses that will satisfy the North Smithfield High School graduation requirements.
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Career Concentrations
View our  Brochure for Career Concentrations


​Writing & Digital Media​
Concentration Description
Students in this concentration will learn to write proficiently in a variety of writing styles and will explore the different ways messages can be communicated to a specific audience. Students will write informational and argumentative essays, short stories, screenplays, commercials, memoirs, news segments, entertainment pieces, and magazine articles. They will also learn to use technology to design, adapt, and publish their work via various mediums such as magazines, blog posts, documentaries, TV news segments, film, and social media platforms. In all of the courses, there is an emphasis on the writing process which includes maximizing both peer and teacher feedback in order to hone writing skills. In addition to potentially accumulating 3-8 post-secondary credits, by the end of the connected coursework experience, students will be ready for future college studies and will have skills that will make them employable immediately after graduation.

Course Offerings/Credits     (Minimum of 3 courses)
Honors URI Writing                                                                           0.5 (3 College Credits)
Honors URI Film                                                                                   0.5 (4 College Credits)
Video Production                                                                                 0.5
Marketing                                                                                                 1.0
11 AP English: Language and Rhetoric                                    1 (3-4 College Credits)
Advanced Creative Writing, Publication, and Design    1 (REQUIRED)
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Career Choices
  • Journalist
  • Editor
  • Freelance Writer
  • Content Creator
  • Creative Director
  • Film Editor
  • Web Content Manager

  • Screenwriter
  • Copywriter/Proofreader
  • PR Manager
  • Social Media Manager
  • Community Engagement
  • Coordinator

​Learning Opportunities
  • 80 Work-Based Hours: Wicked Good News
  • Final Cut Pro experience
  • Digital design skills
  • Canva expertise
  • Adobe Premiere experience​
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Visual Arts
Concentration Description
The Art concentration seeks to offer opportunities for students interested in visual art to develop their artistic & creative skills in conjunction with a solid liberal arts education. Students will learn foundational skills of design along with fundamentals of two- and three-dimensional art. Advanced students will be given opportunities to develop their own visual aesthetic and build a portfolio of work. Students who pursue this pathway will develop creative thinking and artistic skills that can be applied in many fields of study beyond high school.

Course Offerings/Credits     (Minimum of 3 courses)
Elements and Principals of Art                                      0.5 
Studios & Themes in Art                                                    0.5
Drawing & Painting Studio                                               0.5
Sculpture & Ceramics Studio                                          0.5
Animation Studio                                                                   0.5
Photography & Digital Editing Studio                        0.5
​Graphic Design                                                                        0.5
Web Design                                                                               0.5
Art Portfolio                                                                             1

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Career Choices
  • Graphic Designer
  • Artist
  • Photographer
  • Animator / Video Design​

  • Advertising
  • Architect/Industrial Design
  • Illustrator
  • Art Education​
Learning Opportunities
  • Art Club
  • Yearbook
  • Develop a portfolio of artwork​
  • Art competitions
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Advanced Mathematics
Concentration Description
The Advanced Math concentration is being offered for the student who enjoys working with calculations, mathematical concepts, and statistics. A study by PayScale shows that the top 15 highest-earning college degrees have a common element: mathematics. Not only do many professions and majors (engineering, doctors, physics, nurses, computer science, actuarial science, etc.) require courses in mathematics, but the analytical and problem-solving skills students learn in mathematics can apply to all disciplines. The skills learned in an undergraduate mathematics program can run the gamut in terms of applicability in professional institutions.

Course Offerings/Credits     (Minimum of 3 courses)
Honors Algebra 2                                     1 
Honors Pre-Calculus                              1
AP Calculus (AB)                                       1
AP Calculus (BC)                                       1
AP Statistics                                                 1

Career Choices
  • Actuarial Science
  • Engineering
  • Biomathematics​
  • Economist​
  • Stockbroker
  • Cryptography
  • Finance
  • Meterologist​
  • Computer Analyst or
    Programmer​

​Learning Opportunities
  • Partnership with engineering firm
  • NSHS Math Team
  • Robotics Team​​
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Public Policy
Concentration Description
Students who partake in the Public Policy concentration will develop vital 21st Century Skills including, demonstrating oral presentation and written articulation, and engaging in various participatory activities. They will practice Problem-Solving and Critical-Thinking, utilizing data to identify trends and draw conclusions, developing strong research skills and be media literate. and exhibit characteristics of leadership that help promote collaboration and advocacy.

Course Offerings/Credits     (Minimum of 3 courses)
AP U.S. Government                             1
Criminal Justice                                       1
Sociology                                                      1
Focus on Contemporary Issues       1
Environmental Science                        1

Career Choices
  • Public Service (town, state, or federal)
  • Public Policy Pathway candidates will have the opportunity to participate in our Public Service Job Fair in their Senior Year
​Learning Opportunities
  • Herodotus Society
  • Senior Project
  • Internships at the
  • State House
  • School Improvement Team​

  • Student Government
  • Field Trips
  • Law Day
  • Guest Speakers


​Materials & Manufacturing
Concentration Description
Manufacturing engineering or manufacturing processes are the steps through which raw materials are transformed into a final product.
The manufacturing process begins with the product design, and materials specification from which the product is made. These materials are then modified through manufacturing processes to become the required parts. Manufacturing takes turns under all types of economic systems, including free market economies, collectivist economies, and mixed market economies.​

Course Offerings/Credits     (Minimum of 3 courses)
Exploring Technology Processes                     1
Intro to Engineering Design                               1
Introduction to Business                                      1 (3 College Credits)
College Accounting                                                 1 (3 College Credits)

Career Choices
  • Construction
  • Manufacturing
  • Design
  • Fabrication
  • Welding
​Learning Opportunities
  • CNC routing/Shopbot
  • Welding
  • Complete Woodworking Facility
  • 3D Printing/MakerBot
  • Design/Build/Test
  • Robotics Team