World History
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  9

World History is a full-year survey course designed for ninth grade students.  Its focus is the diverse social, economic, and political concepts resulting from the interaction of cultural groups.  Specific historical periods will be studied, beginning with the key events and effects of the Renaissance.  The themes of the course will include continuity and change, geography and history, religions and value systems, technology, art, and literature.  The goal of the course is to help students understand how the complex world came to be and the course of events that led to current concerns and issues affecting the world today.

Advanced World History
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  9
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in World History, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to prepare students for Advanced United States History I and II.

Honors World History
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  9
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in World History and Advanced World History, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to prepare students for Honors United States History I, II and Advanced Placement United States History as a junior or senior year elective.

 
United States History I
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  10

This course is a survey of United States history from the Post Revolutionary War to World War I.  Special emphasis will be placed on the growth of the United States, the various cultural groups, and their impact on the development of the United States.  This course, the Advanced course or the Honors course is required of all students. 

Advanced United States History I
Length:  Year       Credits:  5
Grade Level:  10

Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement. 

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in United States History I, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to prepare students for Advanced United States History II.  This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts and trends, as well as facts.  Challenging assignments are designed to develop writing and reading skills in preparation for college.

Honors United States History I
Length:  Year        Credits:  5
Grade Level:  10
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement.   

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in United States History I, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to prepare students for Honors United State History II.  This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts and trends, as well as facts.  Challenging assignments are designed to develop writing and reading skills in preparation for college.

United States History II
Length:  Year        Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11
Prerequisite:  US History I

This course is a survey of United States History in the twentieth and twenty-first century beginning with the post World War I era to the present day.  The development of the United States as a world power and the rapid changes in American society will be emphasized. 

Advanced United States History II
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement. 

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in United States History II, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to better prepare students for college.  This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts and trends, as well as facts.  Challenging assignments are designed to develop writing and reading skills.

Honors United States History II
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement. 

The content and time periods examined are the same as described in Advanced United States History II, but the instructional pace is more rigorous and is designed to better prepare students for college.  This course is for students of high academic ability, emphasizing concepts and trends, as well as facts.  Challenging assignments are designed to develop writing and reading skills.

* Advanced Placement United States History
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11, 12
Prerequisite:  Teacher recommendation and prior academic achievement. 

United States History, Advanced Placement is an elective course offered to juniors and seniors with superior academic ability and a genuine interest in history. This course will include independent study, extensive outside reading, research, writing, and seminar discussions as course requirements. Additionally, this course will offer students the opportunity to earn college credit and replace the US II requirement for juniors. Enrollment in 11th or 12th grade English Honors or Advanced Placement is also strongly advised because of the rigorous nature of the course and the need for superior reading comprehension. All students will be encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exam in May and summer reading assignments may be required.

*Students in Grade 11 may select AP US History to replace their Honors US History II requirement for graduation.  This course may also be taken as an elective in grade 12.

Prejudice & Genocide
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  10, 11, 12

During the first semester, students will explore the concept of prejudice – why it has always existed, how it can be identified, when it occurs and how to respond to it.  Students will develop social skills to defuse prejudicial feelings and become more tolerant of cultural differences.  The second semester deals with genocide.  Special emphasis is placed on the causes and origins of bigotry, and the roles played by individual persons as victims, perpetrators, and spectators.  Specific historical study of major genocides of the 20th century will also be included.  Frequent opportunities will be provided for students to discuss, debate, research, and participate in activities that will encourage broader tolerance and understanding.

Economics
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11, 12
Prerequisite:  A strong background in mathematics is recommended for this course.

This course will provide the college bound student with an introduction to the principles of economic analysis, economic institutions, and issues of economic policy.  It provides the student with a body of concepts and economic theory so that he or she can make independent, well-considered judgments on important problems and public policy issues.  Economic concepts will be applied in a practical fashion to realistic situations.  Topics of study will include:  the basic economic problem, supply and demand, theoretical and practical foundations of the business firm including:  cost/profit analysis and competitive markets, role of labor, business and government in our economy as well as the study fiscal and monetary policies.  Students will also apply economic concepts and their impact on financial markets.  

Sociology
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11, 12

This course will provide the college bound student with an introduction to the content, methods, and theory of the social science of sociology.  It will provide students with broad knowledge, skills, and background desirable for future careers in law, social work, social research, advertising, journalism, industrial management, education, psychology, and political science.  Students will learn the structure and evolution of culture along with analysis of culture’s effects on individual personality development, the socialization process, their formation and how they interact.  It will address an analysis of current social problems, including alienation, drug abuse, child abuse, public welfare, crime, and others current issues facing today’s citizens

Western Civilization
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11, 12

This course is an elective intended to introduce junior and senior students who are planning to focus on humanities in college to the most important political, social and economic developments in classical, medieval and modern European history and culture.  Challenging assignments and research are designed to develop writing and reading skills as preparation for college.  There may be a summer reading assignment.

Advanced Placement US Government & Politics
Length:  Year     Credits:  5
Grade Level:  11, 12
Prerequisite:  Honors United States History I and teacher recommendation 

This course will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States.  It includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret United States politics and the analysis of specific examples.  It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute United States politics.  Topics include constitutional underpinnings, political parties, interest groups, and mass media; institutions of national government; public policy; civil rights and civil liberties. 
This course will offer students the opportunity to earn college credit.  Owing to the fast paced nature of the course, a superior reading comprehension level is needed.  Enrollment in 11th or 12th grade Honors English or Advanced Placement is also strongly advised.  All students will be encouraged to take the Advanced Placement exam in May.  Summer reading assignments will be required.

Introduction to Psychology
Length:  Year        Credits:  5
Grade Level:  12

This course is an introduction to the study of social psychology.   Diverse personality theories such as behav-iorism, psychoanalysis, humanism, etc. will be analyzed and evaluated in order to better understand social interaction and behavior.  An investigation of individuals with physical and psychological disabilities, with the hope of improving understanding and acceptance, will be conducted.  Self-esteem activities and social skills de-velopment will be the emphasis of this course. 

Advanced Placement Psychology
Length:  Year    Credits:  5
Grades Level:  12

AP Psychology is an elective course offered to seniors who wish to complete a high school course that is equivalent to an introductory college course in Psychology.  This course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals.  Students will be exposed to psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major sub fields within psych-ology.  Students also will learn about the ethics and methods that psychologists use in their science and practice.  Students will be provided with numerous oppor-tunities to apply psychological concepts, theories, and methods to real-life situation, as well as in student-created and designed experiments.  Students interested in this course should have a strong academic background in English and/or History.   Students will be expected to accept the rigorous academic challenges of an advanced placement course by being highly motivated and dedicated to work well independently outside of the classroom.  Students will be encouraged to take the AP exam in the spring.