This course will examine important events and people that have shaped the history of the world since the 1300s. A strong emphasis will be placed on the development of important social studies skills—critical thinking and reading; interpreting visual data such as maps, graphs, charts and political cartoons; identifying cause and effect; and essential writing and note taking skills.

Building on students’ knowledge of world cultures, this course will concentrate on the study of world history from the 1300s through the present. It will examine the major events, people and movements that have contributed to the development of our modern world. The course will help foster the development of critical reading and writing skills, oral presentation skills and map interpretation.

Prerequisites: Departmental review of elementary school Social Studies, reading and writing grades; successful performance on a Social Studies placement test. In addition to examining the major social, political, economic and cultural movements contributing to the development of our modern world, this course will place strong emphasis on writing, critical analysis of documents and text, as well as extensive discussion.

This course offers a chronological survey of United States history from the birth of our nation to the beginning of the 20th century. An important component of this course is the study of the formation and development of our government and the significance of the Constitution. It will continue to build upon the reading, writing, geography and oral presentation skills developed in the previous year.

Prerequisites: A+ in World History or A- in World History Honors; teacher recommendation; demonstration of analytical writing and verbal skills. This course concentrates on the chronological study of major events, people and problems affecting the history of the United States from the colonial period America through the Gilded Age. Focus will be placed on extensive writing, research, evaluation of primary source documents, critical thinking, in-depth reading and oral presentation. This course is a prerequisite for Advanced Placement United States History.

This course will examine the people, events and movements that have influenced the development of the United States from the early 20th century to the present day. Emphasis will be placed on helping students identify the historical origins of important issues affecting the United States today.

Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation; A in United States History I or B+ in United States History I Honors; demonstration of analytical writing and verbal skills. In addition to the study of 20th century United States history, this course will place a strong emphasis on analytical writing, critical analysis of text and primary source documents, discussion and a formal history research paper.

Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation; A- in United States History I Honors; demonstration of analytical writing and verbal skills. This course examines the history of the United States from the Gilded Age through the late 20th century. It places a strong emphasis on comprehension, interpretation and analysis of text and primary source documents, critical essay writing and in-depth class discussion. This class prepares students for the Advanced Placement United States History Examination, which is a requirement of the course.

Prerequisites: Teacher recommendation; A- in United States History II Honors; or B in AP United States History; demonstration of analytical writing and verbal skills. This college-level course examines the cultural, economic, political, and social forces that shaped Europe from the Renaissance through the recent past. It requires an ability to examine historical evidence and express historical understanding in critical essays and discussion. A formal history research paper will be assigned. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement European History Examination.

Prerequisite: Department recommendation. This course provides students with a thorough grounding in the origins of our nation’s government and the development of our political beliefs and traditions. In addition, this course will also cover such topics as the structure and function of our national government, the role of political parties, interests groups and the media in shaping public policy, and the role of the Supreme Court in the development of the rights of individual citizens. Students are required to take the AP United States Government & Politics exam.

This course will provide students with a thorough grounding in the roots, development and present-day workings of our nation’s government. Students will emerge from this class with a clear understanding of the role of the citizen in the political process and solid preparation for becoming an active citizen.

This course will examine the American experience through the eyes of the “other”. The experiences of women, African Americans, Native Americans, and other minority groups who have struggled to make their voices heard in our evolving society will be studied. The class will incorporate historical texts, literature and film to explore these topics.

This course explores what people and animals do, and why they act the way they do. Specifically, it treats such topics as: heredity and environment; personality; intellectual ability; learning and thinking; sensation and perception; emotions and motivations; conflicts and adjustments; and mental illness and its treatment.

Prerequisite: Department recommendation. This is an advanced Introduction to Psychology course requiring extensive reading of the relevant literature in addition to the first-year college textbook. Students will be required to use analytic and critical thinking as they are exposed to such areas of psychology as learning and conditioning, psychophysiology and psychopharmacology, child development, research methods and data analysis (statistics), personality factors and their measurement, social psychological tenets, cognition, and psychopathology and intervention. Good writing skills are a requirement, but will also be developed through critiques and research papers. Students must take the AP Psychology Exam.

Prerequisite: Department recommendation. This course will introduce students to the study of economics. Macroeconomics is the primary focus of the course; although microeconomic topics will also be addressed. Social issues and the interrelationships among world economies will be investigated. Also included in the course is a unit on financial literacy. Topics include the free enterprise system, economic indicators, and the role of government. Extra review sessions are held for those students who wish to take the AP Macroeconomics exam.

Prerequisite: Department recommendation. This course gives students a thorough understanding of the topics covered in an introductory college level micro-economics course. Its primary focus is to examine individual decision makers within an economic system. Topics covered include price determination, market structure, externalities, efficiency, equity and the role of government. Students are required to take the AP Microeconomics exam.