History

World War II was unarguably one of the major historical events of the 20th Century. Many American History courses, however, study only the effect of this conflict on the people and politics of the US. This course offers an opportunity to view the war from a more global perspective, examining how the war affected citizens, soldiers and politicians from other countries drawn into the conflict. Through films, literature , document analysis, and oral histories created by the students of World War II veterans, we expand our vision and understanding of the war beyond our own borders.

This course allows students a focused study of law, government and politics. It provides an in-depth study of the United States Constitution and the Supreme Court decisions that have subsequently shaped American society. Students are exposed to constitutional challenges from the past and present and are given the opportunity to explore the relationship between law and society. Students are expected to read and to argue Supreme Court case briefs with an emphasis placed on discussion and analytical writing skills.
 

This course looks at theories that try to explain human individual and group behavior. It analyzes theories of personality, explores the stages of human development, and studies human behavior in a social setting. The course attempts to explain if behavior is predetermined based on our nature and environment and tests to see if that behavior can be altered. It explores the early origins of this social science and puts an emphasis on how the scientific method through experimentation has attempted to quantify the study of human behavior today.
 

Economics is focused on providing students with applicable skills to understand better the economic and financial environments in which they live. The first quarter of the course is focused on personal finance, covering such concepts as personal budgeting, credit, checking accounts, and understanding how banks function. The second quarter covers the stock market and also examines firms that have received accolades for their organizational culture. The latter topic is included in order to help students consider what they might personally value in a workplace setting. Students may take this course before or after taking AP Economics.

AP Comparative Politics introduces students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes in a variety of countries. The rich diversity of political life is emphasized to show available institutional alternatives, to explain differences in processes and policy outcomes, and to communicate to students the importance of global, political, and economic changes. The course teaches students to critically analyze concepts in comparative politics by examining the political systems of the United Kingdom, Mexico, Nigeria, Iran, Russia, and China.