Social Studies

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in its overview of Catholic Social Teaching, states, “Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family.” Motivated by a desire to better understand the human family, this course focuses on different perspectives: African, Asian, Latin American, European, and Middle Eastern. This survey course will encourage the development of historical thinking and writing skills, and will challenge students to consider the power of historical representation and the influence of the past on the present. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in its overview of Catholic Social Teaching, states, “Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family.”  This accelerated and challenging course explores different perspectives: African, Asian, Latin American, European, and Middle Eastern. This survey course will encourage the development of historical thinking and writing skills, and will challenge students to consider the power of historical representation and the influence of the past on the present. Placement by the Department Chairperson using the following criteria: 7th and 8th grade Social Studies grades, standardized test scores, placement test scores, writing sample, placement in Honors English 1. (NCAA)

5 credits          80 Minutes, 1 Semester
In AP World History: Modern, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from 1200 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: the composition of the world, the connection in the world between empires, transoceanic connections, conflict and cold war.
Placement determined by Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, Department Chairperson, and Admission Committee using the following criteria: 7th and 8th grade Social Studies grades, standardized test scores, placement test scores, writing sample, placement in Honors English 1. 

2.5 credits    40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This second semester course will complete and supplement the AP World History: Modern curriculum. It will provide preparation and practice for the AP World History exam. It is required for all students who intend to take the AP World History: Modern exam in May. Prerequisite: AP World History: Modern

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course will help students develop a deeper understanding of modern day America by evaluating the origins of the United States from exploration through industrialization. Students will be required to use critical and analytical skills through research, writing, technology, and oral and project-based assessment. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This accelerated and challenging course covers American history from the Pre-Columbian era through Reconstruction. Students should expect extensive reading and writing assignments to help them acquire content knowledge, provide a foundation for college readiness, and prepare them for success in Advanced Placement courses. This course is highly recommended for students who wish to take AP US History in the future. Prerequisite: Honors World History with a minimum grade of 88 or College Prep World History with a minimum grade of 94. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 minutes, 1 Semester
This course examines the political, social, and economic forces which have shaped the United States from the Age of Industrialization to the present. Critical thinking and writing, analyzing historical and literary information and advanced research skills are required. A formal research paper is required. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course provides a challenging analysis of the events, conflicts, issues and themes of American history from modern industrialization to the present. Analytical and factual knowledge will be necessary to deal critically with topics enabling students to assess historical information and interpret its reliability. Extensive writing, including a formal research paper will be required. Prerequisite: 83 average in Honors/Pre-AP United States History I. Students not enrolled in Honors/Pre-AP United States History I who wish to take Honors United States History II must have an average grade of 92 in United States History I for consideration. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This college level course examines U.S. History from the 1870’s through the Cold War primarily through discussion and analysis. Extensive reading and research assignments prepare the students to take the Advanced Placement History exam for possible college credit. Prerequisite: Honors/Pre-AP U.S. History I with a minimum grade of 88.  (NCAA)

2.5 Credits 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This second semester course will complete and supplement the AP U.S. History curriculum. It will provide preparation and practice for the AP History test. It is required for all students who intend to take the AP U.S. History test in May. Prerequisite: AP US History 2 with a minimum grade of 78.

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
Modern day economic systems are studied to prepare students for college-level economic courses and for understanding how the world economy operates and affects our lives. Topics in both “macro” and “micro” economics are covered including understanding economics in the US Private and Public sectors, global and national systems, as well as demand and cost theories and an introduction to the Stock Market. Emphasis is placed on application of economic theories to present day conditions and problems. (NCAA)
 

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This college level course has been approved for college credit under Seton Hall University’s Project Acceleration. AP Microeconomics is a rigorous yet rewarding examination of the fundamental principles which govern economic activities at the business and individual portion of the circular flow of economic activity. Students will learn to think like economists, to question, to evaluate marginal costs and marginal benefits, and to explore the many ways one’s actions will cause secondary actions. Students taking the course will spend time examining the theory of consumer behavior, the theory of the firm, and the behavior of profit maximizing firms under various market structures. In addition to preparing students for the AP examination in Microeconomics, a major emphasis of this course will be on the development of critical thinking skills and the applications of economic principles and methodologies in problem solving. The course is intended to meet the needs of a variety of students, from those intending to pursue college work in business and seeking a firm foundation in theory, to those who ultimately want to understand the forces of Supply and Demand. A cumulative minimum GPA of 88 is required. (NCAA)

5 Credits      80 Minutes, 1 Semester

This college-level course has been approved for college credit under Seton Hall University’s Project Acceleration. AP Microeconomics is a rigorous yet rewarding examination of the fundamental principles which govern economic activities at the business and individual portion of the circular flow of economic activity. Students will learn to think like economists, to question, to evaluate marginal costs and marginal benefits, and to explore the many ways one’s actions will cause secondary actions. Students taking the course will spend time examining the theory of consumer behavior, the theory of the firm, and the behavior of profit maximizing firms under various market structures. In addition to preparing students for the AP examination in Microeconomics, a major emphasis of this course will be on the development of critical thinking skills and the applications of economic principles and methodologies in problem solving. The course is intended to meet the needs of a variety of students, from those intending to pursue college work in business and seeking a firm foundation in theory, to those who ultimately want to understand the forces of Supply and Demand. A cumulative minimum GPA of 88 is required. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This college-level course is an extensive examination of the political, cultural, social and economic forces which have shaped Europe from 1450 to the present. The course is designed to provide the student with an in-depth analysis of the principal themes in modern European history. Prerequisite: 80 or higher in Honors World History, Pre-AP/Honors U.S. History 1, AP U.S. History 2, or Honors U.S. History 2; 87 or higher in Interdisciplinary World History, U.S. History 1 or U.S. History 2. (NCAA)

2.5 Credits 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This second semester course will complete and supplement the AP European History curriculum. It will provide preparation and practice for the AP test. It is required for all students who intend to take the AP European History test in May. Prerequisite: 75 or higher in AP European History. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course links two social sciences and will acquaint students with similarities and differences between them. Topics to be examined will include personality, conditioning, motivation as well as deviant behavior, status and roles, subcultures and cultural change. The major project for this course will be an analytical paper in which students apply concepts learned in class to an assigned novel. Therefore, proficiency in writing and good analytical skills are essential. Oral participation also constitutes a significant part of the grade in this course. Students may not take this course after taking AP Psychology. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This is a college-level course that introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice. Prerequisites: An overall minimum GPA of 88. Priority will be given by the teacher to students enrolled in AP Psychology Seminar. (NCAA)  

2.5 Credits 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This second semester course will complete and supplement the AP Psychology curriculum. It will provide preparation and practice for the AP test. It is required for all students who intend to take the AP Psychology test in May. Prerequisite: AP Psychology. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This college-level course has been approved for college credit under Seton Hall University’s Project Acceleration. It provides an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States, including the roles of citizens and the media. Students enrolling in this course will be expected to also enroll in the seminar portion unless enrollment without the seminar is approved by the teacher. Prerequisite: An overall minimum GPA of 88. (NCAA)

2.5 Credits 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This second semester course will complete and supplement the AP U.S. Government & Politics curriculum. It will provide preparation and practice for the AP test. Completion of AP U.S. Government & Politics is a prerequisite to enrolling in the seminar. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course seeks to engage students in analyzing the history of genocide from the 17th century to present day. This elective explores theories of human behavior as they impact on the issues of hate, racism, prejudice and discrimination. Students are led through a chronological study of “man’s inhumanity to man.” The topics studied include, but are not limited to, the United States' policy towards the Native Americans, the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Killing Fields of Cambodia, and the Rwandan Genocide. Students learn by reading primary source materials, viewing reenactments and/or the actual events, with emphasis placed on evaluating the causes and effects of these events. (NCAA)

2.5 Credits 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course seeks to introduce students to how the patterns and processes that have shaped human culture have developed, and how human behavior has shaped and reshaped the world we live in. Cultural Landscapes: Human Geography looks at the influence of the environment on human behavior and the influence of human behavior on the environment. The goal is to create students who are more geographically literate, and who have an appreciation for the factors that influence human behaviors on a global level, allowing for more effective global citizenship. Topics of discussion will include immigration patterns, climate change and environmental use, and geopolitical struggles. (NCAA)

5 Credits 80 Minutes, 1 Semester
This course will analyze topics such as victim’s rights, the death penalty, Fourth Amendment search and seizure laws, and prison reform. The rights of the individual, rights of the accused, and the court system will be examined. Students will have an opportunity to simulate courtroom experiences from various perspectives. (NCAA)

2.5 Credits, 40 Minutes, 1 Semester
This highly interdisciplinary survey course will examine modern American History through the lens of popular culture. Throughout United States history, pop culture has both reflected and helped to shape society’s values. Students will look primarily at film, music, television, and other forms of mass entertainment to examine how popular culture has informed ideas about history, politics, race, gender, fears, war, and much more. Skills emphasized and practiced include analytical reasoning and writing, interpreting and challenging media and written sources, and engaging in peer discussions using technology. Prerequisite: Students must have taken or are currently taking, U.S. History II. (NCAA)