History & Social Studies

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 9
Homework: Moderate

This course presents students with an overview of Asian history through an examination of society, politics, culture, geography, and economics. This course will follow a chronological path with a focus on regions such as East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Rim. Students should expect to be engaged in the following activities throughout the year: writing in assorted styles, reading, a multitude of perspectives, refining research skills, debating controversial issues, reenacting key historical moments through simulations, annotating, and actively reading primary and secondary documents, watching, and analyzing documentaries and films, and authoring a persuasive research essay.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 10
Homework: Moderate

This course is designed to take students on a thematic and chronological journey of the world from the foundation of the modern world to the 21st century. The students will explore ideological social political economic cultural and technological developments. With a focus on the how interaction between the “Global South” (Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia) and European powers has created our modern world. In emphasizing these places and developments, the goal is to gain a greater understanding of when, how, and why this history shapes our lives today.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 10
Homework: History and Social Studies Department recommendation.

The purpose of the AP World History course is to develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and interaction between different types of human societies. This understanding is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course highlights the nature and patterns of the changes in global communities along with their causes and effects by examining historical time periods from 1200 C.E. to the present. Students are required to take the external AP exam in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11
Homework: Moderate

Who was in America before the Europeans came? How did America become America? How does that history shape and impact our future? What role do the people play in the development of the nation? These questions and more are answered in U.S. History, a thematic study of United States History. The year begins with the development of colonies, the quest for independence, forming of the new nation and its efforts to redefine that identity after the Civil War. Second semester covers the development of the United States as a global superpower through World Wars I and II, the turbulence of the Cold War era and the quest for minority equality from the Civil Rights movement to the end of Barack Obama’s historic presidency. Students are assessed based on written work, various oral presentations or projects, daily discussions, and a year-long research paper.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11
*Satisfies US History requirement
Prerequisite: Successful completion of an AP History course or History and Social Studies Department recommendation.
Homework: Heavy

The Advanced Placement US History program is designed to be a rigorous fast-paced course that explores in-depth the major events in American History from the Pre-Columbian Era to the 21st Century with a focus on historical thinking skills. AP US History students use primary and secondary sources to learn about, critically analyze, and develop historical understanding of the major, social, political, cultural, and economic movements and events of American history. This class requires that students read widely and carry out individual and small group research projects. As well, students must write an in-depth analytical research essay. Students are required to take the external AP exam in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11-12
*Satisfies US History requirement
Homework: Light (Moderate for Honors)

This course examines the history of marginalized communities from their perspective as opposed to the white male perspective through which history is generally taught. Students will study the ways in which women, Black Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latinx Americans, Indigenous/Native Americans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community have shaped American history. Students consider the ways these groups impacted the forming of America, helped write our collective history, and how they are impacted by current events in the U.S. Students routinely place current events into historical context to figure out solutions to problems, such as systemic racism, while developing a deeper understanding of the interconnected history of marginalized communities in the U.S. Students will be assessed on homework, case study presentations, class discussions and other projects. Students who are taking the class to fulfill the U.S. History requirement will complete a research paper.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11
*Satisfies U.S. History requirement Prerequisite: IB Diploma Student or History and Social Studies Department recommendation.
Homework: Heavy

This course, which is the first year of the HL History curriculum, is designed to teach students about thematic topics crucial to understanding the American past and present while also developing skills to comprehend, evaluate, and critically analyze primary and secondary sources. Students will study the founding of the USA (United States of America), slavery, the causes of the civil war and the reasons the Union won the war, the Reconstruction Era, and the 20th century Civil Rights Movement. Heavy emphasis is placed on understanding the perspectives of historians and on writing persuasive essays that will prepare students for college-level writing expectations. Students will also complete a major research essay as part of the curriculum. Students will take the corresponding external IB exam at the conclusion of the two-year curriculum.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 12
Prerequisite: Successful completion of History of the Americas 1 or IB Diploma Student or History and Social Studies Department recommendation.
Homework: Heavy

The course, which is the 2nd year of the HL History curriculum or instead can be taken as an SL History class, is designed to teach students about important events throughout the world to better understand the 20th century while also developing skills to comprehend, evaluate, and critically analyze both the past and present. This class examines major themes of twentieth century world history: the rise and rule of authoritarian states; the rise of the Cold War, its critical crises, and its end; and the comparison of protest movements in different areas of the world. Heavy emphasis is placed on understanding the perspectives of historians and on writing persuasive essays that will prepare students for college-level writing expectations. Students will complete a major research essay and are expected to take the corresponding external IB exam in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11-12
Homework: Moderate

How did the Western world come to be the way it is? How did Western ideas and tradition develop?” The 10th Grade History of Europe program is constructed around the development of essential critical thinking within a chronological study of Europe since 800 CE. Students interact with and write about a variety of texts from the areas of history, literature, fine arts, and philosophy in the Western tradition. Students will explore various key themes of history in the context of the growth of the major European powers. Assessment is based on unit tests, written assignments, oral presentations, and formal research papers.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 10* 11-12
*Class of 2025 students who took AP World History may take this course. To satisfy their 10th grade history requirement
Prerequisite: Successful completion of an AP History course, or History and Social Studies Department recommendation.
Homework: Heavy

The Advanced Placement European History program provides students with the analytic skills and content knowledge necessary to deal critically with the interpretive problems of European societies. The course encompasses the social, political, economic, religious, technological, intellectual, and cultural developments of European society from 1450 to the present. The primary aim of the course is to present a history of European societies, institutions and ideals based upon a close reading of secondary source materials and analysis of primary documents. Students are required to take the external AP exam in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11-12
Prerequisite: Completion of an AP History or AP Cal AB or History and Social Studies Department recommendation.
Homework: Heavy

This course covers Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and International Economics, including the decision-making of companies, international trade, exchange rates, and current world-wide economic events. Students will participate in a business case study from Harvard Business School that applies principles learned in the course to a real-life business. Students will be prepared to take the AP Micro and Macro Exams in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Medium

Introduction to American Law and the Western Legal Tradition is a semester long social studies elective that offers an overview of the fundamentals of the law in the U.S., including the philosophical foundation of the American legal system. The course will include the basics of U.S. Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and the Criminal Justice Process, and Civil Law (such as Torts, Contracts and Corporate Law). This course is not meant to duplicate the rigor of a law school level course; instead, it is a survey meant to give students a basic understanding of the law and how it works, and to encourage them to be active, engaged citizens with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully participate and create change in their communities. We will use case studies, individual research, group discussion/legal arguments, and mock proceedings throughout the course in order to reach our goal.

uration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 11-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Light (Moderate for Honors and IBSL)

For individuals to navigate and positively impact today’s multicultural world, one needs a deeper and meaningful understanding of the world’s major religions. In this course students will explore beliefs, practices, and modern debates around the major religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, and Christianity. We will also explore a variety of belief systems, such as Native American Sioux, Haitian Vodun, Wiccan Goddess, and Taiwan Ami. Honors students have the opportunity to research any topic related to religion or philosophy such as Eastern Medicine, yoga, atheism, etc. Through this class students will learn about different religions and philosophies, experience some of their practices through activities, guests, and field trips, and ultimately debate current issues around these topics.

Students who chose to take the IBSL World Religions option are required to complete an investigative study and take the IB exam in May.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grade: 10-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Heavy

In the AP Art History course, students are invited to discover the diversity of and connections among global artistic traditions. Students interact with different types of art, observing and analyzing relationships of form, function, content, and context through their reading, discussion, research, and writing. Using 250 representative works of art spanning prehistory to the present comprise the course content, students will study functions and effects of art and consider influential forces like belief, class, gender, ethnicity, patronage, and politics in their critical analyses of art forms. They will investigate how humans respond to the world and communicate their experiences through art making by examining chronology, styles, techniques, and themes to compare, contrast, and interpret art forms from varied perspectives and cultures. Students should be proficient in reading and writing. The AP Art History course is an elective credit class, meaning that it does not meet the graduation requirement for fine arts.

Duration: 1 semester, offered in Semester 1 only
Credit: 0.5
Grade: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Light

An introduction to the history of the ancient Greek world to the end of the Hellenistic Period, this course is based on reading ancient authors and documents in translation. Examining ancient artifacts, including architecture and infrastructure, and tracing the cultural and artistic development of Greek civilization. The focus of the course is on examining the emergence and development of a Panhellenic Greek cultural identity. In addition, students will study the history of Mediterranean archaeology and learn about the most recent developments in that field as they pertain to the ancient Greek peoples.

Duration: 1 semester, offered in Semester 2 only
Credit: 0.5
Grade: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Light

An introduction to the history of the ancient Roman world to the age of Constantine, this course is based on reading ancient authors and documents in translation, examining ancient artifacts, including architecture and infrastructure, and tracing the cultural and artistic development of Roman civilization. The focus of the course is on the problems that attended the development and spread of a shared Roman cultural identity in the disparate places that were governed from Rome. In addition, students study the history of Mediterranean archaeology and learn about the most recent developments in that field as they pertain to the history of Rome.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grades: 10-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Light

Advancing in today’s competitive and continually changing environment requires business insight. This course equips students with the fundamental business and entrepreneurial principles that allow them to navigate the business landscape of today and the future. Divided into five separate modules, this course covers: basic economic theory, business structure and organization, the role of marketing in developing business strategy, accounting and finance, and entrepreneurship. Students are introduced to the concepts through discussions of the textbook reading and observations of current events, and deepen their comprehension by applying the principles to case studies and simulations. This course further develops students’ critical thinking skills as they analyze and resolve real-world business issues. This survey course is good for students with an interest in business, entrepreneurship, and economics who may not be ready or have time for the college level AP Economics course.

Duration: 1 year
Credit: 1
Grades: 10-12
Prerequisite: None
Homework: Light (Moderate for Honors)

Marketing goes beyond just advertising – it involves understanding how changing customer perceptions and preferences become central determinants of an organization’s strategy and long-run success. This course introduces students to fundamental principles and analyses involved with managing marketing activities, as well as to methods used to assess and solve marketing issues. Study modules include: determining marketing strategy, identifying trends in the marketplace, customer behavior and market segmentation, market research, product management, pricing, channels of distribution, and the promotional mix. Students learn concepts through classroom discussions of textbook reading and current events and deepen their understanding through case studies, group projects, and a marketing simulation program developed by an INSEAD marketing professor. Students also complete and present a research-based marketing plan for a company of their choice.

Honors students read additional books to extend their knowledge and comprehension of marketing topics covered. This course is good for students who have an interest in business and economics who may not be ready or have time for the college level AP Economics course.