Academics
Social Studies Course Descriptions
Western Civilizations
Grade: 9, 10
Credit: 1.00
Full Year
This course is a survey of the most important ideas, cultural patterns, people and events that helped shape Western civilization. The course is not a global history; non-western areas are intentionally excluded from the survey. Focus is on cause-and-effect relationships moving through the material with emphasis given to particular movements, countries, and events grouped in units and then related to other units. First semester examines Western history extending through approximately 1500 AD. Second semester continues through the current age. Contributions of Catholic Christianity to European and New World civilizations are placed in perspective within the course. Additionally, an emphasis will be given to map study as well as graph, chart, and outline analysis. This course must be completed by the end of sophomore year.
World Geography
Grade: 10, 11
Credit: 1.00
Full Year
Students gain knowledge and understanding about the physical characteristics of the various parts of our world and the consequent effect that the physical environment has on various people and cultures. First quarter of the year emphasizes physical geography skills while the remainder of the first semester focuses on the physical and cultural aspects of North and South America. Second semester focuses on European, African, Australian, and Asian physical and cultural features.
U.S. History
Grade: 11
Credit: 1.00
Full Year
This is a survey course of the ideas, cultural patterns, personalities and events that created our democratic heritage, American ideals and traditions of government. Various movements, regional and cultural developments and events are discussed with an emphasis on causal relationships in the development of national destiny. Great emphasis is also placed upon current political, economic or cultural events. This course is required for graduation. The United States Constitution test is administered in this class and must be passed to meet graduation requirements.
Honors U.S. History
(St. Mary's University PACC Program Course)
Grade: 11
Credit: 1.00
Full Year (Receives Honor Value Points)
Honors U.S. History addresses similar topics as U.S. History but with more depth and greater intensity. Emphasis is placed on written analysis of cause-and-effect relationships. The United States Constitution test is administered in this class and must be passed to meet graduation requirements.
Prerequisites: A cumulative GPA of at least 3.6 and departmental approval
History of Modern Europe
Grade: 12
Credit: 1.00
Full Year
The main goal of this course is to increase students' knowledge of major events and trends in Europe from the French Revolution (1789) to the present time. Students will be required to analyze historical categories and trace developments in a particular category through several chronological periods.
AP European History
(St. Mary's University PACC Program Course)
Grade: 11
Credit: 1.00
Full Year Receives (Receives Honor Value Points)
AP European History mirrors the regular course goals with the exception of increasing students' abilities to analyze historical evidence and develop a more comprehensive understanding of the principle themes in European history. Students in this course are expected to take the AP exam in Modern European History.
Prerequisites: A cumulative GPA of at least 3.6 and departmental approval
Government
Grade: 11, 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
This course is an in depth study of American democracy via investigation of political behavior, legal rights and obligations and the fundamental mechanics of our government system. The main goal of this course is to prepare students for responsible citizenship.
Sociology
Grade: 11, 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
This course acts as an introduction into the systematic study of social life with emphasis on group influence on individual behavior. Topics include the following: culture, social interaction, socialization, groups, deviance inequality and major institutions such as family, religion, government and education. The major goal of this course is develop student awareness of himself and his impact on those around him, thus guiding his interactions with others in a desirable way.
Chicago Studies
Grade: 11, 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
This course addresses six main disciplines: geography, history, economics, political science, sociology and anthropology with respect to Chicago as the backdrop. The main goals of this course are to heighten students' interests in social studies and to raise students' awareness of their environment, namely Chicago. Three to five weekend field trips are required to supplement the material discussed in class.
Contemporary American History
Grade: 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
This is a survey course of American history from post-World War I through present day. Emphasis is on the United States' increasing global role as well as the wider world's effects on American history. Themes such as the growing role of government in Americans' lives, the waxing and waning of the isolationist impulse and the increasing diversity of America in the twenty-first century are examined.
Psychology
Grade: 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
This course emphasizes the process and problems of personality and inter-personal relations in an effort to help guide the positive development of students' personalities and increase understanding for the feelings, needs and motives of others. Stress is placed upon the careful examination of traditional and current thinking regarding such psychology topics as: learning, memory, states of consciousness, intelligence, sensation, language, life span development, motivation, personality and abnormal behavior.
Economics
Grade: 12
Credit: 0.50
One Semester
Students are expected to demonstrate a mastery of principles and necessary corollaries in the main areas of economics including: framework of economics, production and distribution of goods, and basic politico-economic systems. The analysis and interpretation of outside readings in light of the three main areas of economics are expected.
Note: A lower level Western Civilizations courses exists: Western Civilizations 912. This year-long, freshman-only course covers the same basic information as presented in Western Civilizations, but more time is spent on each of the topics with more emphasis on basic skills in each of the lessons. Evaluation is more fact-based and less analytical than in the average level class. Therefore, any students enrolled in Western Civilizations 912 will receive lower quality value points for this course. Students will be placed into this courses at the discretion of the department based upon performance in previous history courses and anticipated reading comprehension ability.