2024-2025 Course Offerings (3 credits to graduate):
Required:
9th grade: World History Seminar (one semester), OR AP Modern World History (1 year by invitation only)
10th grade: U.S. History or AP U.S. History (full year)
11th grade: U.S. Government (one semester) and Economics (one semester), OR AP U.S. Government and Economics (full year combined)
12th grade: Conflict in the Modern World (one semester) and a Senior Social Studies elective (at least one semester), OR AP Comparative Government (full year)
**note: Business electives do not satisfy any Social Studies required or elective course requirements. AP African American Studies and AP Human Geography count towards a social studies elective.
9TH GRADE:
AP MODERN WORLD HISTORY ELECTIVE-FULL YEAR (This course is offered by invite only to SHEP Humanities students. Students not taking AP Modern World will be required to take a semester of World History Seminar, see below.)
AP Modern World History is an introductory college-level modern world history course. Students cultivate their understanding of world history from c. 1200 CE to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation.
WORLD HISTORY SEMINAR REQUIRED-ONE SEMESTER
World History Seminar seeks to apprentice students to the practice of history by emphasizing the development of disciplinary practices and skills while learning historical content. Students best develop these practices and skills by investigating the past through the exploration and interpretation of a rich array of primary sources and secondary texts and through the regular development of historical argumentation in writing.
10TH GRADE:
UNITED STATES HISTORY REQUIRED-FULL YEAR
This course is a survey of the history of the United States from pre-Columbian times to the modern era. The course will examine the history of America through the lens of the people, events, and issues which have transformed the nation from thirteen colonies into a major world power. Special emphasis is placed on the British colonies, the American Revolution, Civil War, Industrial Revolution, New Deal and Cold War as defining moments in American history. Students continue to develop the tools of social studies and refine their ability to write an analytical essay in this field.
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY BY APPLICATION-FULL YEAR
This course is a college level survey of the history of the United States from pre-Columbian times to the modern era. The course will examine the history of America through the lens of the people, events and issues which have transformed the nation from thirteen colonies into a major world power. Special emphasis is placed on the British colonies, the American Revolution, Civil War, Industrial Revolution, New Deal and Cold War as defining moments in American history. Major cultural, economic, religious, social and political trends will be discussed. Students will continue to develop the tools of social studies and refine their ability to write an analytical essay. This course replaces United States History and strives to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in US History. Students who take this course should expect to have a larger quantity of reading, often from more difficult primary sources, and they should expect longer and more frequent written assignments as compared to the regular section of US History.
11TH GRADE:
ECONOMICS REQUIRED-ONE SEMESTER
This course offers a survey of economics with a focus on the American capitalist, free market approach. It teaches the skills necessary to analyze broad trends in the economy and consider solutions to such problems as unemployment, inflation, deflation, budget deficits, trade deficits, and recessions. Students will learn about the Federal Reserve System, monetary and fiscal policy, gross domestic product, the laws of supply and demand, and international trade.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REQUIRED-ONE SEMESTER
This course offers an analysis of the major concepts and issues of the American republican experiment. It includes a discussion of both ideology and institutions; including constitutional foundations, civil rights, political parties, interest groups, Congress, the President and the Supreme Court. Governmental institutions and procedure may be explored through role-playing exercises, including mock elections, a simulated Congress, and mock trials.
AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS AND ECONOMICS BY APPLICATION-FULL YEAR
Descriptions of each follow. The Economics thread is a survey of the structure and functioning of the free market system. Emphasis is placed on basic economic institutions and factors of choice-making like opportunity cost and incentives. Consideration is also given to macroeconomic topics of unemployment, organized labor, inflation as well as monetary and fiscal policy. The class will consider the role that individuals play in the national and global economy as well as the impact of economics in shaping our social and political reality. Particular attention is paid to the topic of social justice in a capitalist economy.
The AP Gov thread offers a college level introduction to the American political system. It covers a wide range of topics in this far reaching subject. The course begins by addressing the fundamental questions of politics and government along with the ideological underpinnings of the American system. These goals are explored through founding documents and excerpts from numerous primary source documents. The course then transitions from ends to means, looking at such things as the role of the media, political parties and interest groups. Next, the course moves to the apparatus of American political institutions including the Congress, Presidency and Courts; whenever possible, primary sources such as US Supreme Court decisions are used to shed light on American political institutions. Finally students are invited to assess how well America has implemented the goals and principles laid down by the founders as we look at issues in public policy and political administration such as civil rights, foreign policy and economic policy. This course replaces the regular section of US Government and helps to prepare students for the Advanced Placement examination in US Government.
12TH GRADE:
**Seniors are required to take EITHER Conflict in the Modern World + one semester of Social Studies elective, OR a full year of AP Comparative Government
CONFLICT IN THE MODERN WORLD REQUIRED-ONE SEMESTER (except for students who take AP Comparative Government for a full year)
Conflict in the Modern World is is a seniors-only elective that explores the last century of world history with a particular focus on Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Emphasis will be placed on tracing political, economic, social, and cultural developments and change in each of these regions, and current events will often be a focus of discussion. Students will grapple with issues like globalization, emerging markets, war, terrorism, and modern era conflicts and will also work to strengthen their skills in geography and comparative politics.
BEYOND BORDERS: A HISTORY OF MIGRATION IN AMERICA ELECTIVE-ONE SEMESTER
“A change of attitude towards migrants and refugees is needed on the part of everyone, moving away from attitudes of defensiveness and fear, indifference and marginalization – all typical of a throwaway culture – towards attitudes based on a culture of encounter, the only culture capable of building a better, more just and fraternal world.”--Pope Francis (July 14, 2014)
In recognizing Pope Francis's call to encounter and "building a better, more just and fraternal world," students in this course will examine the ways migration patterns to and within the United States have shaped people, places, and cultures over time. This course will provide insight to the social, political, and cultural borders that migration has created as the United States grew into the physical boundaries it has today. This course will study the formation and cultural conflicts of the US-Mexico borderlands, the creation of Native American reservations and contemporary issues facing Natives Americans, African American migration out of the rural South, Asian American migration, and Latino American migration.
CONFLICT IN THE ANCIENT WORLD ELECTIVE-ONE SEMESTER
What are the three causes of war? Who deserves hegemony in the ancient Greek world: democratic Athens or oligarchic Sparta? Can a democracy stay a democracy at home while flexing imperial muscle abroad? Does might make right? If you love politics or military history or speech and debate or philosophy or great literature, this class may be for you. In it you will find the most difficult and epic debates over empire, justice, democracy, etc. In this class we will engage in a close reading of one of the greatest books ever written: Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ELECTIVE-ONE SEMESTER
This contemporary issues course will explore a range of pressing problems facing society today. Through interdisciplinary analysis, students will develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills while examining the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to these complex issues. The course aims to foster informed and engaged citizens who can contribute to positive change.
THEODICY AND THE HOLOCAUST ELECTIVE-ONE SEMESTER (can count as EITHER the senior Religious Studies elective OR the senior Social Studies elective, but not both)
In Pope John Paul II’s 1998 letter regarding the Vatican’s publication of We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah, he wrote, “May the Lord of history guide the efforts of Catholics and Jews and all men and women of good will as they work together for a world of true respect for the life and dignity of every human being, for all have been created in the image and likeness of God.” In this spirit, “Theodicy and the Holocaust” seeks to examine the justice of God and the injustice of the Holocaust. Students will explore the history of Jewish-Christian relations and the birth of anti-Semitism, the role of anti-Semitism during the rise of the Third Reich, the evolution from persecution to the Final Solution, the religious and historical implications of the Holocaust, and theodicy in the modern world. This class will be uniquely team taught by a member of the Religious Studies Department and a member of the Social Studies Department.
**There may be other electives added opposite Conflict in the Modern World before the scheduling process is finalized. We will email students if that's the case.
AP AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES ELECTIVE BY APPLICATION-FULL YEAR (**This course counts as the 0.5 Social Studies elective opposite Conflict in the Modern World, or can be paired with AP Comparative Government as a straight elective)
AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that examines the diversity of African American experiences through direct encounters with rich and varied sources. Students explore key topics that extend from early African kingdoms to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment.
AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ELECTIVE BY APPLICATION-FULL YEAR (**This course counts as the 0.5 Social Studies elective opposite Conflict in the Modern World, or can be paired with AP Comparative Government as a straight elective)
AP Human Geography is an introductory college-level human geography course. Students cultivate their understanding of human geography through data and geographic analyses as they explore topics like patterns and spatial organization, human impacts and interactions with their environment, and spatial processes and societal changes.
THIS SENIOR COURSE SATISFIES THE ENTIRE SENIOR SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIREMENT:
AP COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS BY APPLICATION-FULL YEAR
AP Comparative Government and Politics introduces students to the rich diversity of political life outside the United States. The course uses a comparative approach to examine the political structures, policies, and the political, economic, and social challenges among six selected countries: Great Britain, Mexico, Russia, Iran, China, and Nigeria. This course is designed to introduce students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the governments and politics.
THESE COURSES ARE PURELY ELECTIVE AND DO NOT SATISFY THE SENIOR SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIREMENT:
LEADERSHIP
This class is the student council, first period class.
* Also please see the Xavier link and the JVLA link for other elective options. These won't satisfy the Social Studies requirement, but they do count as elective credit and are good courses, particularly for those with an interest in Social Studies.