Course Descriptions

In partnership with Northeast Lakeview College's HIST 1301 & 1302 courses, Dual Credit U.S. History is a survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of the United States from the pre-Columbian era to the contemporary period. United States History I includes the study of pre-Columbian, colonial, revolutionary, early national, slavery, and sectionalism, and the Civil War/Reconstruction eras. Themes that may be addressed in United States History I and II includes: American settlement and diversity, creation of the federal government, American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, civil and human rights, urbanization and suburbanization, the expansion of the federal government, and the study of U.S. foreign policy. This course fulfills the American History foundational component area of the core and addresses the following required objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, Social Responsibility, and Personal Responsibility. 

AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes, and behaviors. Underpinning the required content of the course are several big ideas that allow students to create meaningful connections among concepts throughout the course. 

AP Research, the second course in the AP Capstone experience, allows students to deeply explore an academic topic, problem, issue, or idea of individual interest. Students design, plan, and implement a yearlong investigation to address a research question. Through this inquiry, they further the skills they acquired in the AP Seminar course by learning research methodology, employing ethical research practices, and accessing, analyzing, and synthesizing information. Students reflect on their skill development, document their processes, and curate the artifacts of their scholarly work through a process and reflection portfolio. The course culminates in an academic paper of 4,000–5,000 words (accompanied by a performance, exhibit, or product where applicable) and a presentation with an oral defense.