Required Courses
Montgomery County Public Schools requires three (3) credits in Social Studies classes for graduation. These courses include U.S. History, National, State and Local (NSL) Government, and Modern World History.
Students must also pass the NSL Government High School Assessment. Students take this assessment when they take NSL Government.
U.S. History
U.S. History
The first semester of this course surveys the period from post Civil War through the 1930s. Units are centered around themes such as Continuity and Change, the United States and a World Identity, and Culture in Prosperity and Adversity.
The second semester completes the study of U.S. history to the present. Themes in this semester include The Common Good, The Struggle for Power in Postwar America, and Balance in Foreign Policy.
NSL Government
This full-year course teaches the organizational structure, functions, and policies of governments at the national, state, and local levels. Students study both practical and historical applications of our governmental principles, and refer to current events frequently. Rights and responsibilities of citizenship are emphasized and students participate in at least one activity illustrating how individual citizens can influence their government.
Ten hours of community service credit (SSL Hours) are attached to the completion of this course.
Modern World
This yearlong course is a survey of modern world history that begins in the late 15th Century and continues to the present. Topics include: The World in 1500, An Interconnected World, Revolution in Thought and Action, Nationalism and Imperialism, The World in Turmoil, The Contemporary World, The Quest for Democratic Institutions, Political Freedom, and Human Rights Since 1989. In all units, a variety of sources and teaching approaches are used to allow students to examine, compare, and contrast the development of the essential concepts around the world.