The Social Studies Pathway offers students the opportunity to analyze and explore diverse topics in the Social Sciences field.   Students are required to complete 20-credits in History and Social Studies elective courses that introduce students to a wide range of both content and skills essential for college and career readiness.  The credits earned through the three core Social Studies courses required for graduation (World History, US I, US II) do not count towards the 20-credit pathway requirement. 

The pathway is flexible and fluid as students are eligible in 10th grade to begin engaging in both semester or full year elective courses in the social sciences. These courses enhance the 3 years of social studies courses that students must take in order to fulfill graduation requirements.  In 11th and 12th grades students are offered a cornucopia of electives to tailor their program to their individual interests.

The pathway experience can culminate with an optional Work Based Learning (WBL) in the 12th grade tailored to the students' individual interests.  The credits that students earn for participating in an WBL will count as part of the 20 credits required to complete the pathway. 

Public Policy:

• • Lobbyists work to persuade local, state, or national governments to pass certain laws beneficial to certain interest groups. 

  • Policy Analysts research public policy challenges and articulate solutions to meet those problems. 

Business:

• • Work in the business industry as an economist. Economists study historical trends and use them to make forecasts with respect to interest rates, energy costs, business cycles, taxes, and a multitude of other key topics. 

Psychology:

• • Practice as a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with the goal of counseling people who may need assistance.

National Security, Law Enforcement, & Jurisprudence  

• • Keep our nation safe on the local, state, or national level (police officer, state police, Federal Bureau of Investigation) 

  • Interpret law  as an attorney, prosecutor, or judge. 

Elected Official:

• • Make laws and policy on the local, state, or national level (town council, state, or federal lawmaker).

Social Science Instructor:

• • Teach K-12 students on either the elementary or secondary level (example: high school history teacher). 

  • Further your education on a narrow topic and teach on the higher education level (example: college professor).