History Course Offerings

This freshman-level course is a survey of the major cultures that developed in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas from the beginnings of human civilization up to the present day. Political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual history are covered, particularly as they shape contemporary world events. 

Prerequisites: None

Grade 9 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This writing-intensive, freshman-level course is an in-depth study of the major cultures which developed in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas from the beginnings of human civilization up to the present day. Political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual history are covered, particularly as they shape contemporary world events. The depth of analysis is greater in the course, as is the examination of primary documents. Students will receive direct training in the writing of research papers and be responsible for the production of two research papers during the school year.

Grade 9 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This one-semester course covers the basic principles and theories of economics. It also examines the practical application of these theories in contemporary society and government. Tax forms, personal budgeting, and a stock market simulation are all part of the course.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 10/11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

The purpose of AP Microeconomics is the  introduction of  the concepts of opportunity costs and trade-offs, and to  illustrate these concepts by using the production possibilities curve or other analytical examples. The course will include a consideration of how different types of economies determine which goods and services to produce, how to produce them, and to whom to distribute them. It is also important that students understand why and how specialization and exchange increase the total output of goods and services. Students need to be able to differentiate between absolute and comparative advantage, to identify comparative advantage from differences in opportunity costs, and to apply the concept of comparative advantage, in order to determine the basis under which mutually advantageous trade can take place between countries. Specific examples from actual economic situations can be used to illustrate and reinforce the principles involved. The importance of property rights, the role of incentives in the functioning of free markets, and the principle of marginal analysis should be highlighted as well. 

Prerequisites:  Honors World History ·  AP European History ·  Honors US History or AP US History with 90 average.

*Recommended: PSAT reading/writing Score of 600

Grade 10/11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This class builds upon note-taking and essay writing skills in presenting a survey course in American history. The first semester will be spent covering American history up to the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. The second semester will focus on post-Reconstruction developments and cover American historical events into the modern era. Students will be expected to read historical essays, biographies, and primary source materials. Research papers will also be assigned. In addition, students will be trained to master map skills for the periods studied. Summer reading is required.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 11 · Full Year · 1 Credit

At the Honors level, students should be adept at writing essays and taking notes. This class builds upon these skills and presents a survey course in American history. It is more detailed and accelerated than the college preparatory U.S. History. The first semester will cover American history up to the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. The spring semester will focus on post-Reconstruction developments and cover major historical events into the modern era. Students will be expected to read historical essays, biographies, and primary source materials. Research projects and papers will also be required. In addition, students will be expected to master map skills for the periods studied. All students will construct a major research paper in the second semester. Summer reading is required.

Prerequisites: 90 average in most recent CP-level History class or 85 average in most recent Honors-level History class or 80 average in AP European History

*Recommended: PSAT Reading/Writing Score of 560

Grade 11 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This course is for advanced history students who have achieved high performance in previous history classes. Students will study a college curriculum with collegiate-level expectations and workload. The primary focus is to prepare the students for the national AP exam; thus, the class is conducted in a more teacher-directed manner than non-AP classes. American history from pre-colonial times through the 1970s is covered in depth. Students will become well-versed in essay writing and higher-level thinking skills of evaluation, analysis, and synthesis. 
The interpretation of primary sources and differing methods of data presentation are incorporated at every level, as are map skills. Summer work is extensive and required. 

Prerequisites: 90 in Previous Honors Level History and English Courses or AP European History with 85 average

*Students seeking admittance into this course against departmental recommendations will be required to submit a writing sample from a previous history course. 

*Recommended: PSAT Reading/Writing Score of 600

Grade 11 · Full Year · 1 Credit

United States Government is a one-semester history course that will examine the basic principles of our government: the workings of the legislative; the executive and judicial branches; and the sharing of power between the state and federal governments. A portion of the class is dedicated to a discussion of current events and debates, as well as a further examination of constitutional principles as applied to today’s issues. Students must remain current on national events.

This is a college-level course for those students who have achieved high performance in previous history classes and are avid learners of history. It is a college curriculum with collegiate-level expectations and workload. The primary focus is to prepare the student for the national AP exam; thus, the class is conducted in a more teacher-directed manner than non-AP classes. The philosophy and structure of government along with economic issues and principles are thoroughly studied. Primary source materials and current event resources are heavily utilized. Summer work is extensive and required.

*Recommended: PSAT Reading/Writing Score of 600

Grade 12 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This sophomore-level semester course is a survey examination that begins with the advent of the Modern Age in Europe and traces political, economic, and cultural influences that affected the global populations over a 250 year period.  Particular attention is given to the influence of intellectual movements such as the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, as well as major social changes that flowed from both the French and Industrial Revolutions. The course examines major events that occurred up to the 20th century and will include a research paper written on an appropriate topic. 

Prerequisites: None

Grade 10 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This sophomore-level semester course is a survey examination that begins with the advent of the 20th century in Europe and traces political, economic, and cultural influences that affected the global populations over a 125 year period.  Particular attention is given to the influence of political and social movements and the course culminates with more contemporary developments in the 21st century. Students will receive direct training in the writing of research papers.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 10 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This writing-intensive sophomore-level course is an in-depth examination of the Modern Age. The depth of analysis is greater in this course, as is the examination of primary documents. Students will receive direct training in the writing of research papers and be responsible for producing two research papers during the school year. 

Grade 10 · Full Year · 1 Credit

AP Modern European History is a college-level survey course that explores the major themes of European history from 1450 to the present era. The curriculum follows the latest requirements of the College Board and will include extensive training to advance academic skills as a critical reader and analytical writer. The use of primary documents and extensive assessments are an important focus of this class, which will prepare students to pass the College Board AP test at the end of the spring semester.

Prerequisites: Honors World History with 90 average

*Students seeking admittance into course against departmental recommendation will be required to sit for a timed essay based on an historical prompt.

*Recommended: PSAT Reading/Writing Score of 590

Grade 10 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This course will explore those events that led to the systematic murders of six million Jews during World War II and created countless other victims during that period. Students will encounter the stories of survivors, witnesses, and rescuers that continue to raise essential questions about the nature of human behavior. The course will explore the consequences of how destructive policies are constructed and implemented and how individuals and communities are affected by malevolent decisions and actions. The curriculum requires extensive reading of primary and secondary sources and will emphasize class discussions. By studying the historical development of the Holocaust and similar examples of genocide, students will be invited to make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their personal lives. By utilizing sources that illuminate victim experiences, perpetrator perspectives, and bystander responses, the class will investigate the Nazi racial state that systematized mass killings and demanded collaboration and complicity. Finally, the course will examine the memory of the Holocaust in western culture.  The student desiring Honors credit will, in addition to doing all of the work required for College Prep, also research and write a 6-8 page research paper on one important aspect, event or individual from the Holocaust. The student will also be required to present the major findings of their research to the class in a 5-10 minute presentation.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 11 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This course will explore those events that led to the systematic murders of six million Jews during World War II and created countless other victims during that period. Students will encounter the stories of survivors, witnesses, and rescuers that continue to raise essential questions about the nature of human behavior. The course will explore the consequences of how destructive policies are constructed and implemented and how individuals and communities are affected by malevolent decisions and actions. The curriculum requires extensive reading of primary and secondary sources and will emphasize class discussions. By studying the historical development of the Holocaust and similar examples of genocide, students will be invited to make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their personal lives. By utilizing sources that illuminate victim experiences, perpetrator perspectives, and bystander responses, the class will investigate the Nazi racial state that systematized mass killings and demanded collaboration and complicity. Finally, the course will examine the memory of the Holocaust in western culture.  The student desiring Honors credit will, in addition to doing all of the work required for College Prep, also research and write a 6-8 page research paper on one important aspect, event or individual from the Holocaust. The student will also be required to present the major findings of their research to the class in a 5-10 minute presentation.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This class is a dedicated South Carolina history course which will provide students with a focused examination of their state’s contributions and challenges, fostering a deeper connection to their local heritage and its impact on the nation. Understanding the history of South Carolina is crucial for students to grasp the broader narrative of American history, given the state's significant role in key events such as the American Revolution, Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement. This course aims to cultivate historical thinking skills, promote civic awareness, and encourage an appreciation of regional diversity and culture.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 9/10/11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This course takes a thematic approach to the study of African American History. Students will study and analyze the influence Black Americans have had on the American experience. Students will also learn how the American experience influenced a uniquely African American culture. Topics include the origins of the African diaspora, the institution of slavery in America, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Jim Crow era, the Civil Rights Movement, and contemporary issues facing African Americans, with a focus on key figures, events, and social, political, and cultural impacts throughout history; emphasizing critical analysis of systemic racism and the ongoing struggle for equality. Class time involves teacher-guided lecture, discussion, collaborative learning activities, problem solving, writing activities, and creative projects.

Prerequisites: None

Grade 10/11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

Students will study Native American history beginning with the pre-contact era, European colonization, forced removal, assimilation policies, resistance movements, and contemporary Native American issues, focusing on the diverse experiences of different tribes across North America while emphasizing the Native perspective and critical analysis of historical narratives. The purpose of this course is to present a survey of American Indian history from the pre-European contact period to the present, highlighting the processes by which Europeans and Euro-Americans dispossessed the various Indian nations of their land and identities, as well as the Indians’ efforts to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. The dynamics of contact, conquest, interrelationship, accommodation, assimilation, and resistance is ongoing, and will be examined from both Indian and non-Indian perspectives (though far greater weight is given to the former).

Prerequisites: None

Grade 9/10/11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

This one-semester course is an introductory-level examination of the systematic study of individual human behavior and experience. The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the content, terminology, methodology, and application of the discipline. This survey course contains an introduction followed by four units based on the physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains of psychology. 

Prerequisites: None

Grade 11/12 · 1 Semester · .5 Credit

The AP Psychology course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with major units of study, including biological bases of behavior, cognition, development, learning, social psychology, personality, and mental and physical health. Throughout the course, students apply psychological concepts and employ psychological research methods and data interpretation to evaluate claims, consider evidence, and effectively communicate ideas.  This is a college level class offered in high school, and as such, the materials and content will reflect collegiate expectations. 

Prerequisites: 90 average in most recent Honors-level History class or 85 in most recent AP-level History class

*Recommended: PSAT reading/writing score of 590 or higher

Grade 11/12 · Full Year · 1 Credit

This is a college-level class that examines the role of art within history and the effect of that history upon art. The study of Art History involves critical thinking and will develop an understanding and knowledge of diverse historical and cultural contexts of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other media. It also will create opportunities for students to strengthen an area neglected in most curricula. In this course, students will examine major forms of artistic expression from the past and present from a variety of cultures. While visual analysis is a fundamental tool of the art historian, art history emphasizes understanding how and why works of art function in context, considering such issues as patronage, gender, and the functions and effects of art. Summer work is required.  

*This class can fulfill 1.0 credit in Fine Arts instead of 1.0 History elective credit. 

Prerequisites: AP U.S. History with 85 average or Honors U.S. History with 90 average

*Recommended: PSAT Reading/Writing Score of 590

Grade 11/12 · Full Year · 1 Credit

World History · 405

Honors World History · 415

South Carolina History · 432

Native American History · 434

Economics · 404

AP Microeconomics · 455

European History · 430

20th Century Euproean History · 431

Honors Modern European History · 412

AP European History · 452

South Carolina History · 432

African American History · 433

Native American History · 434

Economics · 404

AP Microeconomics · 455

U.S. History · 403

Honors U.S. History · 413

AP U.S. History · 450

Government · 408

Holocaust History · 406

Honors Holocaust History · 420

South Carolina History · 432

African American History · 433

Native American History · 434

Principles of Psychology · 407

AP Psychology · 456

AP Art History · 453

Economics · 404

AP Microeconomics · 455

Government · 408

AP U.S. Government & Politics · 451

Holocaust History · 406

Honors Holocaust History · 420

South Carolina History · 432

African American History · 433

Native American History · 434

Principles of Psychology · 407

AP Psychology · 456

AP Art History · 453