Social Studies at Saint Thomas Academy.

This course will serve as an introduction to the student's high school social studies experience. The class will focus on Geography and Civics, but will also explore elements of other disciplines within social studies. Geography skills and terminology, political awareness and the application of democratic principles, discussion of socio-economic and diversity issues, investigation of the past and its impact on the present, critical thinking and self-reflection will all have a place in the course. 

World History is a yearlong survey of the record of the human experience from the development of early civilizations to the major crises and accomplishments of the Twentieth Century. World geography and current events are included in the curriculum of this class. All sophomores write a research paper on the World History topic of their choice. This is done in conjunction with their English class as part of the History Day competition. 

Prerequisite: Standardized test results and GPA. AP World History is a rigorous college-level course that requires students to achieve mastery of the broad historical developments that punctuate and drive the march of history from the dawn of civilization to the present. In order to achieve such mastery, students must be prepared to read and write extensively about world history, and acquire and internalize knowledge of a lengthy list of historical concepts, events, and dates, not to mention gaining familiarity with some of the individual men and women who played significant roles in shaping global history during the last ten thousand years. Most students devote around ten hours per week to AP World History. All AP students are expected to take the AP exam. 

U.S. History is a yearlong survey course beginning with the Revolutionary period and ending with the Vietnam War era. The student will explore the forces and individuals that played key roles in the development of the U.S. and examine the causes of the main events in American history. All juniors participate in the History Day competition using a U.S. History topic of their choice. 

Prerequisite: 3.4 cumulative GPA and sophomore instructor approval. This course is a college-level survey of U.S. History. Students will combine secondary texts and primary sources to analyze the cause and effect relationships between people, events, and circumstances from the era of colonization to the present. All 11th grade students participate in the History Day competition using a U.S. History topic of their choice relating to the national contest theme. AP U.S. History will require approximately 5-7 hours per week of reading and homework, with somewhat more required when preparing for major tests and projects. All AP students are expected to take the AP exam. 

One semester of this course is devoted to the fundamentals of microeconomics and macroeconomics. The other semester introduces students to American government, law, politics, and civics.

Prerequisite: 3.25 cumulative GPA and/or instructor approval. Students must register for both Micro and Macro Economics. Students must be responsible for knowing the lecture material and be able to work on the material about 2 hours outside of class time per week. All AP students are expected to take the AP exam. 

Semester 1 This course is a college-level introduction to microeconomics. Topics include supply and demand, production and market structure, and factor markets. 

Semester 2 This course is a college-level introduction to macroeconomics. Topics include inflation, unemployment, taxation, and money supply. 

Prerequisite: 3.25 cumulative GPA and instructor approval. This course provides a college-level introduction to political theory and political science. Topics include branches of government, interest groups, elections, parties, and bureaucracy. Special projects focus on lawmaking, major court cases, and political action. AP Government will require approximately 3 hours per week of reading and homework, with somewhat more required when preparing for major tests and projects. All AP students are expected to take the AP exam. 

Prerequisite: Instructor permission from Mr. Hoverson. The course will focus on the period from approximately 1820 to 2000 and will cover a range of topics including the Latin American wars for independence, U.S. political and economic interests in the region, U.S. interventions, periods of revolution, armed struggle, and dictatorship, and post-dictatorship democracies. Students will study authentic texts – such as novels, short stories, films, political cartoons, and newspaper articles – from and about Latin America. The course will be taught by Mr. Hoverson to offer his discipline-specific insight and interpretations of the course content and to facilitate in-depth and thoughtful discussion. Students interested in travel in Latin America or careers that may involve this region are strongly encouraged to sign up. 

This course will use sport, particularly the history of boxing, to delve into issues of race and diversity in the 20th century. Part boxing and part history, students will grow in the area of cultural competency. 

This course will cover a range of topics related to business, but will emphasize marketing. Students will research and complete a marketing plan; Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint will be used to present information. Guests with expertise will present to the class. Computer graphics will be used for the creation of marketing promotions. 

The college search and application process can be simultaneously exciting and daunting. This course will cover how to craft an Initial College list (Exploration), Admissions Plans and Applications, Essay Writing, Recommendations and Interviews. Test prep for the PSAT/SAT/ACT will also be included as part of the class. 

Prerequisites: No Instructor approval needed. This course is designed for seniors who are considering a college major in sociology, behavioral sciences, social work, criminology, political science, pre-law, or law enforcement. Students discuss crime and justice primarily from a Catholic/Christian perspective.

Topics include: Catholic Social Doctrine, Constitutional law, drug and alcohol abuse, firearms use, racial profiling, prison reform, the history of crime and punishment in the modern age, mercy and forgiveness, victim’s rights, crime scene investigation, interrogation techniques and crime trends and statistics.

There will be two sections of Crime and Justice (new in 2021) and it is open to Visitation seniors as well.  Both classes will be evenly split and have up to 15 students.

Homework consists of short essays to review a unit of study. There are no tests and there is not a final exam. Semester grade is determined by attendance, active participation and the quality of the essays.  All students should prepare themselves for quality class discussions, respectful dialogue and mature listening.

This is a .5 class and it meets on one of the three days (A, B or C).   The course utilizes community experts on various topics and includes several field experiences and hands-on learning techniques. 

Students will learn the basics of personal finance and investing and manage a real stock market portfolio. Students will use Microsoft Excel to complete these tasks and will use additional programs to layout their information and findings. Professional experts on this topic will present to the class. As a capstone, students will prepare for and participate in the state competition sponsored by the MCEE, the Finance Decathalon.

This course is an in-depth study of the processes involved in the operation of the human mind and emotions. The areas of study include the development of cognitive processes, theories of personalities and human development, sensation and perception, emotions and motivation, and psychological disorders.