AP United States Government 

Terms: 3
Grades: 12, PG
Prerequisite: Permission of the Department.

A full-year study of the formal and informal structures of the American political system, this course prepares students for the AP examination in United States Government and Politics. This course emphasizes contemporary policy making and implementation, as well as an in-depth study of civil rights and civil liberties and how those have expanded and contracted over time.  Students will examine the roles that citizens play in the political process, whether through activism, electioneering, or becoming informed and engaged residents of their communities.  The class will analyze various contemporary topics including the criminal justice system, the growth and expansion of the federal government, and the role of media in creating and reinforcing political beliefs and the effects of disinformation on democracy.

Note: Students taking this course are required to take the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam.