The Social Sciences Program is designed to:
- Develop your abilities to identify, describe, assess, interpret and evaluate tools and sources within the field of the Social Sciences.
- Challenge your perceptions of reality and create a fundamental understanding of economic, political, historical, social and psychological forces that shape your world.
- Cultivate your active commitment to social justice.
- Create critical and proactive citizens for an improved global community.
- Be taken, as required by the state, for a total of three years, with students opting to take additional coursework based on individual interest. You must take the one-semester Foundations of American Government and the year-long United States History. Every student should take at least one semester of a course that provides a world focus. All students are encouraged to pursue advanced work in Social Sciences.
For adolescents, much of the high school experience is about forming identity and finding one’s place in the world. In their social science classes at Pius XI, students actively participate in developing a knowledge from which they are encouraged to critically examine their world through multiple lenses. Such an undertaking requires challenging students to evaluate their perceptions of reality, as well as the economic, political, historical, social and psychological forces that shape their world.
Through a wide range of course offerings, students can expect to develop effective communication skills, improve critical thinking skills, and acquire a global perspective. By engaging students as active participants in their own learning – through discovery, critical reflection and application – they become empowered to communicate and act on that understanding as educated social agents. Furthermore, as students are challenged to think about their roles and responsibilities, they can become proactive citizens for an improved global community.
Advanced Placement courses are offered in U.S. History, European History and Psychology. Additionally, students have opportunities to participate in a variety of activities including the Stock Market Game, Little Kids Day and University Seminar Day. The department offers trips to various Chicago art museums and an annual trip to Washington, DC.
Courses:
Introduction to the Social Sciences
World History
Foundations of American Government
Current World Issues
Topics in World & American Cultures: The Holocaust
Economics
Psychology
AP Psychology
US History — 1800–Present
AP US History
Sociology
AP World History
Understanding Art in History