Students study the government of the United States, discuss current politics, and become informed citizens who know how to make things happen. Special emphasis is placed on the functions of the legislative branch and how laws are interpreted and enforced by the judicial and executive branches. Outside influences on the American government are also analyzed. Special emphasis is placed on interaction between society and its members. Topics which students study include social institutions, gender issues, marriage and the family, adolescence, the adult world, deviance, discrimination, and the future.
Students interact with their classmates through class discussions.
They also design and conduct social research. They focus on topics such as the brain and behavior, learning and memory, development, personality theory, abnormal behavior, therapy, and stress. The primary goals of this course include a deeper self-understanding, a better understanding of others, and a deeper understanding of psychology as a science. The world is becoming more complex and the affairs of countries are increasingly interrelated. Students' awareness of international relations and global issues is important to their understanding of their role in the world community.