Social Studies

Social Studies Courses

The State of Ohio curriculum is the benchmark established by the Ohio State Board of Education for students to complete credits in high school Social Studies. More information about the curriculum is available on the Secondary Curriculum Website. Pickerington requires three credits, 1 each from World History, American Government, Principles of Democracy, and Economics.

College Credit Plus students will receive additional information for the next steps via email after scheduling is complete.

Courses Meeting World History Requirement for Graduation

World History

The World History courses will begin with a review of the Renaissance, the Reformation, European exploration and colonization, the Age of Reason, and the Enlightenment. The course then will focus on the world from 1877 to the modern era. Students will study the variety of emerging global powers and the issues created as the world moved through the 20th century.

Course Number: 501

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 9

Fees: None

Additional: Course only available in the 9th grade.

Pre-AP World History and Geography

This course explores concepts throughout human history, including but not limited to, ancient civilizations, pre-Columbian history in the Americas, colonial European periods, medieval times, and concepts relevant in the area of human geography. Special attention, however, will be made to align with Ohio’s Modern World History requirements. At the conclusion of the course, students will have developed the fundamental skills necessary to be proficient in further AP coursework in History and Social Science.

Course Number: 508PreAP

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 9

Fees: $10

Additional: Course only available in the 9th grade.

AP European History

AP European History is designed to be the equivalent of an introductory college European history course. In AP European History, students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in four historical periods from approximately 1450 to the present.

Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical comparisons; and utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time. The course also provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction of Europe and the world; poverty and prosperity; objective knowledge and subjective visions; states and other institutions of power; individual and society; and national and European identity.

Course Number: 536AP

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Course covers the Modern World History requirement for graduation. If the course is taken in 10-12 Grades, the course will be taken for elective credit.

AP Human Geography

AP Human Geography presents high school students with the curricular equivalent of an introductory college-level course in human geography or cultural geography. Content is presented thematically rather than regionally and is organized around the discipline’s main subfields: economic geography, cultural geography, political geography, and urban geography. The approach is spatial and problem-oriented.

Case studies are drawn from all world regions, with an emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today. Historical information serves to enrich analysis of the impacts of phenomena such as globalization, colonialism, and human–environmental relationships on places, regions, cultural landscapes, and patterns of interaction. Advanced placement courses are demanding and require daily homework.

Course Number: 525AP

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Course covers the Modern World History requirement for graduation. If the course is taken in 10-12 Grades, the course will be taken for elective credit.

Courses Meeting Government Requirement for Graduation

Principles of Democracy (P.O.D.)

This course examines the principles and practices of government in the United States. The purpose of the course is to acquaint students with the basic American governmental structure and the skills needed for today’s citizens to participate in the governmental process.

Course Number: 523

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

Additional: Recommended for the 11th grade.

AP United States Government and Politics

AP United States Government and Politics introduces students to key political ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the political culture of the United States. The course objectives are more complex than those of the other POD courses offered at the high school because of the college-level nature of the course. The course examines politically significant concepts and themes, through which students learn to apply disciplinary reasoning, assess causes and consequences of political events and interpret data to develop evidence-based arguments. Advanced placement courses are demanding and require daily homework.

Course Number: 528AP
Duration: Full Year
Credits: 1
Grade: 11-12
Fees: None
Additional: Recommended for 11th grade.

American Politics and Government CCP

This course introduces students to the nature, purpose and structure of the American political system. Attention is given to the institutions and processes that create public policy. The strengths and weaknesses of the American political system are discussed, along with the role of citizens in a democracy.

Course Number (North): POL1000CCP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1 high school, 3 college

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Students must have an active application on file with the college partner; college-readiness measures as established by the college – please review the district’s CCP information page for details.

NOTE: Course is in-person at Central only; the course will be offered in an online only format at North.

Students at North taking the course must be prepared for self-directed and independent learning. District-assigned Chromebooks are not compatible with the online components of this course. Students should have their own devices (computer or tablet) to access the course.

Courses Meeting American History Requirement for Graduation

American History

This course examines the history of the United States of America from 1877 to the present. The federal republic has withstood challenges to its national security and expanded the rights and roles of its citizens. The episodes of its past have shaped the nature of the country today and prepared it to attend to the challenges of tomorrow. Understanding how these events came to pass and their meaning for today’s citizens is the purpose of this course. The concepts of historical thinking introduced in earlier grades continue to build with students locating and analyzing primary and secondary sources from multiple perspectives to draw conclusions. Students will also be required to use skills related to using a variety of resources to construct theses and support or refute contentions made by explanations of historical events; examine issues related to historical inevitability; and examine key documents that form the basis for the United States of America.

Course Number: 511

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 10

Fees: None

Additional: End-of-course State Test required.

AP United States History

This course is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university U.S. history course. Students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods from approximately 1491 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical comparisons; and utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, continuity, and change over time. The course also provides seven themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: American and national identity; migration and settlement; politics and power; work, exchange, and technology; America in the world; geography and the environment; and culture and society. Advanced placement courses are demanding and require daily homework.

Course Number: 520AP

Duration: Full Year

Credits: 1

Grade: 10

Fees: None

Modern American History CCP

This course covers a wide range of topics in modern American history from Reconstruction to the present time. It is an introduction to the study of history and to the political, economic, intellectual, and social themes that have shaped our present society.

Course Number: HST1600CCP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1 high school, 3 college

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Students must have an active application on file with the college partner; college-readiness measures as established by the college – please review the district’s CCP information page for details.

Courses Meeting Financial Literacy Requirements for Graduation

Financial Literacy

Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is a graduation requirement for the Class of 2026 going forward. This course introduces students to real-world personal finance and money management topics with practical problem/project-based learning. Students will examine financial matters such as saving, investing, student loans, debt repayment, credit cards, risk management, and budgeting. Students engage in hands-on scenarios in which they will learn to prepare for, overcome, and avoid financial crises. Based on the skills and knowledge applied in this course, students will develop financial goals, and create realistic and measurable objectives to be financially literate and money-smart.

Course Number: 701

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

Social Studies Electives

History of American Sport

This course presents an overview of the development of amateur and professional athletics over the course of history in the United States. Using the development of sport and games as a lens, the social, cultural, and business history of the United States will be considered with a focus on the racial, ethical, legal, and monetary components of sports. Students need not be athletes to appreciate this elective course.

Course Number: 541

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

Modern American Wars

Psychology

Psychology is the study of human behavior. The course examines biological and environmental influences on the individual. Students will explore what people do, how they think, and why they act as they do. Topics to be covered include: history of psychology, methods of psychology, personality theories, theories of learning, sensations and perceptions, conflicts and adjustment, stress and frustration, psychological disorders and treatment.

Course Number: 542

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

Sociology

Man is not an island. We do not live isolated from every other person in our society. We are part of a large society that has many different lifestyles, roles, and groups. This class illustrates the importance of social interaction in the behavior of mankind. Basic institutions of society are discussed, such as family, religion, and the economy. Problems of our diverse society are discussed, such as divorce, crime, discrimination and poverty. The class will revolve around a lot of class discussion and participation in activities such as skits, role-playing, debates and planning a social movement. Psychology studies the individual, Sociology studies the group.

Course Number: 540

Duration: Semester

Credits: 0.5

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

African-American History Before 1877 CCP

Available at Central Only
The class is primarily a lecture/discussion course which includes the history of African Americans in the New World from the time of the slave trade to the end of Reconstruction.

Course Number: HIST2223CCP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1 high school, 3 college

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Additional: Students must have an active application on file with the college partner; college-readiness measures as established by the college — please review the district's CCP information page for details.

African-American History Since 1877 CCP

Available at Central Only
The class is primarily a lecture/discussion course that includes the history of African Americans from the end of Reconstruction to the present times.

Course Number: HIST2224CCP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1 high school, 3 college

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity CCP

Available at Central Only

This course focuses on the differences and similarities among racial, ethnic, religious and other diverse populations in the United States and includes historical, religious, and sociocultural issues and current conflicts. The current and past experiences of selected American racial, ethnic, gender, and religious groups are examined with respect to theories and patterns of intergroup relations and issues of prejudice and discrimination (both individual and institutional). Potential future trends in American intergroup relationships are addressed.

Course Number: SOC2020CCP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1 high school; 3 college

Grade: 9-12

Fees: None

AP Micro/Macroeconomics

AP Micro/Macroeconomics is a college-level course that introduces students to basic economic principles, skills and practices. First semester, students focus on Microeconomics and the functions of individual economic decision-makers. Microeconomics develops students’ familiarity with the operation of product and factor markets, distributions of income, market failure, and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.

Second semester, students focus on Macroeconomics and applying economic principles to an economic system as a whole. Macroeconomics places particular emphasis on the study of national income and price-level determination. It also develops students’ familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth, and international economics. To be successful in Micro and Macroeconomics, students should possess basic mathematics and graphing skills. Students will learn to use graphs, charts, and data to analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts.

Course Number: 535AP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None

AP Psychology

AP Psychology is a college level introductory psychology course in which students learn the theoretical and historical underpinnings of the field of psychology, distinguish among the domains of psychology (biological, cognitive, contemporary approaches) analyze contributions of major historical figures, gain exposure to the empirical research process upon which the field is based and the application of research and theory to explain human behavior, and discuss and challenge contemporary approaches to biological, cognitive, learning, developmental, motivation, personality, abnormal behavior, and social psychology. Advanced placement courses are demanding and require daily homework.

Course Number: 542AP

Duration: Semester

Credits: 1

Grade: 11-12

Fees: None