CISS:high school AP Program

Take the challenge! The Advanced Placement (AP) Program at Concordia is a rigorous academic program that offers 19 university-level courses and exams to our students. AP classes are completely elective; however, students who have demonstrated scholarship in prior related subjects are encouraged to consider AP classes-Concordia administration, counselors, and teachers are always available to advise students on appropriate course loads.

AP is not for every student; however for those students who are seeking greater academic rigor, AP offers an opportunity to demonstrate college readiness and to differentiate themselves in a competitive university selection process. Colleges prefer AP level courses over standard level courses because successful completion demonstrates that the student is willing and able to do more challenging work. Because these classes are taught at a college level, students can expect to encounter greater intensity in terms of workload and evaluation. AP Students will be expected to exhibit ability to think critically and creatively, write clearly and persuasively, and participate actively in class discussion.

Why should I take AP?

More than 90% of 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S. grant advanced placement, credit, or both for successful scores on AP Exams, and 85% of selective institutions report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions.

AP is recognized by more than 3,600 universities worldwide.

More than 600 universities in over 55 countries outside of the U.S. recognize AP.

The Advanced Placement International Diploma (APID)

The APID is a globally recognized certificate for students with an international outlook. The APID challenges a student to display exceptional achievement on AP Exams across several disciplines.

Course Descriptions

AP English Language & Composition

Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is designed to represent college-level English studies and can earn students college credit. Students in this AP writing course study essays composed by writers from a variety of disciplines and periods, reading works by autobiographers, diarists, biographers, historians, critics, essayists, journalists, political commentators, scientific writers, and nature writers, among others. Close reading of a wide variety of such critical, non-fiction works is encouraged in order to provide students with a solid foundation in analysis, a broad reading background, and strong composition and persuasive writing skills. Extensive written critical analyses are a major component of this class. At the end of second semester, students will focus on how to write and develop a successful college essay in preparation for the application process during senior year. In addition, students will compose essays under time restraints in preparation for the PSAT, SAT, and AP timed writing tests. The course culminates second semester with the AP English Language and Composition Exam, which will test students’ understanding of how authors use language to express views, convey meaning, and affect their audiences. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Honors Language and Composition or teacher recommendation/writing samples

AP English Literature & Composition

Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is designed to represent college-level English studies and can earn students college credit. This AP course emphasizes the analysis of poetry and prose fiction by considering the structure, style, and dominant themes of selected works as well as smaller scale elements of literary analysis such as figurative language, imagery, point-of-view, and tone. Close reading of a wide variety of works of literary merit is encouraged in order to provide students with a good foundation in literary analysis, a broad reading background, and strong composition skills. Extensive written critical analysis are a major component of this class. The course culminates second semester with the AP English Literature and Composition Exam, which will test students’ understanding of ideas that unite major areas of literary study. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Honors Language and Composition or teacher recommendation/writing samples

AP United States History

The AP course in United States History is designed to provide students with the analytic skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States history. The course prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials – their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. An AP United States History course should thus develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of an informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in essay format. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: 2 Credits High School History, Appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP World History

The purpose of the AP World History course is to develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. This understanding is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The Course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Humanities 9; for entry in grade 10 the student must have demonstrated superior command of critical reading analysis and English proficiency

AP European History

The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, AP European History will develop in students (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European history, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: 2 credits High School History; appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP Psychology

Advanced Placement Psychology is intended to represent college-level psychology studies and can earn students college credit. The course is designed to comply with the curricular requirements contained in the AP Psychology Course Description. This course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes—as well as the various approaches to psychology. The research methodology used by psychologists is examined in detail as are the subfields of psychology. The course culminates second semester with the AP Psychology Exam, which tests students’ understanding of ideas that unite major areas of psychological history, study, and research. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP Microeconomics

Microeconomics is the study of how individual consumers and businesses make decisions. This AP course covers basic foundations such as scarcity, opportunity costs, and allocation of resources. The course covers microeconomic principles including efficiency, demand and supply, prices and output, market structures, market failure, government intervention, and resource markets. We also read about the great economic thinkers of the past 200 years. Duration: 1 Semester; Required: No (however, both micro and macro must be taken); Credit: 0.5; Prerequisite: Algebra 2; appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics is the study of national and international economics. This AP course covers how we calculate national income and output, gross domestic product, aggregate demand and aggregate supply, employment, inflation, money and banking, investment, consumption, fiscal and monetary policies, interest rates, international trade and finance, exchange rates, and current accounts. We continue our readings of the great economic thinkers of the past 200 years. Duration: 1 Semester; Required:No (however, both micro and macro must be taken); Credit: 0.5; Prerequisite: Algebra 2; appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC

Calculus AB is primarily concerned with developing the students’ understanding of the concepts of calculus and providing experience with its methods and applications. The course emphasizes a multi-representational approach to calculus, with concepts, results and problems being expressed graphically, numerically, analytically and verbally. This course starts with a review of basic algebraic skills and operations, absolute value and inequalities, analytical geometry of straight lines and circles before going into limits, continuity, derivatives and integrals. The derivative is presented and interpreted as a rate of change in varied applied contexts, including velocity, speed and acceleration. Analysis of curves is also carried out using concavity, points of inflection and the second derivative. The integral is introduced and applied to problems of area, volume, velocity, work, lengths of plane curves, springs and fluid forces. The course extends into differentiation and integration of trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions, and further methods of integration. Please note: If enrolled in AP Calculus BC, you will further your study of calculus with parametric and polar equations, partial fractions, improper integrals and infinite polynomials. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: >B- in Pre-Calculus; appropriate level of scholarship in prior course.

AP Statistics

This course introduces to students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Four broad conceptual themes are presented: Exploring Data, Sampling and Experimentation, Anticipating Patterns, and Statistical Inference. A TI 83+ or TI 84 graphing calculator is required and will be used extensively in class, and on all forms of assessment. Duration 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Algebra 2, Appropriate level of scholarship in prior courses

AP Biology

This course has 2 interlocking, primary aims: to offer students a broad-based background in the many fields of biology and to prepare course participants for the Advanced Placement Exam in Biology, offered by the College Board. Students are given instruction in biochemistry, cytology, genetics, mechanisms of evolution, phylogeny, botany, microbiology, ecology and molecular biology, as it relates to the other topics. Emphasis is placed on the skills of clear, cogent essay writing, scientific method and laboratory technique. The interlocking nature of the different branches of biology is stressed. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry or sufficient evidence of academic scholarship

AP Chemistry

AP Chemistry is designed to be equivalent to a college level introductory chemistry course. Topics that were covered in Chemistry will be examined in greater depth. In addition, other topics will be introduced such as models of chemical bonding, chemical properties of gases, liquids and solids, and properties of solutions. A strong emphasis is placed on analytical problem solving skills as well as the development of good laboratory practices.Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0 Prerequisite: Honors Chemistry or sufficient evidence of academic scholarship

AP Physics C: Mechanics & Electricity/Magnetism

This course ordinarily forms the first portion of the college sequence that serves as the foundation in physics for students who are going to major in the physical sciences or engineering. This course is designed to be preceded by or paralleled with a course in Calculus. Methods of Calculus are used whenever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. The use of Calculus will increase as the course progresses with extensive use during the second half of the course in formulating principles and solving problems. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of challenging problems, some requiring Calculus, and there is an emphasis on application and analysis in the laboratory as well as in the classroom. Prior Physics coursework highly recommended. Duration: 1 Semester each; Required: No; Credit: 0.5 / 0.5; Prerequisite: Calculus (or concurrent enrollment)

AP Computer Science A

Computer Science A utilizes Java and emphasizes object-oriented programming methodology with a concentration on problem solving and algorithm development. Students taking this course should be comfortable with functions and the concepts found in the uses of functional notation. The AP Computer Science course is an introduction to computer science. Because the development of computer programs to solve problems is a skill fundamental to the study of computer science, a large part of the course is built around the development of computer programs or parts of programs that correctly solve a given problem. The course also emphasizes the design issues that make programs understandable, adaptable, and, when appropriate, reusable. At the same time, the development of useful computer programs and program modules is used as a context for introducing other important concepts in computer science, including the development and analysis of algorithms, the development and use of fundamental data structures, and the study of standard algorithms and typical applications. In addition, an understanding of the basic hardware and software components of computer systems and the responsible use of these systems are integral parts of the course.Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Algebra 2: >B- grade

AP Studio Art

The AP Studio Art course at Concordia offers instruction in the three portfolios: 2-D Drawing, 2-D Design and 3D Design. The portfolios share a basic, three-section structure called breadth-concentration-quality. Students demonstrate a depth or investigation and process of discovery through the concentration section, students show a serious grounding in visual principles and material techniques in the breadth section and the quality section allows the student to submit the works that best exhibit a synthesis of form, technique, and content. The AP Studio Art Portfolios are designed for the student who is seriously interested in the practical experience of art or attending art school. Students are required to submit one completed portfolio of choice for AP Central Board evaluation at the end of this course of study. As faculty permission is required, students are requested to submit 3 works of art for instructor review before permission to enroll is granted. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Honors Studio Art & Teacher permission

AP Art History

AP Art History course is an introductory college level course in art history with the ultimate goal of preparing students for the AP Art History Exam. The syllabus presents a chronological survey of the development of painting, sculpture and architecture from the ancient world through to the 21st century. Students learn to understand works of art within their historical context by examining issues such as politics, religion, patronage, genre, function and ethnicity, making this another significant goal of this class. Students continue to develop their ability to observe visual analysis in works of art. The course supplies students with the knowledge and skills to understand works of art through both contextual and visual analysis. Twenty percent of the course content is devoted to art beyond the European tradition. Please note: This class may or may not be offered depending on enrollment. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: none

AP Music Theory

AP Music Theory is for highly motivated music students who wish to continue to strengthen their music skills through the analytical study of theory. Course curriculum continues the development of aural, sight-reading, written, compositional, and analytical music skills. First semester expands on music theory concepts, while second semester will strengthen melodic and harmonic dictation, composition, and repertoire analysis. As in Honors Music Theory, the development of aural skills is a main objective, and the student will listen to numerous musical works, developing their “musical memory,” and their ability to understand music concerning form, harmonic structure, style, and the aesthetic qualities of music. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Honors Music Theory and/or by permission of instructor

AP Spanish

AP Spanish is a full year course that builds on Spanish 4. Students improve their ability to communicate in the tenses learned at previous levels plus learn all remaining verb tenses and all major remaining grammatical rules. Students should be able to read novels in Spanish by the end of this course. Students should achieve a level of fluency in Spanish in this course as measured by the AP Spanish exam. The major elements of this course are reading, writing, speaking and listening. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: Spanish 4 or sufficient evidence of academic scholarship

AP French

AP French is a full year course that builds on French 4. Students improve their ability to communicate in the tenses learned at previous levels plus learn all remaining verb tenses and all major remaining grammatical rules. Students should be able to read novels in French by the end of this course. Students should achieve a level of fluency in French in this course as measured by the AP French exam. The major elements of this course are reading, writing, speaking and listening. Duration: 2 Semesters; Required: No; Credit: 1.0; Prerequisite: French 4 or sufficient evidence of academic scholarship

AP Chinese Language and Composition

Concordia does not offer this as a specific class as the Heritage Mandarin program far exceeds the requirements for the AP exam. Students may register to write the AP Chinese exam after consultation with their teacher.