The Social Studies Department offers a variety of courses to meet the 3.5 semester credits necessary for graduation. We also offer electives to pique your interest in many topics and issues that are relevant to the world today. Courses include human geography, U.S. civics, economics, U.S. history, world history, European history, politics, psychology and sociology. Choose from a variety of levels and formats, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Spanish Immersion, Chinese Immersion, VANTAGE, and online. Learn about and understand the world around you with courses that prepare you for critical thinking, discussion, and analysis skills necessary for post-secondary education and beyond.
Course: #1022 - English, S1
Course: #1024 - English, S2
Course: #2008 - Social Studies, S1
Course: #2010 - Social Studies, S2
*Students must register for all four courses.
Grade(s) offered: 10
Credits: .5 (per semester)
Prerequisites: Any English 9 Course Concurrent enrollment in Social Studies 2012 & 2013
This honors-level interdisciplinary course meets across two class periods and fulfills the requirements for both 10th grade social studies and English.
Course: #AP216
Online Option: T2108, Tonka Online
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
This college-level course analyzes the political systems of the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Mexico, Nigeria and Iran. By examining these six countries, students will develop an understanding of political concepts and themes.
Course: #AP208, S1
Course: #AP210, S2
Online Option: #T2112F, Tonka Online
Online Option: #T2114W, Tonka Online
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (per semester)
*Online, complete part 1 before part 2.
Prerequisites: Contemporary U.S. History; AP U.S. History; American Studies 10 Honors (B or better)
This class will survey the major trends and events in European history from the Renaissance (1350) to present day.
Course: #AP200, S1
Course: #AP202, S2
Grade: 9
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: B+ or better in 8th grade English and Social Studies
Human Geography is the study of humans and their interaction with their surroundings. An emphasis on spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences are the guiding ideas behind this course.
Course: #AP218
Online Option: #T2106W, Tonka Online
*Select term S=Summer, W=winter
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
Students will study economic growth, inflation, unemployment, foreign trade, monetary, and fiscal policies at a college freshman level.
Course: #V102
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11 or Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 social studies credit
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Global Business track. For details about taking AP Microeconomics through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
Course: #V200
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11 or Grade 12
Credits 1.0 social studies credit
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Health Sciences track. For details about taking AP Psychology through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
Course: #AP220
Online Option: #T2100, Tonka Online
This course may also be taken as part of VANTAGE #V200
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental process. This AP class is an introduction to college-level Psychology using a college text, “collegiate-style” pace and classroom climate, and college-level exams.
Course: #AP204, S1
Course: #AP206, S2
Grade(s) offered: 10
Credits: .5 (per semester)
Prerequisites: Civics and Human Geography; AP Human Geography
Students complete advanced level reading, writing, and analysis on topics in the history of the U.S. Reading assignments come from a college-level text, and students work with others to become more skilled at writing historical essays.
Course: #AP214
Online Option: #T2110, Tonka Online
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
Through readings, research, discussions, field experiences, and media presentations, students will study political ideologies, parties, campaigns, elections, interest groups, bureaucracy, civil liberties, role of the media, the judicial, legislative and executive processes, and the creation of public policy.
Course: #AP224, S1
Course: #AP225, S2
Online Option:#T2102F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option:#T2104W, part 2, Tonka Online
Grades Offered: 11-12
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: Contemporary U.S. History; AP U.S. History; American Studies 10 Honors (grade B or better)
Students complete advanced level reading, writing, and analysis on topics in World History.
Course: #2000, S1
Course: #2002, S2
Grade(s) offered: 9
Credits: .5 (per semester)
Prerequisites: None
This course includes the foundation and principles of U.S. government and citizenship.
Course: #IM108, S1 Chinese
Course: #IM110, S2 Chinese
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: K-8 enrollment in Chinese Immersion
Conducted in Chinese, this two-semester course includes the study of the foundation and principles of United States government and citizenship.
Course: #IM208, S1 Spanish
Course: #IM210, S2 Spanish
Grade(s) offered: Grade 9
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: K-8 enrollment in Spanish Immersion
Taught in Spanish, this two-semester course includes the study of the foundation and principles of United States government and citizenship.
Course: #2004, S1
Course: #2006, S2
Online Option: #T2004*, Tonka Online
*Select term S=summer, F=fall
Online Option: #T2006*, Tonka Online
*Select term S=summer, W=winter
Grade(s) offered: 10
Credits: .5 (per semester)
Prerequisites: Human Geography and Civics; AP Human Geography
This two-semester course will provide a thematic study of persons, events and national developments in U.S. History with a focus on the 20th Century to the present. This course will prepare students for an understanding of the role of the U.S. in the world after WWI.
Course: #2022
Grade(s) Offered: grade 11, grade 12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
*This course does not fulfill your 3.5 credits in Social Studies but may be taken as an elective in addition to your required coursework.
In this class, students will explore how disability, through the lens of neurodiversity, can enrich the world. The course will serve as a multidisciplinary, multisensory and accessible analysis of disability in American culture.
Course: #2016
Online Option: T2016
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
This course may also be taken as part of VANTAGE #V300 (choose one).
Prerequisites: None
This course covers economic concepts through the prism of international issues such as: globalization, the rise of China, and the many issues involving the Middle East.
Course: #V300
Grades Offered: Grade 11 or Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 social studies credit
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Global Sustainability track. For details about taking Global Studies and Economics through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Global Sustainability track. For details about taking Global Studies and Economics through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
Course: #IB212, S1
Course: #IB214, S2
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: 1 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: None
This one-year course covers macroeconomics and microeconomics as well as development and international economics.
Course: #IM264, S1
Course: #IM265, S2
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: K-10/11 enrollment in Spanish Immersion
*This is a year-long social studies elective course which can be applied to the 12th grade required social studies credit.
**Students who have already completed IB Global Politics through the Vantage International Relations strand are NOT eligible for this course.
This course aims to develop international mindedness and an awareness of multiple perspectives while studying contemporary political issues around the world.
Course: #V800
Grade offered: Grade 11, Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
*This is a year-long social studies elective course which can be applied to the 12th grade required social studies credit*
*Students who have already completed IB Global Politics in Spanish are NOT eligible for this strand.
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE International Relations track. For details about taking IB Global Politics SL through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
Course: #IB200, Year 1, S1
Course: #IB202, Year 1, S2
Course: #IB204, Year 2, S1
Course: #IB206, Year 2, S2
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: 2.0 (two-year course)
Prerequisites: AP U.S. History, Contemporary U.S. History, American Studies 10 Honors
This course is a two-year introduction to contemporary world history. The first year of the course begins with units that include the Industrial Revolution in Britain, Europe, and Japan as well as a study of Imperial Russia, revolutions and the emergence of the Soviet State.
Course: #IB208, S1
Course: #IB210, S2
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: 1.0 (year-long course)
Prerequisites: None
IB psychology examines the interaction of biological, cognitive and sociocultural influences on human behavior.
Course: #V700
Grade(s) offered: Grade 11 or Grade 12
Credits: 1.0 social studies credit AND 4.0 University of Minnesota credits for the Political Sciences 1001 course
This course is offered as part of the VANTAGE Public Policy track. For details about taking CIS American Democracy in a Changing World through VANTAGE, visit the VANTAGE page of the Skipper Log.
Course: T2099*, Tonka Online (W=winter, S=summer)
Grade(s) offered: 10-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: Counseling dept. approval only
This online course is designed to meet the needs of students seeking credit for the completion of U.S. government and politics standards that are required for graduation.
Course: #2018
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
*This course does not fulfill your 3.5 credits in Social Studies but may be taken as an elective in addition to your required coursework.
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental process. Topics include the brain’s influence/control of everyday activity, sleep and dreams, human development, learning and thinking, psychological disorders, relationships, and the influence of social settings on behavior.
Course: #2020
Grade(s) offered: 11-12
Credits: .5 (semester course)
Prerequisites: None
*This course does not fulfill your 3.5 credits in Social Studies but may be taken as an elective in addition to your required coursework.
Sociology is the study of humans and their behavior in groups. Through readings, individual research, speakers, discussions, and audiovisual presentations, students will study culture, change, relationships, socialization, and social organization.
Course: #2012, S1
Course: #2014, S2
Online Option: T2012F, part 1, Tonka Online
Online Option:T2014W, part 2, Tonka Online
Grade(s) offered: 11
Credits: .5 (per semester)
Prerequisites: Contemporary U.S. History; AP U.S. History; American Studies 10 Honors
This course concentrates on the historical and geographic themes of the world from Early Civilizations through the Modern World.
VANTAGE is Minnetonka High School’s advanced professional studies program. Through experiential learning, VANTAGE offers a unique opportunity for students to apply their coursework in real-world settings.
Connect your interest in social studies to future career opportunities by taking a VANTAGE course:
Global Business
Explore business functions from a global perspective, learning fundamental concepts from economics and research best practices to persuasive techniques, public speaking and effective communication. This year-long, three-credit track includes AP Seminar (one English credit), IB Business Management SL or HL (one elective business credit) and AP Microeconomics (one social studies credit).
Global Sustainability
Study the environment and global economics through the lenses of physical, biological and information sciences. From corporate sustainability, food science, food security, and food safety to water systems, waste systems energy conservation and more, engage in real-world experiences in the fields related to global sustainability. This year-long, two-credit track includes Global Studies and Economics (one social studies credit) and AP Environmental Science (one elective science credit).
Health Sciences
Explore health sciences fields and develop an understanding of psychology and the human system, including a generalist view of the many professions available as a prospective health care professional. This year-long, 2.25-credit track includes AP Psychology (one social studies credit), Human Anatomy (one elective science credit), Medical Sciences (.25 elective science credit) and the opportunity to earn certification as a nursing assistant registered or emergency medical responder.
International Relations
International Relations is an introductory course on international politics and the relations between actors in the global political system. The overarching goal of this course is for students to critically engage with diverse and opposing perspectives to better understand the changing world and their role as citizens. This year-long, two-credit track includes IB Global Politics SL (one social studies credit) and College Writing (one English credit).
Public Policy
Explore the professional world of public policy formulation, including national, state, and local government; public relations, public interest organizations, issue-advocacy organizations, political parties, and more. This year-long, two-credit track includes AP Seminar (one English credit) and CIS (College in the Schools) American Democracy in a Changing World (one social studies credit). You will also earn 4 University of Minnesota credits through the CIS (College in the Schools) program.
Minnetonka Public Schools adheres to academic standards developed by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).
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