Government HP/Dual Enrollment DE

(Govt H - Course #11619)

OPEN TO GRADES: 12

CREDIT: 5 - Government credits per sem. (1 semester course)

PREREQUISITE: Approval into program using AP/Honors screening, including satisfactory completion of 11th grade U.S History with a C or higher, and an overall G.P.A of 2.0.

A-G Pathway: A - History/Social Science

OTHER INFO: A one-semester required course. Meets KHSD graduation requirements. Meets CSU/UC A-G entrance requirements.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed as an introduction to the institutions of American government and the political environment in which they function. These institutions are bound and shaped by a complex of democratic ideals and procedures. Among our objectives will be to analyze how effectively the government operates considering its democratic goals; how effectively citizens are able to formulate and enact their will; and how government influences and manages the will of the people. To accomplish this, we will first examine the constitutional and philosophical bases upon which our government is built and we will then focus our attention on legislative, executive and judicial institutions and the impact of public policy. Lastly, we will explore the processes by which citizens translate their aspirations into government action through political parties and elections.