New Directions College Electives

DESIGN AND MIXED MEDIA 1 & 2 (0125 – 0126)
Grade Level: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Meets the UC/CSU “f or g” requirement (for Mt. Carmel HS, Rancho Bernardo HS, Poway HS, & Westview HS)
Students enrolled in Design and Mixed Media 1-2 will be introduced to the basic elements and principles of art through exploration in various design assignments. This course will provide opportunities for the student through guided experiences, discussion, and explorations that emphasize art criticism, art history and art philosophy, as well as art production.

LAW IN ACTION (1350)
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: None
Meets the UC/CSU “a or g” requirement (for Westview HS only)
Recommended Prerequisite: None
Law in Action is a practical, participatory education about law, democracy, and human rights. The curriculum promotes knowledge of legal rights and responsibilities, engagement in the democratic process, and belief in the rule of law. This course’s approach to law related education is to provide practical information and problem solving opportunities that develop in student’s knowledge and skills necessary for survival in our law-saturated society. 

PSYCHOLOGY (1325)
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: None
Meets the UC/CSU “g” requirement (for Mt. Carmel HS, Rancho Bernardo HS, & Westview HS only)
Psychology 1 deals with the factors that influence human behavior and personality. The topics covered include: nature vs. nurture, the evolution of psychology as a science, approaches to treatment, mind over matter, the biology of behavior, sensation and perception, motivation and abnormal behavior.

SOCIOLOGY (1360)
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: None
Meets the UC/CSU “g” requirement (for Mt. Carmel HS & Westview HS only)
Sociology is the study of human relationships through analysis of groups: types, structure, dynamics, function. Since the individual belongs to various kinds of social groups, the purpose of this course will be to show: why groups form, how they are organized, what their purpose is in fulfilling the needs of individual members and of society as a whole, and how they are affected by outside influences. This course will help students identify the commonality of human behavior in groups and the similarity of those groups throughout the world.  

WORLD CULTURE/GEOGRAPHY
Grade Level: 9
Prerequisite: None
Meets the UC/CSU “g” requirement (for Mt. Carmel HS & Rancho Bernardo HS only) 
This elective course will serve as an introduction for 9th graders to gain knowledge of social science concepts and develop skills that will prepare students to be successful in the required social science courses. The first part of the course will be devoted to world and U.S. geography: physical, political, and cultural. This will be followed with a comparative world-religions unit and the development of western civilization to 1400 A.D., with emphasis on Judeo-Christian heritage and classical civilizations. Emphasis will also be given to developing critical thinking skills.