Political Science 135

• Teaches the political structure, processes, institutions, and policymaking of the US national government. 

• Focuses on the three branches of government, their interrelationships, and how they shape policy. 

• Addresses federalism; civil liberties and civil rights; political socialization and participation; public opinion, the media; interest groups; political parties; elections; and policymaking. 

• The assignments in the course require college-level reading fluency and coherent communication through written reports.

Major Topics Include

• American Government and Civic Engagement

• Constitution and its Origins

• Federalism, Political Parties

• Civil Liberties, Civil Rights

• Public Opinion and Political Socialization

• Voting and Elections, The Media

• Interest Groups and Lobbying

• The Presidency, Congress, The Courts

• The Bureaucracy, Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy

Political Science 136

• Teaches structure, powers, and functions of state and local government in the United States.

• Enable students to demonstrate a well-rounded knowledge of state and local government and politics; understand the fundamentals of the structure, power, and functions of state and local government; and, understand the unique characteristics of the individual states.  

Major Topics Include

• Who Governs? States and Localities in America’s Constitutional Order

• Federalism

• State Constitutionalism

• People and Their States

• State Parties and Elections

• Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Power

• Administration

• Local Governance

•  State-Local Relations

• Federal-Local Relations

• Budgeting and the Fiscal State

• Metropolitan Issues

• Health, Education, and Welfare

*The age-appropriate curriculum for this course is prescribed by College Board (Advanced Placement), International Baccalaureate (IBDP, IBCP), the Virginia Community College System (Dual Enrollment), the Virginia Department of Education Standards of Learning (SOLs), or is developed in alignment with best practices for the specialized elective course content. Instruction designed and delivered for this course is done so in alignment with standards developed by those organizations and institutions. As such, HCPS may not substitute, alter, or omit prescribed course content including that which relate(s) to human sexuality. In accordance with P7-05-008, a detailed list of assigned instructional material that contains sexually explicit content that must be taught during this course is available for parental review in advance of course enrollment. As this is an elective course and the materials may not be altered, Parents wishing to request alternative materials for their student may wish to enroll their student in a different course.