Signature Programs
Economics
This course is designed for students with basic or no prior background in Economics. While learning about fundamental microeconomics and macroeconomics basics, students will learn to interpret and analyze economic news and economic data. Students will learn to form their own opinions of economic issues, and will gain a deeper understanding of local, national, and global economic issues.
This course covers both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics focuses on how individual markets work and how consumers make choices. Students will learn tools of analysis including supply and demand, profit maximization, and tradeoffs. Macroeconomics focuses on the economic system as a whole, for instance the study of national income and price-level determination. Students will become familiar with topics such as economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, and economic growth. Throughout the course, students learn to use graphs, charts, and data to analyze economic concepts. This course provides a strong foundation for those who would like to continue on with AP economics, or more advanced economics classes in the future.
Course Length: 15 hours
Session Length: 1.5 hours
This research-intensive course encourages students to apply their acquired understanding of economic theory, data, and policy to better understand the COVID19 pandemic. Students will research the effects and implications that COVID19 has had on society and the global economy. Students will learn how to produce independent economic research on the global pandemic using empirical evidence and critical thinking skills. They will familiarize themselves with the analytical tools used by economists to interpret economic news and data.
Students learn to interpret economic graphs, charts, and data. Both microeconomics and macroeconomics topics will be covered in this course, giving students a strong foundation to build upon in future, more advanced economics classes.
Course Length: 15 hours
Session Length: 1.5 hours
This specially designed program was designed for students who have no prior knowledge of economics, who may plan on taking economics in high school, who are interested in competing in business competitions, or who would like to publish economics research papers. The program features two separate courses: a comprehensive introductory Economics course and a second course centered around conducting independent research. The introductory course will teach students fundamental concepts of economics such as supply and demand, profit maximization, tradeoffs, national income, and price determination.
In the second part of the program, students will use the skills they learned in the first course to produce independent economic research on the global COVID19 pandemic using empirical evidence and critical thinking skills. They will familiarize themselves with the analytical tools used by economists to interpret economic news and data. Students learn to interpret economic graphs, charts, and data. At the end of the program, students will submit a college-level research paper on the social and economic impacts of COVID19, using raw econometric analysis to support their argument. The instructor may provide students with recommendation letters on a case by case basis upon request.
Course Length: 30 hours
Session Length: 1.5 hours
Public Speaking
This course provides students with little to no prior public speaking background with an overview of the fundamentals of public speaking. Students will learn techniques to decrease anxiety, how to use visual aids to enhance presentations, and organization and research skills that will help them deliver their own successful speeches.
Students will prepare speeches on a variety of topics that are informative, persuasive, and meaningful. They will learn to evaluate speeches based on both verbal and non-verbal tones and will understand the importance of effective and active listening. By the end of the course, students will be have the skills necessary to become confident public speakers.
Course Length: 10 Hours
Session Length: 2 hours
Through listening, speaking, writing and presenting, this course teaches the ins and outs of public speaking and debate. Students will learn how to analyze and organize information into effective arguments and oral presentations.
Students will learn various speech formats, and see how to apply these formats to debates. Throughout the course, students will hone their public speaking, critical thinking, and debate abilities, all of which are life-long skills. By the end of the course, students will emerge more confident and articulate when speaking in public.
Course Length: 15 Hours
Session Length: 1.5 hours
In this course, students will learn the skills necessary to deliver an effective speech that is well structured and uses visual support. Students will learn to structure a speech, analyze an audience, understand non-verbal tone, intonation, pace, and volume, and develop a persuasive elevator pitch. Students will get to partake in role play scenarios with their fellow classmates in which they hone their negotiating and public speaking skills.
The skills learned in this course will help students master both verbal and nonverbal components of communication and negotiation that will allow them to excel in both formal interviews and daily communication.
Course Length: 500 minutes
Session Length: 50 minutes
Others
This course will help students develop their own unique voice as writers, and will ultimately prepare them to craft publishable creative pieces that can be submitted to creative writing contests. Through researching and engaging with a variety of topics and mediums such as myths, fairy tales, history, flash fiction, and poetry, students will learn techniques that will help write both clearly and concisely.
Students will learn how to analyze the nuances of the English language and will study terms such as figurative language and effective structuring.
Course Length: 15 Hours
Session Length: 1.5 hours
This course helps students who are second language learners of English learn to better identify and reproduce the unique sounds that make up the “neutral” dialect of the American accent most commonly heard on the news, the TV, and the radio. Each session will focus on phonemes, the building blocks of language. Using an experiential and practical learning method, students will learn how the correct pronunciation of vowels, consonants, blends, and unique sounds of the American dialect of English by modifying the placement of their tongue, jaw, lips, teeth, and vocal tract.
This Accent Reduction course will help students improve their ability to connect and communicate with Americans and mitigate misunderstandings and unconscious biases that may stem from a foreign dialect.
Course Length: 12.5 hours
Session Length: 50 minutes