In an increasingly shrinking and interconnected global village, history can lead to a better understanding of diverse cultures and of our shared humanity.

Strengths:

• The study of history is valued by the school, and this value is illustrated by the graduation requirement of eight semesters.
• There is a clear scope and sequence so that students experience a general coverage over time, geography and cultures through required classes in Non-western History, Western Tradition and American History.
• Teachers use various methods to address individual student needs in a personalized approach.
• The department emphasizes writing.
• The faculty brings a broad range of experience and interests to the school.

Courses offered:
 
AP U.S. History
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Economics
Ethics in Modern Society
History of Evolutionary Thought
Nonwestern History
Religious Wars (1000-1660)
Revolutionary Europe (1750 – 1850)
U.S. Government
U.S. History
Western Tradition
 
January Term Courses: 
American Revolution
Colonial America
Comparative Mythology
Course of Empires
Decoding Da Vinci
Failed States: History of Afghanistan
Just War Theory
Law: Students and the Constitution
The Lure of Everest
Mohammed Ali & the Civil Rights Movement
Research Scholars Program

Click here for course descriptions

Vision Statement of the University High School History and Social Studies Department

Important to the humanist mission of University High School, history and the disciplines of social studies enable students to develop their sense of identity and their place in the human story. Furthermore, history/social studies provide a framework for the humanities by demonstrating their evolution over time within a historical context. The other humanities broaden understanding of the historical past. University High School is committed to the integration of the humanities within its curriculum, and history stands at the nexus of that commitment.
 
For students to benefit from the historian’s craft, the Department of History and Social Studies offers courses that require and enable students to explore, understand and celebrate the human experience over time. Running through all classes is an emphasis on the development and use of the historian’s skills. Formal research methods; evaluation of primary and secondary sources; the sorting and assessment of data; critical analysis; and written and spoken communication are essential. The depth of analysis expected of students increases as students advance from the evaluation of relevance and importance to the evaluation of sources, causation and influence.
 
These curricular goals do not diminish the commitment to the individual student. A variety of pedagogies and methodologies encourage response from students with different learning styles. In addition, the faculty makes the effort to personalize their expectations of the students to encourage students to participate and learn.
 
History and social studies are essential elements of a liberal education. They help explain the present and point to the future. Students gain an understanding of the importance of the past to their individual lives and to their era, and they develop historical empathy in the face of pervasive present-mindedness. In an increasingly shrinking and interconnected global village, history can lead to a better understanding of diverse cultures and of our shared humanity by exploring the interaction of change and continuity in our age of accelerating change. History and social studies also lend themselves to critical thinking through analysis and evaluation within a historical perspective and to recognition of the cause and effect in the human experience. Practicing the art and methodology of historical research leads to a full appreciation of the discipline of history and its many benefits.