US Electives

The purpose of this course is to give students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to national income and price determination, economic performance measures, economic growth, and international economics. The course places primary emphasis on the measurement of economic performance; national income and price determination; inflation; and unemployment and stabilization policies. Other topics studied include the financial sectors, economic growth and productivity, and international trade and finance in the open economy.

The purpose of this course is to give students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision-makers, both consumers and producers, within the larger economic system. The course places primary emphasis on the nature and functions of product markets and includes the study of market structures, factor markets and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.

Psychology is, at its core, a theory of how the human mind works and psychologists have hotly debated various subtopics for 100 years, if not longer. Questions reviewed in this course include the universal questions relating to the "mind-body problem," questions of group behavior, the functions of humor, the role of language and many more. Furthermore, we explore psychological issues particularly relevant to adolescents. These issues, science, theories and practices of psychology are the pivotal themes explored in this class. This course is only offered to 12th-grade students selected to participate in the Peer Leadership program.

Newspaper offers the opportunity for students to learn all aspects of newspaper production as they work to publish Pace Academy's award-winning student publication, The Knightly News. Students work collaboratively to plan the production schedule; identify content; research, write and edit articles; provide photos and other visuals to support their stories; and design and lay out the newspaper. In the process, students learn planning and leadership skills, interviewing skills, writing techniques, elements of photojournalism, design trends and desktop publishing.

Personal Fitness is a one-semester course aimed at building lifelong healthy habits. Our professional training staff designs an individualized exercise and wellness program for each member of the class. The program emphasizes nutrition, cardiovascular training, strength training and healthy lifestyle habits. The goal is for students to carry this experience beyond their time in the class and maintain their program going forward.

Students gain in-school service credit by assisting administrative offices in their daily tasks. (Students may take Community Engagement as a sixth course, although the course does not carry a unit of credit.)

Yearbook involves all aspects of the Pacesetter production except printing. Students receive instruction on the latest publishing software, journalism and photography. They select and develop a theme, design computer layouts, gather information through student and faculty interviews, plan photography, create features, write copy, create ads and edit proofs, while meeting strict printing deadlines. They distribute school photos in the fall and yearbooks in the spring, and senior staff members create a senior slide show.