Aquinas offers twelve courses for upperclassmen that have been certified to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Examination. The AP Exams are administered each May and are graded by The College Board.

​The Advanced Placement courses offered at Aquinas are:
 
AP STATISTICS
The purpose of this one-year AP course in statistics is to introduce students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students are exposed to four broad conceptual themes: 
   - Exploring Data: Describing patterns and departures from patterns.
   - Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting study.
   - Anticipating Patterns: Exploring random phenomena using probability and simulation.
   - Statistical Inference: Estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses.

 

AP CALCULUS AB
Topics to be covered will include: I. Functions, Graphs and Limits - Analysis of graphs, Limits of functions (including one-sided limits), Asymptotic and unbounded behavior, Continuity as a property of functions II, Derivatives- Concept of the derivative, Derivative at a point, Derivative as a function, Second derivatives, Applications of derivatives, Computation of derivatives III. Integrals–Interpretations and properties of definite integrals, Applications of integrals, Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, Techniques of anti-differentiation, Applications of anti-differentiation, Numerical approximations to definite integrals and slope fields.  Students are required to have a graphing calculator.  Students may apply for Saint Mary’s Calculus I credit and/or may opt to take the Advanced Placement Exam for possibly attaining college credit for this course.

 

AP CALCULUS BC

AP Calculus BC is a course in a single variable calculus that would be equivalent to a first and second semester of calculus  at most colleges and universities.  This course will provide a deeper understanding of the concepts of limit, continuity, derivatives, and integrals which are covered in AP Calculus AB.  In addition, topics covered in AP Calculus BC are parametric , polar, and vector functions, slope fields, Euler's Method, L'Hopital's Rule, Improper Integrals, Logistic differentiable equations, Polynomial approximations and Series, Maclaurin and Taylor Series.  Students may opt to take the AP Exam for a possible college credits. 

 

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

This senior-level course is intended for students who have proven to excel in close-reading, critical thinking, and analytical writing. The class mirrors a college-level literature course; successful students accept responsibility for their own learning and are comfortable with advanced or adult themes. This AP English Literature and Composition incorporates a blend of British and American Literature and pulls noted writers from over 1000 years of literary history. It is not, however, a survey course, that follows a strict time-line. The AP English course in Literature and Composition engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of literature in the form of analytical arguments. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language. Readers also consider the social, artistic, and political context of specific works. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style, theme, and tone as well as the use of figurative language, symbolism, and imagery. This course includes an intensive study of representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit.

 

AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

At the completion of English Language and Composition, the student will be able to: • Make warranted and reasonable assertions about an author’s arguments, using the Rhetorical Triangle and SOAPs; • Recognize and use rhetorical and literary terms; • Apply rhetorical and literary terminology to non-fiction, speeches, letters, reviews, and essays; • Annotate a literary text; • Read literary texts closely; • Read, understand, and answer timed analytical literary essays; • Recognize and assess the elements of different literary genres; • Read, draft, edit, and format analytic and research essays; • Answer multiple-choice questions similar to those on the Language and Composition exam, and • Use computer technology and the Internet to complement an understanding of language, composition and research.
Consistent participation in classroom discussion is mandatory and imperative to student learning. Students are highly encouraged to take the AP Language and Composition exam in May to earn college credit. Summer reading and companion writing assignments are required.

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AP BIOLOGY
AP Biology is a challenging, introductory college level course.   AP Biology is a laboratory component class, which covers all aspects of biology in great detail with a strong emphasis on problem solving, laboratory investigation and writing.  Concepts to be explored include:  Chemistry of Life; Cells; Heredity; Molecular Genetics; Diversity of Organisms; Structure and Function of Plants and Animals; and Ecology.  This course offers an opportunity to take the National AP Biology Exam in which the student may earn college credit.

 

AP CHEMISTRY
AP Chemistry is a challenging college level presentation of Chemistry flowing at a college pace with college rigor. This course overviews all aspects of beginning Chemistry with a strong emphasis on organic and biochemistry examples and applications within the confines of Chemistry.  Concepts include: periodic table modeling, nomenclature, reaction, prediction, organic chemistry, organic reaction, acid/base chemistry, equilibrium and catalyst, and nuclear chemistry.  AP Chemistry focuses on strong problem-solving skills and offers an opportunity to take the National AP Chemistry Exam in which the student may earn college credit.

 

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
AP Environmental Science (AP ES) is the equivalent of an introductory college course in environmental science. The goal of the course is to provide students with the conceptual foundation necessary to understand complex relationships in the natural world, to develop the skills required to identify and analyze environmental problems, and to examine alternate solutions for resolving and/or preventing them. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary study that draws from the biological, physical, chemical, earth sciences, and economics.  Critical thinking and problem solving application are emphasized.

 

AP PHYSICS
This course is a challenging college level presentation of Physics which flows at a college pace, with college rigor. All aspects of Physics, from motion to energy, from waves to electricity will be studied. A strong emphasis is placed on problem solving and math skills. This course offers the opportunity for student to take the National AP Physics Exam in which the student may earn college credit.

 

AP U.S. HISTORY
AP U.S. History is a survey of the history of this country and will cover events beginning with pre-Columbian America to modern events of the 21st century.  The course will culminate with the AP national exam. Students will focus on historical themes including: American diversity, American identity, culture, demographic changes, economic transformation, the environment, globalization, politics and citizenship, reform, religion, slavery and its legacies in North America, and war and diplomacy.  The course will continually examine these themes throughout the year, and focus on how these themes have helped shape the history of the United States. 

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AP U.S. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 

AP U.S. Government & Politics is to give students an in depth knowledge of the roots of governments and the current institutions that make up different governments around the world. This course contains information that will be valuable when preparing to take the AP US Government & Politics Exam. This course is best suited to students that have a strong understanding of American and an interest in U.S. Politics. This course also replaces US Government for Seniors.
 The U.S. Government & Politics portion of the course will focus on the following themes in of U.S. Government: Constitutional underpinnings of democracy; political beliefs and behaviors of individuals, political parties, interest groups and the media; institutions of national government; public policy; civil rights and civil liberties.
 Time will be built into the schedule to review the information and prepare for the AP exams in May. A premium will be placed upon studying current events in order to gain a better understanding of how the citizens interact with and influence their government. The goal is to help foment a desire to become active, engaged citizens of the United States and the world.
 Ultimately, this course is designed to prepare every student to take and pass the national exam. In order to reach this goal, students will be expected to do college-level work. Reading, writing and communicating at a high level will be essential. A premium will be placed on not only mastering a significant amount of factual information, but also interpreting, analyzing and evaluating reading materials. Even if students do not reach the goal of passing the exam, they will be well-prepared to do college-level work from the skills they have gained in this course.

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AP PSYCHOLOGY

AP Psychology will provide students an opportunity to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the systematic and scientific study of behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students will be exposed to psychological facts, principles and phenomena associated with many of the major sub-fields within psychology. Students will learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in research and practice. Content will include, but not be limited to, methods, biological basis of behavior, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning, cognition, motivation and emotion, developmental psychology, personality, testing for intelligence and personality, abnormal psychology, treatment of disorders, and social psychology. The course outline will adhere to the guidelines of the College Board. In this year long course, students will be expected to understand objective, empirical methods of collecting and interpreting data, make meaningful interconnection between disparate concepts and analyze, evaluate and critique thematic perspectives. A goal of this course is to provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses, in addition to preparing the students for the AP exam.