The Secondary Division is now closed to new applicants. Those who have already applied may refer to this page to see which classes potentially have spots left.
Course Listings
Click on each course title for course details, full descriptions, and schedules. Use the filter to reduce the list of titles to that type.
Help me choose! See Choosing a Course to learn about the different types of Secondary Division courses.
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Writing & Literature | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Writing Process |
| 18 | TuTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Writing Process closeFor students mastering middle school writing skills and transitioning to high school. Explores various methods of analysis and the stages of writing. Also offered online. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours This course is recommended for students completing Grades 7 and 8. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): Exceptionally well-prepared Sixth Graders may apply for this course.$210 Full course descriptionThis course is meant for students who are mastering their middle school writing and analytical skills and transitioning to high school. Students will engage in the full process of writing, including pre-writing, drafting, editing and revising. Emphasis will be placed on drawing evidence and insights from close readings of model literary works and multimedia texts (e.g., film, documentaries, interviews). Students will investigate the many purposes for which authors write and will become purposeful readers and writers. They will also study qualities of good writing, consider how to write persuasively on different topics, and become thoughtful readers and reviewers of their classmates' work. Schedules
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Analytical Writing | Click for details | 20 | MTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Analytical Writing closeFor students mastering high school writing skills and transitioning to college-level textual analysis. This course is also offered online. Prerequisite: Completion of 1 year of high school English, or permission of the Director. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 20 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:English (B) ‑ UC Honors designation Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis course, taught at the advanced high school level, will allow students to strengthen their analytical reading and writing skills. Students will practice reading with care and will hold meaningful discussions about the texts they study, which may include visual texts as well as written texts. They will learn to incorporate critical thought and deep textual analysis to produce well-organized, well-written, well-developed, and intellectually complex essays. They will perform the stages of writing from clarification of the assignment to final revision, working on research, composition, and editing. Schedules
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Advanced Creative Writing |
| 16 | TuTh | 710 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Creative Writing closeFor high school students with a keen interest in fiction and creative writing. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 16 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:English (B) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionStudents will read short stories, poems, and a novel, as well as many past student exemplary narratives to learn a variety of creative writing techniques. They will discuss the form and purpose of meta-fiction, and revise their writing through many peer and teacher feedbacks before presenting a choice finished work. In all stories and their clever meta-narratives, students will also learn to be mindful to develop thoughtful tones anchored in rhythmic cinematic world-building and character dialogues that ring true in compelling, thematically weighted plots. Schedules
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Fine Arts | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Public Speaking |
| 14 | TuTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Public Speaking closeFor students who want to develop writing and speaking skills. Covers a variety of speaking styles, oratory, and debate. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 14 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 6, 7, 8 or 9; completion of Grade 7 recommended. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): Exceptionally well-prepared returning sixth graders may apply for this course.$210 Full course descriptionStudents in this course will develop the writing and performance skills needed to become clear, compelling, confident, and persuasive public speakers. We will practice a variety of speaking styles, including impromptu (speaking “off the cuff” with minimum preparation time), dramatic interpretation (of monologues from novels, plays, and films), debate (defending a position on a controversial issue), and oratory (a formal speech that seeks to inform, inspire, or persuade on a topic of your choice). We will also study, view, and analyze the performances of some of the most powerful orators of the past century. If you are seeking to reduce your anxiety about public speaking, this course provides a friendly, nonthreatening environment in which to increase your confidence. If you already enjoy public speaking, you will have an opportunity to enhance and practice your skills. Schedules
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Fundamentals of Art |
| 16 | MWF | 760 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fundamentals of Art closeComplete multiple projects in this hands-on studio art class using a variety of media. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 16 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified SD students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Visual & Performing Arts (F) Tuition Total: $760 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts July 1 and ends July 26.$260 Full course descriptionThis course is a comprehensive survey of the fundamentals of visual art and design. Together, we will learn how to fuse technique and concept to realize our creative vision and develop our unique artistic voices. Through drawing, painting, sculpture and photography, we will learn how to select the best medium for our message. Through peer review we will present our art for our peers to analyze, discuss, and give constructive criticism. The class will involve both group and individual instruction and feedback, and is suitable for a range of ages and levels. List of course topics
Schedules
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Architectural Design |
| 33 | MWF | 1190 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Architectural Design closeFor students who want to develop their creative skills and eye for detail, from planning and designing projects to building and presenting finished models. No technical background is needed. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-8 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 33 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $1190 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course includes a supply list.$400 Full course descriptionThis course will introduce students to the discipline of architectural design. They will learn about the causes and consequences of architectural design through contemporary and historical examples. They will develop critical skills of observation that will allow them to see the built environment as the materialization of design but also as the representation of social values that respond to specific cultural ideas. By learning to analyze and design space with critical eyes, they will understand the potential of architectural design in building human relations, from the scale of the house to that of the city. They will learn the basic drawing and drafting skills necessary to design and re-imagine spaces. Overall, this course aims to offer students the possibility to see architecture as a means to their creativity and their potential professional path. Schedules
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Languages | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
First-Year Japanese | Click for details | 33 | MWF | 1030 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
First-Year Japanese closeLearn Japanese through varied activities like movement, storytelling, and conversation. Complete the full year of Japanese 1 in six weeks, requiring significant self-study prior to the start of class. Access a free self-paced prep course here. Prerequisite: This course requires a passing score on a readiness test. Self-paced prep assignments are available here. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-8 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 33 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified SD students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Language Other than English (E) Tuition Total: $1030 Total with full aid award (estimated): $290 Full course descriptionThis course is based on a fun, playful, and effective approach to learning Japanese. This method is a synthesis of many innovative teaching techniques developed to help accelerate students' language learning. The two major components of this course are: (1) acquisition of basic communication skills of elementary Japanese and (2) learning hiragana and katakana syllabaries as well as some kanji characters. The language is taught through multiple mediums including pictures, graphics, audio, video, and conversation practices. Students also learn about modern Japanese life. This course is equivalent to one year of high school Japanese. Schedules
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Second-Year Japanese | Click for details | 33 | MWF | 1030 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Second-Year Japanese closeContinue where First-Year Japanese left off, focusing on conversation, listening, and additional kanji. Complete the full year of Japanese 2 in six weeks. Prerequisite: Completion of First-Year Japanese, or permission of the Director. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-8 hrs. per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 33 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Language Other than English (E) Tuition Total: $1030 Total with full aid award (estimated): $290 Full course descriptionUsing a multi-modal approach, the class will begin where First-Year Japanese left off. The course will include a comprehensive review of katakana and kanji that students have already learned, and the introduction of much more kanji. Emphasis will be placed on consolidation of listening and speaking skills; the additional grammar and constructions will advance students’ understanding even further. In addition to our focus on learning the language, students will learn about culture and customs in contemporary Japanese life. This course covers the full content of second-year high school Japanese. Schedules
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Computer Science | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Computer Science |
| 18 | MWF | 870 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Computer Science closeSolving Problems with PythonFor students new to coding with no computer science experience. Covers fundamental concepts in a semester-equivalent programming course. This course was previously titled Introduction to Programming. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified SD students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 17 and ends July 12.$345 Full course descriptionThis course is designed for complete beginners with no previous background in computer science. The course is highly visual, dynamic, and interactive, making it engaging for new coders. This course teaches the foundations of computer science and basic programming, with an emphasis on students developing logical thinking and problem solving skills. In this course students will learn material equivalent to a semester high school introductory course in Computer Science and be able to program in Python. Conditionals, looping, functions and data structures are all covered extensively. The course utilizes a blended classroom approach. The content is fully web-based, with students writing and running code in the browser. Teachers utilize tools and resources to give focused one-on-one attention to students. Schedules
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Elements of Web Design |
| 25 | MWF | 1190 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elements of Web Design closeThe Internet ClassroomFor highly collaborative students with a keen interest in coding, visual design, and the sociocultural impacts of the Internet. No programming experience required. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified SD students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $1190 Total with full aid award (estimated): Exceptionally well-prepared Sixth Graders may apply for this course.$400 Full course descriptionIn this introductory course, students combine computer code with graphic design to create their own websites. The curriculum is highly collaborative, including many pair and group activities. Students begin with the concept of syntax and character encoding. They will become familiar with computer networks and file systems as they build web pages from the ground up using HTML and CSS. Advanced students have the freedom to flex their creative muscles: coding topics will be balanced with a discussion of good visual design, usability, and layout, including digital graphics production and complex techniques. Each student will also step into the role of content creator, producing brief reflections that explore non-technical topics such as misinformation effects, the role and responsibilities of Big Tech, intellectual property & copyright, social justice & law, and yes: memes. This course provides the necessary foundation for students who want to continue on to contemporary web/mobile app development. Schedules
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Computer Science Principles |
| 30 | MWF | 1190 | Varies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Computer Science Principles closeFor students new to coding with no computer science experience. Covers the majority of topics in AP Computer Science Principles in six weeks. With additional self-study and review, students will be prepared to take the AP exam in May. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 30 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up; completion of Grade 9 recommended. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designation Tuition Total: $1190 Total with full aid award (estimated): ATDP does not provide AP testing. Students who want to register for the AP CSP test will need to check with high schools in their area.$400 Full course descriptionThis course is accessible for beginning programmers, but covers all of the content included in the AP Computer Science Principles course and will prepare students to independently take that exam in May 2024. In this course, students will develop computational thinking skills vital for success across all disciplines, such as using computational tools to analyze and study data and working with large data sets to analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from trends. The course engages students in the creative aspects of the field by allowing them to develop computational artifacts based on their interests. Students will also develop effective communication and collaboration skills by working individually and collaboratively to solve problems, and will discuss and write about the impacts these solutions could have on their community, society, and the world. Students cultivate their understanding of computer science through working with data, collaborating to solve problems, and developing computer programs as they explore concepts like creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the Internet, and the global impact of computing. Schedules
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Web Development | Click for details | 20 | TuTh | 870 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Web Development closeThe Advanced Internet ClassroomFor students who have mastered foundational web design and programming concepts, and who want to build independent web development skills. Covers "full stack" coding on frontend and backend, including database design fundamentals. Prerequisite: Completion of Elements of Web Design and AP Computer Science A, or a passing score on a placement test, or permission of the Director. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hrs. per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 20 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): $345 Full course descriptionWant to build your own online store, personality quiz site, or even your own Discord-style platform? This project-based course will teach students how to build complex, dynamic websites using mainstay languages like PHP and Javascript. This course expands on the concepts in Elements of Web Design and computer programming classes. While we will spend some time on interactive graphical elements, most of our attention will focus on how data flows from the backend. Students will become familiar with several new languages and the basics of database programming & relational data design. As the complexity of coursework increases, students will be introduced to topics in programming ethics, examining how these capabilities impact modern societies and culture, such as through AI and "Big Data." Particular attention will be paid to the reading and comprehension of programming APIs, affording students the skills to learn the newest technologies as independent computer scientists. Schedules
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Social Sciences | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship |
| 21 | TuF | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship closeFor students who want to develop the skills necessary to move progressively from idea to impact. Students will work in teams to practice market research and develop their business strategy. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 21 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis course will introduce you to the fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship, providing you a blueprint for the ideas and strategies to build a successful venture. Students will launch their own venture with collaboration from classmates and with mentorship from the instructor and other Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. This course explores the fundamentals and principles of entrepreneurship for the modern day, and provides real-world, hands-on learning on "what-ifs" to successfully transfer knowledge into products, processes and services that benefit society. Student teams will engage with industry, talking to customers, partners and competitors, as they encounter the chaos and uncertainty of transferring knowledge into products and processes for a successful launch. List of course topics
Schedules
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The Practice of Law |
| 18 | TuF | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Practice of Law closeAn Overview of Law SchoolIntroduces students to the core curriculum of law school, including torts, criminal law, trial procedure, constitutional law, evidence, contract law, and legal research & drafting. Culminates in a mock trial. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis course will provide an overview of the social institutions and functions addressed in the practice of law. Students will participate in each of the lawyer’s roles: investigation, research, factual analysis, advocacy, trial preparation, and dispute resolution. In the process, students will examine the nature and history of law, interrogate parties, argue hypothetical cases, present evidence, and draft legal pleadings and documents. This class will encourage open participation in lively classroom activities and projects, including roundtable debates and discussions, oral argument, evidentiary inquiry, and forensic analysis, with a premium placed on the robust exchange of diverse ideas and opinions. Substantive areas covered will embrace the core curriculum of American law schools, including torts, criminal law, trial practice and procedure, constitutional law, evidence, contract law, and legal research and drafting. The course will feature a whole-class mock trial. Schedules
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Honors Psychology |
| 30 | MWF | 1030 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honors Psychology closeCovers material equivalent to the full year of AP Psychology in six weeks. College-level texts are used. With additional self-study and review, students will be prepared to take the AP exam in May. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 30 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up; completion of Grade 10 recommended. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $1030 Total with full aid award (estimated): ATDP does not provide AP testing. Students who want to register for the AP Psychology test will need to check with high schools in their area.$290 Full course descriptionThis course provides a rigorous introduction to the fundamental concepts in psychology and prepares students for the May 2024 AP examination in psychology. Topics include the neurological processes that lead to thought and behavior, the processes that allow people to sense and perceive information from the environment, sleep and dreams, behavior, sources of the motivation to act, emotional experiences, language, memory, human development across the lifespan, personality, psychological disorders, types of therapies, bias and discrimination, research methods, and statistics. The course uses a college textbook and requires that students do a significant amount of independent reading. Students come to class prepared to engage in interactive work, such as the analysis of case studies and current or historical events. Students also design and carry out an independent research project. In order to fully prepare students for the AP examination, students get ample practice answering AP-style questions. Schedules
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Data Science Lab with R | Click for details | 21 | MWF | 1030 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data Science Lab with R closeFor advanced high schoolers who want to explore the intersections of social science, computer science, and statistics. Students should have a basic background in understanding linear regression. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II/Trigonometry or Integrated Math 3. Prior experience with computer programming is strongly recommended but not required. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 21 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up; completion of Grade 10 recommended. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designation Tuition Total: $1030 Total with full aid award (estimated): This class requires students to have access to a laptop with Windows/Mac OS (not a Chromebook, tablet, or smartphone) that they can bring to class. Students will need to be able to install freely available software specific to this class curriculum to complete in-class assignments and homework.$290 Full course descriptionData science is the practice of extracting knowledge from data in a reproducible fashion and then effectively communicating the results. This course introduces college-level data science concepts, combining three perspectives: (1) inferential thinking, (2) computational thinking and (3) real-world relevance. Given data arising from some real-world phenomenon, how do you analyze that data so as to understand that phenomenon? The course teaches critical concepts and skills in computer programming and statistical inference, in conjunction with hands-on analysis of real-world datasets, using technology platforms commonly to research teams. The course will also explore social issues surrounding data analysis such as privacy and bias. Schedules
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Natural Sciences | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Neuroscience |
| 20 | MW | 870 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Neuroscience closeUnderstanding Your BrainFor current middle school students with an interest in functional neuroanatomy and cognitive science. This course takes place in a campus lab and requires strict adherence to safety procedures. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 20 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7 or 8. Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): $345 Full course description"We use our brains at every moment of our lives, and yet few of us have the first idea how they work." -Aamodt & Wang, Welcome to your Brain Schedules
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Introduction to Biotechnology |
| 18 | TuTh | 870 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Biotechnology closeFor current middle schoolers preparing for high school biology. Introduces concepts through hands-on lab work and modern research technologies. This course takes place in a campus lab and requires strict adherence to safety procedures. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7 or 8. Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): $345 Full course descriptionIn this course, students will be introduced to the principles and techniques of molecular biology that are used to study and manipulate DNA in basic research, medicine, forensics, and agriculture. We will begin by studying the structure and chemistry of DNA, and we will then learn about many of the laboratory techniques used in recombinant DNA technology, including restriction digests, PCR, bacterial transformation, and immunological assays. In each class meeting, students will conduct hands-on experiments and learn about the real-world uses and implications of biotechnology. Additionally, students will complete weekly current events reports and examine the ethical considerations raised by advances in the field. Schedules
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Understanding Climate Change - Canceled | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Understanding Climate Change closeFor students interested in an interdisciplinary exploration of climate change, ecological issues, and environmental science. A strong background in natural science (biology, chemistry, physics), math, and writing is recommended. Prerequisite: None; fundamentals in biology, chemistry, and algebra recommended. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 21 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 24 and ends July 19.$210 Full course descriptionClimate change is the defining crisis of our time, and today's students are the last generation that can mitigate its worst effects. In this class, we will study the causes, effects and feedback loops of climate change, then take a deep dive into solutions. Students will learn how they can work for the climate at the personal, regional and global scale. We will start with some key questions: "what is important to you?" and "how do you know what information to trust?" Students will conduct independent research on electricity production, regional scale solutions and a topic of personal interest, and present their work through writing, slides and posters. We will take field trips to the botanical garden and an energy efficient building that houses several climate friendly projects. Lectures, discussions, and educational videos round out the class. Schedules
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Exploring Chemistry |
| 25 | MWF | 870 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exploring Chemistry closeFor middle schoolers who want a preview of high school chemistry topics and labs. This course takes place in a campus lab and requires strict adherence to safety procedures. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7 or 8. Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 17 and ends July 12.$345 Full course descriptionIn this exploratory chemistry course, we will focus on developing analytical and quantitative skills to investigate how matter changes. Through hands-on laboratory experiments students will observe properties of matter, investigate chemical/physical changes and prove the conservation of mass during chemical change. The focus of the lab activities is to understand how to use data to make explicit claims that are based on evidence and are backed up with chemical principles. These goals are achieved through daily lectures, labs, and discussions. First half of the class is dedicated to discussion of homework followed by a lecture on the chemistry principle behind the day's lab investigation. The second half of the time will be dedicated to an inquiry-based laboratory experiment. Students will develop their observational and analytical skills by recording their results and performing quantitative analysis. Through their analysis, they will learn about some of the fundamental concepts in chemistry, such as atomic structure, the periodic table, molarity of aqueous solutions, the natural tendencies and forces that make chemicals react with one another. Students will leave this course with laboratory chemistry skills and a greater understanding of how chemistry is at work in the world around them. Schedules
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Electronics Lab | Click for details | 25 | MWF | 870 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electronics Lab closeA project based approach to electronics engineering and circuitryStudents who are interested in learning the guiding principles of electronics and designing circuits from basic components and microchips would enjoy and learn from this course. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1 On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 17 and ends July 12.$345 Full course descriptionThis course is an invitation to discovering electronics by creating successively complex projects, through the iterative process of refining, troubleshooting, and modifying circuit designs and creating meaningful extensions. The course emphasizes group work among students and promoting modular design principles, where students create barebones circuits with limited functionality and then add features based on user-friendliness, interface requirements, and practical and economic considerations, and then learn to integrate modules. This lies at the heart of engineering design. In the process, they arrive at an operational understanding of currents and voltages as it relates to passive components like resistors and capacitors as well as the semiconductor behavior underlying transistors, diodes and microchips. Students will learn about the basics of electrical engineering principles through a visceral understanding about how body resistance affects current by shorting batteries, intentionally destroying some components to understand the reasons behind their failure, and then graduate to understanding the basics of analog circuits through the switching operations of electromechanical relays. They will then connect and extend their ideas about timing circuits controlled by capacitors and explore the electrical equivalent of a spring by building oscillators. The principles underlying this behavior are then extended to solid state devices like the transistor, where students will explore and learn about the advantages of using it as a switching device. The first project will be to build a light and sound modulator, the principle behind the operation of a radio. Finally, we will explore the operation of integrated circuits using the versatile 555 timer and put it to work in interesting projects like an intrusion alarm and a reflex tester. Time permitting, we will delve into the world of digital electronics by understanding the operation of logic gates and building projects using digital logic and interface it with the analog electronics we have learnt. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Applied Physics | Click for details | 25 | MWF | 870 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Applied Physics closeFor high school students who want to experiment with Newtonian physics prior to beginning their study of calculus. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II/Trigonometry or Integrated Math 3. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 17 and ends July 12.$345 Full course descriptionThis class will explore Newton's laws and its applications in their full generality. We will use cell phone sensors and run experiments from simple materials. Students will collaboratively on both experiments and problem sets and will learn to film experiments in slow motion to capture and analyze events that happen too fast for the eye. We will explore the stability of teeter toys and learn how ubiquitous springs can be used to model solids, as well as working to understand complex forces like air drag. Their work will culminate in a final project of their choice where they will share their findings with a presentation to the class. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Robotics Engineering | Click for details | 24 | MWF | 1190 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Robotics Engineering closeFor high school students with a keen interest in robotics, programming and design. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra I or Integrated Math I. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 24 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Science (D) Tuition Total: $1190 Total with full aid award (estimated): $400 Full course descriptionThis hands-on, project-based robotics class is designed to develop students' creativity, technological savvy, and engineering skills through the process of building, programming and operating robots designed to perform specific tasks/challenges. The course begins with simple experiments involving sensors and motors. More-complicated tasks involve building integrated prototype devices that collect data using sensors, process this data using computer-language code (blockCode, C++, Python), and execute tasks via computer-controlled motorized manipulation of simple machines follow. Students are responsible for developing projects in teams and communicating the reasons why they chose a particular method for achieving their goals. This will be done in various ways, including maintaining an engineering notebook, designing websites/blogs/posters and making presentations. The course fosters cooperative interaction and emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of robotics and the social and real-world application of technical enterprise. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cognitive Neuroscience | Click for details | 25 | TuF | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cognitive Neuroscience closeFor advanced high school students with a strong science background and a keen interest in the human brain. Students study college-level primary source material. Prerequisite: Completion of high school Chemistry, or Biology, or AP Psychology. Applicants must include a report card showing this prerequisite. On site(UC Berkeley campus) Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-8 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionCognitive neuroscientists aim to answer one of the last remaining fundamental questions of science: how does a three-pound lump of organic material—the brain—support such a wide array of functions, such as perception, thinking and reasoning, emotion, movement, and consciousness? In this class we will explore modern theories and applications of adult and developmental neuroscience, along with the research methodologies used by cognitive neuroscientists (e.g., single unit recording, fMRI, EEG, psychophysics) to do answer just these questions. We will use diverse college-level reading materials to introduce key topic areas of the field, including cells and systems, sensation and perception, attention, learning and memory, emotion, and development. An end-of-year project will provide the opportunity to learn how to read and evaluate primary research articles directly from scientists in the field and propose a hypothesis-driven study in an area of interest. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Writing & Literature | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Writing Process |
| 18 | MTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Writing Process closeFor students mastering middle school writing skills and transitioning to high school. Explores various methods of analysis and the stages of writing persuasively. Also offered on-site (UC Berkeley campus). Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours This course is recommended for students completing Grades 7 and 8. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): Exceptionally well-prepared Sixth Graders may apply for this course.$210 Full course descriptionThis course is meant for students who are mastering their middle school writing and analytical skills and transitioning to high school. Students will engage in the full process of writing, including pre-writing, drafting, editing and revising. Emphasis will be placed on drawing evidence and insights from close readings of model literary works and multimedia texts (e.g., film, documentaries, interviews). Students will investigate the many purposes for which authors write and will become purposeful readers and writers. They will also study qualities of good writing, consider how to write persuasively on different topics, and become thoughtful readers and reviewers of their classmates' work. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reading for Creative Writing - Canceled | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reading for Creative Writing closeFor middle school students with a keen interest in fiction and creative writing. Critical reading and varied activities inspire student work. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7 or 8. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis class will focus on reading critically and passionately while fostering creative writing skills. Students will read poetry, short stories, and other works of literature, and write responses to the readings. They will visualize the imagery and explore the themes of literature in relation to their own lives. For more inspiration, class activities may include drawing and art, film, and simple nature explorations. Students will share their insights into the mind of the author and seek to understand their own writing processes. Through improvisation, class discussion, and writing exercises, students will learn to identify and experiment with various narrative techniques. They will develop a portfolio of their own creative writing and may also write one analytic essay that will reflect their growing expertise as readers and writers. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Crafting Effective Essays |
| 20 | MTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Crafting Effective Essays closeFor students developing high school reading and writing skills. Focuses on essay development and revision. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 20 hours This course is recommended for students completing Grades 8 and 9. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:English (B) Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis class will provide a vehicle for students to sharpen their high school level reading and writing skills. Students will mold facts, speculations, beliefs, and opinions into cogent, powerful statements. Through readings, class discussions, and group work, students will learn how to develop arguments to answer complex questions and then support their original claims with sufficient and significant evidence. From carefully constructed paragraphs to complete essays, successive assignments will allow students to investigate different approaches to their writing. Emphasis will be on learning to refine thinking and on improving writing through outlining, editing and rewriting. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Analytical Writing | Click for details | 20 | TuF | 710 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Analytical Writing closeFor students mastering high school writing skills and transitioning to college-level textual analysis. This course is also offered in-person (UC Berkeley campus). Prerequisite: Completion of 1 year of high school English, or permission of the Director. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 20 hours This course is recommended for students completing Grades 9 and 10.
Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:English (B) ‑ UC Honors designation Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis course, taught at the advanced high school level, will allow students to strengthen their analytical reading and writing skills. Students will practice reading with care and will hold meaningful discussions about the texts they study, which may include visual texts as well as written texts. They will learn to incorporate critical thought and deep textual analysis to produce well-organized, well-written, well-developed, and intellectually complex essays. They will perform the stages of writing from clarification of the assignment to final revision, working on research, composition, and editing. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Computer Science | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Computer Science |
| 18 | MWF | 870 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Computer Science closeSolving Problems with PythonFor students new to coding with no computer science experience. Covers fundamental concepts in a semester-equivalent programming course. This course was previously titled Introduction to Programming. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified SD students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts July 1 and ends July 26.$345 Full course descriptionThis course is designed for complete beginners with no previous background in computer science. The course is highly visual, dynamic, and interactive, making it engaging for new coders. This course teaches the foundations of computer science and basic programming, with an emphasis on students developing logical thinking and problem solving skills. In this course students will learn material equivalent to a semester high school introductory course in Computer Science and be able to program in Python. Conditionals, looping, functions and data structures are all covered extensively. The course utilizes a blended classroom approach. The content is fully web-based, with students writing and running code in the browser. Teachers utilize tools and resources to give focused one-on-one attention to students. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Computer Science A | Click for details | 30 | MWF | 1190 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Computer Science A closeFor students who want to master object-oriented programming. Coding experience recommended but not required. Covers the majority of topics in AP Computer Science A in six weeks. With additional self-study and review, students will be prepared to take the AP exam in May. This course was previously titled Programming in Java. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra I or Integrated Math 1 required. Completion of an introductory computer science course recommended. Online Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 30 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $1190 Total with full aid award (estimated): ATDP does not provide AP testing. Students who want to register for the AP CS A test will need to check with high schools in their area.$400 Full course descriptionThis course will introduce students to object-oriented programming in Java. Programming experience is highly recommended; students applying for this course must already feel comfortable with file systems, rules of syntax, and mathematical thinking, particularly the ideas of variables and functions. Students learn about object-oriented structures like classes very early in the course, along with basic Java syntax and graphics. Students will also learn how to process data structures like arrays and lists. Students will use searching and sorting algorithms to create powerful programs. Throughout the course, students will demonstrate their creative skills through various labs and projects that explore advanced applications, such as graphical user interfaces, as well as their ability to write formal documentation. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mathematics | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foundations of Algebra |
| 18 | WF | 710 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Foundations of Algebra closeFor students planning to enter Algebra I or Integrated Math 1 in the fall. Develop problem-solving skills for algebra based on the Common Core approach. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7 or 8. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): Exceptionally well-prepared Sixth Graders may apply for this course.$210 Full course descriptionThis course is designed to strengthen and develop skills that are essential for students who will be entering an Algebra I course in the fall. We will study strategies for problem solving, patterns, graphing, equations, properties, and exponents, with a focus on explaining and justifying our thinking. During the six-week course, we will identify individual student curricular needs and then design instruction to challenge all students in the class. Students will approach problem-solving to be more in tune with their original way of thinking: defining the problem, making predictions and hypotheses, testing assertions, using algebra to generalize from specifics, making conclusions and supporting them with logical arguments. Working with the Common Core Curriculum, student work will entail writing the process of the solution in complete form, thus demonstrating students’ mastery of the curriculum. Community building through mathematical problem-solving will also be a focus of this class with students working in small groups/pairs on problems. This class is for students who have not taken Algebra I. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Algebra I | Click for details | 36 | MWF | 1080 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Algebra I closeFor students planning to enter Geometry in the fall. Complete the full year of Algebra I in six weeks, aligned with Common Core high school standards. Recommended only for students who are seeking acceleration at their school. Prerequisite: Completion of Pre-Algebra, grade of A in current math class, Teacher Referral Form completed by current math instructor, and passing score on placement test. See math application & placement. Online Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 6-10 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 36 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Mathematics (C) Tuition Total: $1080 Total with full aid award (estimated): Accelerated$340 Full course descriptionThis six-week course covers a full year of Algebra I and is aligned with Common Core standards for high school Algebra classes. Topics to be covered include patterns and graphs; writing and solving equations; numeric, geometric, and algebraic ratios; slopes and rates of change; linear functions and graphing; factoring quadratics and other polynomials; systems of linear equations and inequalities; radicals and exponents; rational and irrational numbers; and graphing quadratic functions and finding roots. Students frequently spend eight hours outside of class preparing for each class session. The atmosphere of the class is cooperative; the emphasis is on working together. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Geometry | Click for details | 40 | MWF | 1080 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Geometry closeFor students planning to enter Algebra II/Trigonometry in the fall. Complete the full year of Geometry in six weeks. Recommended only for students who are seeking credit or acceleration at their school. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra I, grade of A in current math class, Teacher Referral Form completed by current math instructor, and passing score on placement test. See math application & placement. Online Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 6-10 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 40 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Mathematics (C) Tuition Total: $1080 Total with full aid award (estimated): Accelerated$340 Full course descriptionThis fast-paced course completes all topics of first-year Geometry: points, lines, planes, and angles; deductive reasoning; parallel lines and planes; congruent triangles; quadrilaterals; inequalities in geometry; similar polygons; right triangles; circles; constructions and loci; areas of plane figures; areas and volumes of solids; coordinate geometry; transformations; and an introduction to trigonometry. Because the course covers a full year of Geometry, students spend at least eight hours outside of class preparing for each class session. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Algebra II/Trigonometry | Click for details | 40 | MWF | 1080 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Algebra II/Trigonometry closeFor students planning to enter Precalculus in the fall. Complete the full year of Algebra II/Trigonometry in six weeks. Recommended only for students who are seeking credit or acceleration at their school. Prerequisite: Completion of Geometry, grade of A in current math class, Teacher Referral Form completed by current math instructor, and passing score on placement test. See math application & placement. Online Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 6-10 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 40 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Mathematics (C) Tuition Total: $1080 Total with full aid award (estimated): Accelerated$340 Full course descriptionThis extremely fast-paced course completes all topics of second-year Algebra with trigonometry: linear functions and relations; systems of linear equations and inequalities; quadratic functions and complex numbers; exponential and logarithmic functions; rational and irrational algebraic functions; quadratic relations and systems; higher degree functions and polynomials; sequences and series; graphing techniques; circular and trigonometric functions; and use of mathematical models for applications and problem solving. Because the course covers a full year of material, students spend a great deal of time outside class preparing for each class session and memorizing trigonometry formulas. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Precalculus | Click for details | 36 | MWF | 1080 | Open | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Precalculus closeFor students planning to enter AP Calculus in the fall. Complete the full year of Precalculus in six weeks. Recommended only for students who are seeking credit or acceleration at their school. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II or Integrated Math III, grade of A in current math class, Teacher Referral Form completed by current math instructor, and passing score on placement test. See math application & placement. Online Course load:Full year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 6-10 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 36 hours Grade requirement:Open to all qualified students. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Mathematics (C) Tuition Total: $1080 Total with full aid award (estimated): Accelerated$340 Full course descriptionThis course guides you through the fundamental ideas that build a foundation for calculus. Topics include elementary functions including inverses and transformations; polynomial and rational functions and their graphs; and exponential and logarithmic functions. We will analyze trigonometric functions and their inverses, identities and equations. We will introduce complex numbers, polar coordinates, conic sections, and vectors. The course will conclude with a preview of calculus topics, including arithmetic and geometric sequences and series, the definition of the limit, and rates of change of functions using the derivative. The course emphasizes collaborative problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and using mathematics to model the real world. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Social Sciences | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exploring Data Science with Python |
| 25 | MW | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exploring Data Science with Python closeFor students who are curious about the burgeoning field of data science, including learning what data science is, finding patterns in data, the math behind it, and what you can do with it.
Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 7, 8 or 9. Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): Students will need to install freely available software onto their computers in order to complete coursework.
$210 Full course descriptionData science is all about patterns, and foundational to learning the skill of analyzing information and communicating results. This course introduces examples of the applications of data science, allowing us to explore the three basics of data science: (1) collecting data, (2) finding patterns in the data, and (3) making decisions from data. Data can be collected using databases, observational data, or conducting surveys. Once the data has been collected, coding is important for statistical analysis and visualizing the data. From there, visualizations should allow data scientists to recognize trends to predict best courses of action for the future. The skills required for data science are programming, statistics, and communication, all of which we will investigate during the course. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Social Psychology |
| 16 | TuTh | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Social Psychology closeIntroduces topics, research methods, and findings in the field of social psychology. College-level texts are used. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 16 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionSocial psychology is the scientific study of the way people think about, feel, and behave in social situations. It involves understanding how people influence, and are influenced by, others around them. A primary goal of this course is to introduce you to the perspectives, research methods, and empirical findings of social psychology. We will use a college-level textbook along with supplementary readings to cover topics including: impression formation, conformity, pro-social behavior, interpersonal attraction, persuasion, stereotyping and prejudice. Equally important is the goal of cultivating your skills for analyzing the social situations and events that you encounter in your everyday lives. Finally, throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on developing critical and integrative ways of thinking about theory and research in social psychology. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philosophy & Critical Thinking |
| 18 | TuF | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philosophy & Critical Thinking closeFor students with a keen interest in philosophy and ethics. Covers introductory topics of philosophy, while exploring the intersection of critical thinking, analytical writing, and logic. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 18 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionThis course is an introduction to the interrelated fields of philosophy and critical thinking. Philosophy is the exploration of the fundamental questions of existence, mind and reality, aiming to reconcile our understanding of things from various domains of inquiry. Philosophers seek to address philosophical problems, such as the problem of free will and the problem of consciousness, and construct philosophical systems that enable us meaningfully to organize our knowledge. Critical thinking is the activity of taking a critical look at our beliefs, and at the method by which we form and justify these beliefs and convey them—in writing, speech and debate—within a community of knowers and inquirers. Critical thinking offers guidance in logic and reasoning, and helps us gain awareness of the ways in which we can be led astray in the search for truth. The study of philosophy and critical thinking provides students with the resources and experience to become deeper and clearer thinkers and more capable writers, learners and researchers. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clinical Psychology |
| 16 | MW | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clinical Psychology closeMental Health Diagnosis, Treatment, and ResearchThis course is for high school students who are interested in delving deep into the topic of clinical psychology. It is appropriate both for students who are new to psychology and for students who are preparing for or have already taken a general psychology or AP psychology course. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-4 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 16 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionClinical psychology is the scientific study of mental illness, abnormal behavior, and psychiatric problems. It involves understanding how to assess, treat, and even prevent psychological distress and promote an individual’s well-being and development. The primary goal of this course is to introduce you to major perspectives, diagnostic criteria, treatments, and empirical findings of clinical psychology. We will use a college-level textbook along with supplementary readings to cover various topics: definitions of abnormality, types of disorders (mood disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder etc.), types of psychotherapies, and resilience. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on developing critical and integrative ways of thinking about the positive and negative consequences of diagnostic labels and the role of culture/social environment on mental health. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data Science Lab with R | Click for details | 26 | MWF | 1030 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Data Science Lab with R closeFor advanced high schoolers who want to explore the intersections of social science, computer science, and statistics. Students should have a basic background in understanding linear regression. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra II/Trigonometry or Integrated Math 3. Prior experience with computer programming is strongly recommended but not required. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-5 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 26 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up; completion of Grade 10 recommended. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designation Tuition Total: $1030 Total with full aid award (estimated): Students will need to install freely available software onto their computers in order to complete coursework.$290 Full course descriptionData science is the practice of extracting knowledge from data in a reproducible fashion and then effectively communicating the results. This course introduces college-level data science concepts, combining three perspectives: (1) inferential thinking, (2) computational thinking and (3) real-world relevance. Given data arising from some real-world phenomenon, how do you analyze that data so as to understand that phenomenon? The course teaches critical concepts and skills in computer programming and statistical inference, in conjunction with hands-on analysis of real-world datasets, using technology platforms common to research teams. The course will also explore social issues surrounding data analysis such as privacy and bias. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Natural Sciences | Prerequisites | Hrs. per week | Available schedules | Total fee | Availability | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Astronomy & Astrophysics | Click for details | 27 | MWF | 800 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Astronomy & Astrophysics closeFor advanced high schoolers with a keen interest in extending fundamental astronomy concepts into an understanding of astrophysics and modern exploration. Requires a strong math background. Prerequisite: Completion of Geometry or Integrated Math II. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 2-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 27 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Science (D) Tuition Total: $800 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts July 1 and ends July 26.$340 Full course descriptionIn this course, students will learn about many of the objects that make up our solar system and surrounding galaxy, as well as some of the physics responsible for the appearance, behavior, and interactions of these objects. Students will gain a quantitative understanding of the movement of celestial objects through the sky and how astronomical tools such as telescopes, astronomical cameras, spectroscopy, space probes, and orbital observatories help gather data to support claims. Topics include interactions of the Earth, Sun, and Moon; Kepler’s Laws and bodies of the solar system; types of stars; nebulae and stellar evolution; discovery of extrasolar planets; galactic structure; and relevant cosmology. Students will utilize authentic astronomical data and interpretation tools using current statistical techniques to establish the identity of objects in our Local Group. This course will include multiple observations of the sun, late-night sky observations, virtual feild trips, and even a potential interview with a practicing astrophysicist. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chemistry: Theory and Practice | Click for details | 25 | TuTh | 870 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chemistry: Theory and Practice closeFor students who want to learn how to read and understand primary science research literature, and to perform quantitative and qualitative lab procedures for high school chemistry. The course will cover a semester's worth of a traditional chemistry course, and will require homework and pre-reading. Prerequisite: Completion of Algebra I or Integrated Math 1. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-6 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 8 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Science (D) Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): Students will receive a supply list for consumables and equipment. These will be household items that can be purchased from grocery stores or pharmacies.$345 Full course descriptionThrough daily lectures, labs, and discussions, we will investigate how chemists describe matter and its changes. Students will develop their writing skills, reading comprehension, and critical thinking through labs, daily news readings, and formative assessments. Lab work will require the application of algebra to solve problems; a strong math background is highly recommended. This course provides a grounding in scientific principles equivalent to the first-semester high school chemistry curriculum which include measurements, significant figures, dimensional analysis, atomic structure, electron configuration, quantum numbers, the periodic table, trends, chemical bonding, chemical compounds, chemical equations, and reactions, and stoichiometry. List of course topics
Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Biotechnology | Click for details | 32 | MWF | 870 | Almost full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advanced Biotechnology closeFor advanced high school students with a keen interest in cutting-edge life science. Prerequisite: Completion of high school Biology AND Algebra I or Integrated Math 1. Applicants must include a report card showing this prerequisite. Background in Chemistry recommended. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 3-7 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 32 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:Science (D) Tuition Total: $870 Total with full aid award (estimated): This course has a four-week schedule. It starts June 17 and ends July 12.$345 Full course descriptionIn this relevant and engaging course, we will explore the essential principles and techniques of molecular biology, which are used to study and manipulate living material. Applications reach far and wide: research, medicine, forensics, and agriculture, to name a few. Students will conduct authentic experiments, involving DNA extraction, PCR, bacterial transformation, gel electrophoresis, antibody testing, genetic manipulation, and so much more! And because the topics from our class are so interdisciplinary in nature, we will engage in several whole class and small group conversations to discuss the social, ethical, political, economic, and psychological implications of biotechnology practices (for example, genetically modified organisms, COVID-19 vaccine development, stem cell research, CRISPR gene editing, disease-gene testing, and designer baby technology). After taking this class, students will feel exceptionally prepared to pursue advanced life science courses in college and beyond. Schedules
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Introduction to Cancer Research | Click for details | 25 | MW | 710 | Full | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction to Cancer Research closeFor advanced high school students with a keen interest in medical research and oncology. Covers both cancer biology fundamentals and recent developments. Prerequisite: Completion of 1 year of high school Biology. Applicants must include a report card showing this prerequisite. Online Course load:Half year equivalent Self-study and homework required: 4-8 hours per class meetingTime commitment per week:Up to 25 hours Grade requirement:For students completing Grade 9 and up. Counts toward UC/CSU A–G requirement:College‑Preparatory Elective (G) ‑ UC Honors designated Tuition Total: $710 Total with full aid award (estimated): $210 Full course descriptionResearchers are working harder than ever to understand the mystery behind the unregulated growth of cells, otherwise known as cancer. They strive daily to develop novel ways to detect and stop the growth of these rogue cells in the body. In this course, key topics of study will include the regulation of cell division, including how cell regulation goes awry in organisms, the metabolic needs of cancer cells, the molecular basis of metastasis or spread of cancer, and how cancer cells escape detection by the immune system. In addition to understanding the basic cell division processes, higher level analytical case studies, experimental data analysis drawn from primary research articles, and genetic pedigree analysis will also be used to augment understanding. An end-of-class project will allow students to explore treatment strategies in use, such as CAR T-cell immunotherapy, and other innovations under development. Students will showcase their understanding of the research methodologies by presenting on a topic of their choice in the field of oncology. Schedules
Please make a selection above This course has more than one schedule available | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hours per Week Estimate
The Hrs. per week column indicates the approximate time commitment per week, including class sessions, homework, and self-study, based on reports from previous years’ students.
×Prerequisites
It is important to note course prerequisites and grade level requirements when you are selecting your course choices, as not all courses are open to all students.
The course is open to students completing the listed grade levels this year. Grades listed in blue are recommended.
If no grade levels are listed, the course has prerequisites in addition to or instead of a grade level requirement; refer to the individual course description for details.
×Explorations Fees
If the Explorations fee has an asterisk, please be aware that this is a reduced amount due to currently being in the Earlybird discount period.
Please see the Explorations calendar for information on when the discount may no longer be available.
×Meeting times
Unless otherwise noted, all AM courses meet 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon and all PM courses meet 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
×Availability updates
ATDP continues to update course availability every day as information changes. Courses can close quickly (or sometimes even reopen) depending on the number of applicants, the maximum size of the class, and whether any students decline their course placement.
Before application postmark deadlines: we project course availability based on the rate of applications for each class.
After the deadlines and before placement decisions are finalized: we project availability based on the number of applications for each class.
After placement decisions are finalized and admissions letters are sent out: we list actual availability based on the current number of enrolled students.
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