For those who become familiar with our courses year after year, or for those who are just curious what’s new, here are the major updates to our catalog compared to last year. Links lead to detailed course descriptions, including grade requirements or academic prerequisites.
You can also explore our full catalog.
Elementary Division (current K-6 graders)
Exploring Light and Vision will be offered as an AM course (previously PM).
Secondary Division (current 7-11 graders)
We are excited to offer a variety of brand new in-person SD courses this year! These courses have all been proposed by instructors who are eager to teach in an area of their keen interest.
- Working and Thinking with AI: Sharpen critical thinking for a future shaped by AI. A philosophy class with laptops that explores how AI shapes jobs, policy, and truth. Taught by returning instructor and friend of the program Raymond Yee.
- Applied Statistics with R: Returning instructor Nikita Jayaprakash wanted to complement her Data Science Lab course with an opportunity to practice how data is actually generated through research, ideal for students who are interested in conducting experiments and analyzing data with statistical methods.
- Microeconomics & Behavioral Economics: For high school students who want to understand market structures, economic models, and how human behavior affects decision-making.
- Honors U.S. Government & Politics: Introduces students to the institutions, principles, and processes of the United States government. Culminates in a Mock Supreme Court Oral Argument.
Updates for other SD courses:
- Analytical Writing will once again be offered in person as well as online, barring any unforeseeable mishaps.
- Back-end Architecture (in person) will be offered for the first time, formerly the Web Development survey course, now adapted with a deeper focus on data architecture and foundational web technology. See our web development pathways.
- Due to high demand, this year we are offering an additional afternoon section of Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship (in person).
- After years of popularity in our online program, both Chemistry: Theory and Practice and Advanced Biotechnology will be offered in person in campus labs this year.
- Honors Psychology was offered in-person in 2025; it will be offered online for 2026.
- Due to high demand, this year we are adding an online section of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Additions and changes to the catalog may occur throughout the spring. Stay tuned to our news page for future updates.