Advanced Coursework
Instead of offering AP courses, Beacon offers rigorous semester-long, college preparatory courses for seniors. Extensive research, critical analysis, and writing are required components of the courses. Current offerings of high-interest topics taught by teachers with experience and knowledge in the respective fields are:
Social Studies and History
- NYC In Crisis: The Fiscal Crisis of 1975 and Today
- International Political Economy
- Understanding China (20th Century revolutionary history; Current events; Sino-American relationship)
- The System (an examination of how we evaluate, construct and change legal and governmental systems, through the study of the idea of justice, our criminal and civil legal systems, and the legislative and administrative process.)
- Constitutional Law
- Responding to the Climate Crisis
- Sociology
ELA
- Food Writing
- Existentialism
- Journalism
- French Culture & History
- AP Biology
- AP Physics
- AP Chemistry
- AP Spanish
- AP Calculus
- Fine Arts Honors
- Advanced Digital Film
- Advanced Photography
- Dance Company
- Theatre Arts honors
Through Hunter College and John Jay College, juniors and seniors can participate in the “College Now” program. In “cohort classes” they are placed in college courses with other high school students, and (with more limited spots) they can choose from a wider range of courses alongside college students. Upon successful completion of these courses, students receive both college credit as well as high school credit. In addition to the Hunter and John Jay courses, qualified Beacon juniors and seniors can take courses at NYU or Fordham University, and upon successful completion, they receive high school credit. The following link lists some of the rich variety of courses recently taken by Beacon students.