The Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities (MVLO) program, a part of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), provides online courses developed both within the state and through online course vendors. The online courses listed below are not courses new to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), but instead are courses offered using online delivery technologies and methods. The following courses have been approved for students to take, outside of the school day, as credit courses. These courses will be available in the Fall of 2007.
AP Art History (MCPS course title is Art History, Advanced Placement A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 10–12 Course description: This is a 36-week course with 28 lessons (depending on course length), each of which takes approximately 1 and ½ weeks. Students will investigate the history of art and the intricacies of composition, color, and presentation. Students begin by studying art of the ancient world and progress through the ancient Near East, Egypt, Aegean, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, and Early Christian art to the art of the Middle Ages.
AP Computer Science A (MCPS course title is Computer Programming 2, Advanced Placement A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 10–12
Prerequisites: Computer Programming I Course description: Computer Science A emphasizes object-oriented programming methodology with an emphasis on problem-solving and algorithm development. It also includes the study of data structures and abstraction, but these topics are not covered to the extent that they are covered in Computer Science AB. This is a one year course and students will be able to take the College Board Computer Science A examination in May. The computer language is Java.
AP English Literature and Composition (MCPS course title is English 12: Literature and Composition, Advanced Placement A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 12
Prerequisites: English 11 Course description: AP English Literature and Composition is a 36 lesson course. Students immerse themselves in novels, plays, poems, and short stories from various periods. Students will read and write daily, using a variety of multimedia and interactive activities, interpretive writing assignments, and class discussions to assess and improve their skills and knowledge. The equivalent of an introductory college-level survey class, this course prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in creative writing, communications, journalism, literature, and composition.
AP Calculus AB (MCPS course title is Calculus AB, Advanced Placement, A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 9–12 Prerequisites: Precalculus A/B
Course description: In AP Calculus A/B, students learn to understand change geometrically and visually by studying graphs of curves, analytically by studying and working with mathematical formulas, numerically by seeing patterns in sets of numbers, and verbally. Instead of simply getting the right answer, students learn to evaluate the soundness of proposed solutions and to apply mathematical reasoning to real-world models. Calculus helps scientists, engineers, and financial analysts understand the complex relationships behind real-world phenomena. The equivalent of an introductory college-level calculus course, AP Calculus A/B prepares students for the AP exam and further studies in science, engineering, and mathematics.
AP Statistics (MCPS course title is Statistics, Advanced Placement, A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 9–12
Prerequisites: Algebra II Course description: AP Statistics is a 36-week course. Statistics gives students hands-on experience collecting, analyzing, graphing, and interpreting real-world data. They’ll learn to design and analyze research studies by reviewing and evaluating real research examples taken from daily life. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP Statistics prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in science, sociology, medicine, engineering, political science, geography, and business.
AP Physics B (MCPS course title is Physics B, Advanced Placement A/B)
Number of credits and course duration: 1.5 credit (2 semesters) Grade level: 9–12
Prerequisites: Physics A/B, Precalculus A/B Course description: AP Physics B is a non-calculus survey course covering five general areas: Newtonian mechanics; thermal physics; electricity and magnetism; waves and optics; and atomic and nuclear physics. Students will gain an understanding of physics’ core principles and then apply them to problem-solving exercises. The equivalent of an introductory college level course, AP Physics B prepares students for the AP Physics B exam and for further study in science and engineering. Students are required to participate in four regionally held hands-on labs each semester. The times and locations of these labs will be scheduled to best meet the needs of the students.
AP Macroeconomics (MCPS course title is Economics, Macroeconomics, Advanced Placement)
Number of credits and course duration: .5 credit (1 semester) Grade level: 11–12
Course description: AP Macroeconomics is an 18-week course and is the equivalent of an introductory, one-semester, college-level Macroeconomics course. Students learn why and how the world economy can change from month to month, how to identify trends in our economy, and how to use those trends to develop performance measures and predictors of economic growth or decline. The equivalent of a 100-level college-level class, this course prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in business, political science, and history.
AP Microeconomics (MCPS course title is Economics, Microeconomics, Advanced Placement)
Number of credits and course duration: .5 (1 semester) Grade level: 11–12
Course description: Microeconomics is an 18-week course and is the equivalent of an introductory, one-semester, college-level Microeconomics course. Students investigate the behavior of individuals and businesses as they exchange goods and services in the marketplace. Students will learn why the same product costs different amounts at different stores, in different cities, and at different times. They’ll also learn to spot patterns in economic behavior and how to use those patterns to explain buyer and seller behavior under different economic conditions. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP Microeconomics prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in business, history, and political science.
AP U.S. Government and Politics (MCPS course title is Government, United States Government and Politics, Advanced Placement)
Number of credits and course duration: .5 credit (1 semester) Grade level: 11–12
Course description: AP U.S. Government and Politics is an 18-week course and is the equivalent to an introductory, one-semester, college-level U.S. government course. Students explore the structure and operations of the U.S. government and the behavior of the electorate and politicians. Students will gain the analytic perspective necessary to critically evaluate political data, hypotheses, concepts, opinions, and processes. They also learn to gather data about political behavior and develop their own theoretical analysis of American politics. The equivalent of an introductory college-level course, AP U.S. Government and Politics prepares students for the AP exam and for further study in political science, law, education, business, and history.
