Academic Concentrations
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats
A concentration is an overarching and interdisciplinary focus of study weaving together a series of classes, projects, and Intersession programs. It carries with it the commitment to complete a capstone project within the area of study. The completion of a concentration will be noted on a student’s transcript. Students must indicate their interest and commitment to a Concentration in the spring of their sophomore year as a part of the course request process. Interested students should talk to the specific concentration advisor for more information and guidance. Certain prerequisites must be met to be accepted into the program.
Environmental Stewardship/Climate Justice (ESCJ)
Prerequisites
Courses that fulfill this concentration are listed below (not all are available in the current academic year). Students must take a minimum of two of the following courses:
Other Requirements
- Biology
- Chemistry (any level)
- Physics (any level)
- Precalculus (any level)
Courses that fulfill this concentration are listed below (not all are available in the current academic year). Students must take a minimum of two of the following courses:
- AS American Constitutional Law (three mods)
- AS Environmental Science (three mods)
- AS Statistics (three mods)
- Financial Literacy (three mods)
- Architecture & Environmental Design (three mods)
- Authentic Voices: Documenting & Crafting Compelling but True Stories (three mods)
- CA Natural History (three mods)
- Civic Engagement (three mods)
- Earth Science (three mods)
Other Requirements
-
Students must participate in, or develop, in consultation with the Experiential Curriculum Coordinator and the ESCJ concentration advisor, an environmental themed club. Or, students may assist a faculty member in designing and offering an environmental and/or outdoor education-themed student experience.
-
Students must select one environmental and/or outdoor education-themed Intersession course or a summer research/internship position approved by the Environmental Stewardship advisor.
- Complete a capstone project, which could be an academic research paper on a specific topic of their choice within the area of environmental stewardship/climate justice, a multimedia presentation to the community, or a different in-depth project to be developed with the Environmental Stewardship/Climate Justice advisor.
Global Citizenship
Prerequisites
- 9th grade Humanities
- 10th grade Humanities
- Levels I-IV world language (graduation requirement is level III)
Additional Courses
Courses that fulfill this concentration are listed below (not all are available in the current academic year). Students must take a minimum of two of the following courses:
- African Studies (three mods)
- AS Historiography (three mods)
- Comparative Religions (or AS) (three mods)
- History of Whiteness, Privilege, & Racist Thought (three mods)
- Middle Eastern Studies (three mods)
- Race, Class & Gender in Modern America (three mods)
-
Students must participate in, or develop, in consultation with the Experiential Curriculum Coordinator and the GC concentration advisor, a global issues-themed club program for two quarters of junior year. Or, students may assist a faculty member in designing and offering a global issues-themed student experience.
- Select one study/service abroad Intersession course or a summer study/service program approved by the Global Citizenship advisor.
- Complete a capstone project, which could be an academic research paper on a specific topic of the student's choice within the area of global citizenship, a multimedia presentation to the community, or a different in-depth project to be developed with the Global Citizenship advisor.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math)
Prerequisites
- Biology
- Chemistry (any level)
- Physics (any level)
- Precalculus (any level)
Additional Courses
Courses that fulfill this concentration are listed below (not all are available in the current academic year). Students must take a minimum of two of the following courses:
- Architecture & Environmental Design (three mods)
- AS Statistics (three mods)
- Astronomy (three mods)
- California Natural History (three mods)
- Food Science (three mods)
- Earth Science (three mods)
- Human Anatomy (three mods)
- Intro to Engineering (three mods)
- Intro to Coding & Computer Science (three mods)
- Multivariable Calculus OR Linear Algebra (three mods)
- Any Advanced Studies (AS) STEM Course (three mods)
Other Requirements
- Students must participate in, or develop, in consultation with the Experiential Curriculum Coordinator and the STEM concentration advisor, a STEM or STEM education-themed club. Or, students may assist a faculty member in designing and offering a STEM-themed student experience.
- Select one STEM themed Intersession course or a summer research/internship position approved by the STEM concentration advisor(s).
- Propose and complete a capstone project. Proposals are to be presented to and approved by a committee of the STEM concentration advisor and two additional faculty members or administrators. Once approved, the capstone project may be completed as an independent study, or as part of a culminating summer research program. In both instances, the results of the capstone project are to be presented to the community in a manner to be developed with the STEM concentration advisor.
Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
