Course Descriptions for Financial Literacy

In this section:

  • Financial Literacy

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS – FINANCIAL LITERACY (PDF)

Financial Literacy

CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION

  • 1 credit is required for graduation from the Dubuque Community School District.
  • Credits earned beyond the requirement are automatically counted as Elective credits.

FINANCIAL LITERACY
FIN245

DURATION: semester course
CREDITS: 1
OPEN TO: juniors
PREREQUISITE: none

Financial Literacy is a course designed for all students, whether going straight to work after high school or pursuing a degree. This course will allow students to actively explore timely financial topics personalized to their needs. Topics include: career decisions and income, savings, financial responsibility and money management, consumer awareness of the power of marketing on buying decisions, credit and debt, investments, wealth-building and post-secondary planning, insurance and risk-management, buying, selling, and renting advantages and disadvantages, and real-estate.

COMMENT: All students must take this course during their junior year. This is the only course that meets state requirements for Iowa Core Financial Literacy.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ECONOMICS
SOC531 (Sem 1), SOC532 (Sem 2)

DURATION: year course
CREDITS: 2
OPEN TO: juniors and seniors
NCAA: approved
PREREQUISITE: instructor recommendation

Advanced Placement Economics is designed to acquaint students with the functions performed by the American economic system (Macroeconomics). An additional emphasis will be to prepare students to deal with the principles of economic decision-making by the individual and businesses (Microeconomic). This course is equivalent to an Introductory Principles of Economics course on the college/university level.

In addition, Advanced Placement Economics is designed to prepare students to take the Advanced Placement exams in Economics (Macroeconomics and Microeconomics) in the month of May of each year. Successful completion of these exams will result in college credits for the students. Students may earn college credit depending on the results of the examination.

A unit/thematic approach will be utilized in the teaching of Advanced Placement Economics. The general activities of the class will include lecture/discussion, reading assignments, the use of programmed instruction, doing research work from a variety of sources and appropriate audio-visual items. A seminar setting will be utilized as much as practical to enhance student understanding.

COMMENT: This course meets the state financial literacy requirement with completion of both semesters. When both semesters are taken students receive credit for Financial Literacy and an elective credit.

Alignment to the Iowa Core in Economics Grades 9-12: Understand how universal economic concepts present themselves in various types of economies throughout the world.

Alignment to the Iowa Core in Financial Literacy Grades 9-12: The financial literacy standards promote the goal of financial capability. The standards focus on setting goals, saving and spending, credit and debt, investing, and measuring financial risk.