LHS Course Guide 2026-2027
Livingston High School
Course Guide
2026 – 2027
30 Robert Harp Drive, Livingston NJ 07039
Course Guide - General Information
How to Use the Course Guide
Livingston High School’s Course Guide is a valuable guide for students, parents and school personnel; it is a complete guide of high school graduation requirements, course offerings, scheduling information, course planning tools and post-secondary planning resources.
- Each content area has described its specific course offerings and highlighted the chief components of each course.
- Planning an individual student's high school program of studies requires a collaborative effort between home and school. The courses that a student pursues in high school should reflect their interests, aspirations and aptitudes. The courses at Livingston High School provide students with many opportunities to meet educational needs. In addition to State, District, college and career requirements, students are encouraged to select courses that will be academically stimulating and personally enriching. All students, parents and school personnel are recommended to use this resource for current and future planning, as well as to access important information about high school opportunities and post-secondary planning.
- Students are encouraged to utilize the detailed information provided in the course guide to be informed of the opportunities and choices they have to take advantage of at Livingston High School. Programs such as Course Preview Day, the transition into high school and post-secondary planning provide students and parents the opportunity to explore student interests and make informed decisions. Many courses have prerequisite or corequisite requirements in order to enroll to ensure that students have been exposed to the required content and skills to find success. Within the Courses of Study section, you will find each content area includes a course description for every course offered at Livingston High School.
IMPORTANT 2026-2027 SCHEDULING DATES
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Courses of Study
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Livingston High School's Business Education courses concentrate on providing students with a well rounded business program with diverse course options. Our department teaches skills and content knowledge applicable for students both in and out of the business world. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit through Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment programs (at Fairleigh Dickinson University or Syracuse University), earn industry certifications for their resume, and partake in extracurricular opportunities through hands-on courses. The courses offered by the LHS Business department satisfy the New Jersey Department of Education 21st Century Life and Career skills graduation requirement. While these are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
The following courses fulfill the Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy graduation requirement:
- Personal Financial Literacy (626)
- Personal Financial Literacy Hybrid (626S)
- Introduction to Business (613)
- Any courses in the Career Internship Program (CIP)
Please visit the LHS Business Department website (linked here) for additional information.
Business Department Full Year Courses
Business Department Semester Courses
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The English Department believes that language is the foundation of all learning and is essential to the acquisition of knowledge in all content areas. Therefore, our mission is to enable students to use language precisely — reading, writing, listening and speaking — in an integrated way. We aim to instill in our students a lifelong appreciation and love for language as readers, writers, and effective communicators in accordance with the NJSLS.
The department is committed to providing a rich language curriculum that enables students to explore, take risks, and create. We are responsible for developing varied activities which foster sensitivity and respect for others, celebrate diversity, and encourage pride in accomplishment.
At each level, courses are dedicated to presenting the knowledge necessary to meet the ever-changing needs of our complex world. Our students must become problem solvers and decision makers. Our curriculum emphasizes the many facets of information processing and provides opportunities for students to use and apply these skills. We encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning and assessment. The development and refinement of language skills will enable students to become productive thinkers who consider ideas from many perspectives, make connections, and transfer and apply knowledge to new situations.
Since the primary goals of an English Language Arts curriculum are recursive in nature, all four units for each grade level have been vertically articulated. In other words, students in each grade level focus on the same units of study; however, each year highlights a specific set of skills and understandings, which scaffold in sophistication. The four thematic “threaded” strands that course through all four years are: Influences on Perception, The Human Condition, Ideal Relationships, and The Emotional Response.
All four units begin with essential questions that are designed to guide students’ thinking. These questions recur throughout the introductions to each unit, at the end of each unit, and before and after the study of each literary selection. Students will have opportunities to revisit these questions in light of new information about a literary period or a new reading or writing experience. All summative assessments will be designed with student understanding and appreciation for the complexity of each of these essential questions.
It should be noted that while each unit in the curriculum is designed with specific targeted areas of attention and skill sets in mind, this is not to say that teachers and students will be limited to only these foci. Since the teaching and learning of English Language Arts is a recursive process, many of these understandings and skills will be revisited, reinforced, and strengthened throughout other times in the school year.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required prerequisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required prerequisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Please visit the LHS English Department website (linked here) for additional information.
English Department Core Courses
English Department Elective Courses
Full Year Courses
English Department Elective Courses
Semester Courses
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Family and Consumer Science
Family and Consumer Science areas of study include: Foods & Nutrition, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Hotel/Restaurant Management, and Child and Adolescent Development. Classes range from half-year to full-year and are designed to provide students with an overview of various areas, skills, and careers related to wellness, nutrition, child development, fashion, and foods/hospitality.
All the courses listed below satisfy the 21st Century Life and Careers graduation requirement (minimum of 5 credits required for graduation). While these are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required prerequisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required prerequisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Please visit the LHS Family and Consumer Science Department website for additional information.
Family and Consumer Science Full Year Courses
Family and Consumer Science Semester Courses
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Health and Physical Education Department
The goal of the health and physical education program is to teach students health literacy and physical literacy so that they acquire the skills, knowledge, attitudes, confidence and competence to live a healthy, active life. Students are scheduled for one marking period of health education and three marking periods of physical education for each year of attendance in high school. Course offerings vary by marking period and grade level and a list of activities is provided below.
Health and physical education are a mandated graduation requirement, and therefore have specific requirements for content units and time allocation. The curriculum is compliant with the NJ Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education and with all corresponding Legislative Statutes. Parents with questions or concerns about topics in the health education program are encouraged to seek out the teacher of record and school administrative team. Any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instruction in health, family life education or disease prevention (HIV) education is in conflict with his/her conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs, shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom. The request for exemption may be found on the department webpage (NJSA 18A:35-4.7).
Please visit the LHS Health and Physical Education Department website for additional information.
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Mathematics Department
The vision of the mathematics standards is focused on achieving one crucial goal:
To enable ALL of New Jersey’s children to acquire the mathematical skills, understandings, and attitudes that they will need to be successful in their careers and daily lives.
Perhaps the most compelling reason for this vision is that all of our children, as well as our state and our nation, will be better served by higher expectations, by curricula that go far beyond basic skills and include a variety of mathematical models, and by programs which devote a greater percentage of instructional time to problem-solving and active learning.
The sequential nature of mathematics requires attention to proper placement. Decisions will be based on student aptitude and demonstrated performance. A detailed analysis of the department’s procedures for placement is available from the department supervisor or the school counselor. All courses are closely aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics. While there are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
The Mathematics Department offers the opportunity for a student to learn different programming languages while at Livingston High School. The Computer Programming course introduces students to Python and other elements of Computer Science and Computer Programming in the 21st Century. The AP Computer Science course explores JAVA.
The department offers several other electives for students, including College Math Seminar, College Algebra and Trigonometry, and Data Science Principles. Students who would like to pursue advanced studies in mathematics can also take AP Statistics, AP Precalculus, AP Precalculus with Intro to Calc BC, AP Calculus AB or BC, and/or Multivariable Calculus.
The department encourages parents to discuss with their child the detailed course sequences provided, to help determine a math course sequence of study that allows for growth over time as his or her skills and interests in mathematics develop.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required pre-requisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Please visit the LHS Math Department website for additional information.
Math Department Core Courses
Mathematics Elective Courses
Full Year Courses
Mathematics Elective Courses
Semester Courses
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Performing Arts Department
The Performing Arts Department offers a full-range of courses to suit every student’s interest and abilities in the study of this art form.
Courses provide opportunities for the study of Music in the areas of musical performance, music theory, music technology, and music appreciation. Ensemble courses such as Band, Orchestra, and Chorus are suitable for students at all levels of proficiency. Music students may study music in greater depth through the Music Theory and AP Music Theory programs. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts are an integral part of all courses offered in the Music Department.
There may be courses where students have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required pre-requisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course. While there are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
Please visit the LHS Performing Arts Department website for additional information.
Performing Arts Department Full Year Courses
Performing Arts Department Semester Courses
Music Department Co-Curricular Activities
Jazz Ensembles, Notations, Chamber Singers, and Chamber Orchestra are offered to qualified students who are enrolled in corresponding courses (Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Chorus, and Orchestra) or any other music course.
When the co-curricular ensemble has a fixed number or limited/balanced seating, priority will be given to qualified students enrolled in the corresponding class ensemble. Please note: Jazz Ensemble seating for piano, bass, and guitar will be open to all students. In all cases, an audition may be required for participation and seating in co-curricular activities.
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Science Department
The need for scientific literacy in today’s increasingly technological world has impacted fundamental reforms in how science is taught, placing a sincere focus on the inquiry and design process. Presidential appeals for excellence in Science, combined with expressions of concern from science educators, have led to national, state, and local initiatives. Based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education, the New Jersey Student Learning Standards - Science (i.e., Next Generation Science Standards) specify that each performance expectation must combine a relevant practice of science or engineering, with a core disciplinary idea and crosscutting concept, appropriate for students of the designated grade level. That guideline is perhaps the most significant way in which the NJSLS - Science differs from prior standards documents.
Disciplinary Core Ideas provide a scope and sequence for learning about the most important scientific concepts in one of four domains: the physical sciences; the life sciences; the earth and space sciences; and engineering, technology and applications of science. The Framework identifies seven crosscutting concepts that bridge disciplinary boundaries, uniting core ideas throughout the fields of science and engineering. The Framework uses the term “practices,” rather than “science processes” or “inquiry” skills for a specific reason: We use the term “practices” instead of a term such as “skills” to emphasize that engaging in scientific investigation requires not only skill, but also knowledge that is specific to each practice. (NRC Framework, 2012, p. 30)
Engaging in the practices of science helps students understand how scientific knowledge develops; such direct involvement gives them an appreciation of the wide range of approaches that are used to investigate, model, and explain the world. Engaging in the practices of engineering, likewise, helps students understand the work of engineers, as well as the links between engineering and science. The actual doing of science or engineering can also pique students’ curiosity, capture their interest, and motivate their continued study; the insights thus gained help them recognize that the work of scientists and engineers is a creative endeavor—one that has deeply affected the world in which they live. Students may then recognize that science and engineering can contribute to meeting many of the major challenges that confront society today, such as generating sufficient energy, preventing and treating disease, maintaining supplies of fresh water and food, and addressing climate change.
The study of science has many components which shape how instruction is provided. Students must know and be able to work with key scientific concepts. They must also be able to apply their knowledge to novel scenarios which ask students to address certain real-world issues by hypothesizing possible solutions, researching and collecting data, evaluating this data and drawing conclusions. Students must now be able to express their knowledge in both written and oral forms. Finally, students must be capable of obtaining and evaluating information using various technological resources.
The New Jersey Department of Education has implemented a comprehensive science assessment given in the 11th grade, which will assess students’ knowledge and skills as addressed in the NJSLS-Science. The graduation requirements for science include one year of laboratory Biology, one year of laboratory Chemistry/Physics/Environmental Science, and a third year of laboratory science. To meet these requirements, students will select an appropriate level of Biology in 9th grade followed by their choice of two of the following courses:
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Environmental Science
- Introduction to Chemistry and Physics
While these are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements. Advanced Placement classes, as well as other science electives, can be taken starting in Grade 10. Students interested in careers in Biotechnology or Health Sciences can also select courses in one of the new Career Pathways. Finally, students in 9th grade who are interested in conducting authentic research can apply for the three-year Science Research Program. Science course offerings aim to provide students with an impressive record of lab sciences for college admissions officers to consider, while, at the same time, affording students the flexibility to choose a course of study that allows them to explore their own interests and fits with their career plans.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required pre-requisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Please visit the LHS Science Department website for additional information.
Science Department Core Courses
Science Elective Courses
Full Year Courses
Science Elective Courses
Full Year Courses
Science Research Program
Science Elective Courses
Semester Courses
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Social Studies Department
The goal of the Social Studies Department at Livingston High School is to study the decisions of the past in order for our students to become responsible citizens and participate in the formation of a better future. Through the study of history, our students will gain insight into the complexities of national and world issues and understand potential consequences of actions. Each phase of our program offers students an extensive knowledge base, critical thinking skills, progressive mastery of oral and written communication, comprehensive geography skills, appreciation of artistic and cultural pursuits, and numerous opportunities to examine and discuss values and ethics of the global community and the American society. In order for our democracy to continue to grow and become more inclusive, we need a participatory, educated, and responsible populace.
The New Jersey Department of Education mandates students receive three core courses in the area of Social Studies. These three courses include one course (5 credits) of World History and two courses (10 credits) of United States History. The department offers these core courses at the CP and Honors level with an Advanced Placement opportunity in US History II. A humanities option is also available for students interested in exploring the interaction between History, Literature and the Arts. While these are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
Beyond the mandatory courses, the department also offers 20 different elective options. These courses explore a variety of topics of interest. Students who are interested in a future involving social studies can investigate a number of career pathways. These courses include both semester and full year terms as well as CP and Advanced Placement levels. The Holocaust and Genocide course provides an opportunity to receive college-credit through a dual enrollment arrangement with Kean University.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required pre-requisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisory approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter the requested course.
Please visit the LHS Social Studies Department website for additional information.
Social Studies Core Courses
Social Studies Elective Courses
Full Year Courses
Social Studies Elective Courses
Semester Courses
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Technology, Design and Engineering Department
Technology, Design, and Engineering (TDE) Department courses provide students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of technology, engineering, design, and innovation. In these courses, students are actively involved in hands-on problem-based situations where they need to design, build, test, and document solutions. Students in all courses are exposed to related careers and the requirements for seeking further study. The department offers courses in the following areas: Engineering and Architecture CAD and Design, Visual/Graphic Communication, Electronics/Robotics, Transportation/Automotive Technology, and Theatre/Woods/Construction Technology.
All the courses listed below satisfy the 21st Century Life & Careers graduation requirement (minimum of 5 credits required for graduation). While these are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
There can be courses where students may have proficiency in the content from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course and has not taken the required pre-requisite at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate his/her comparable proficiencies to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required pre-requisite or department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Please visit the LHS Technology Department website for additional information.
Technology Department Full Year Courses
Technology Department Semester Courses
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Visual Arts Department
The Visual Arts Department offers a full range of exciting courses to suit every student’s interests and abilities. The program offers opportunities for students to explore a variety of media and to learn about art history and master artists. With the exception of the Printmaking course and the Mural Painting & Design course, all courses in this department are full-year offerings and range from the introductory level to Advanced Placement courses.
Prior experience in Art is not a prerequisite for enrollment in many courses offered. Advanced Art students have the opportunity for the exploration of Art in greater depth through advanced course offerings, as well as Advanced Placement for possible college credit. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts are an integral part of all courses in the Art Department. While there are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
Please visit the LHS Art Department website for additional information.
Visual Arts Department Full Year Courses
Visual Art Department Semester Courses
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World Languages Department
All four World Language programs in Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish at Livingston High School are aligned with the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages formulated by ACTFL, the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Courses encompass the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, which address the need to prepare students for an interdependent global environment with a focus on the acquisition of communication skills and cultural competency. Our programs address standard number seven (7). Students are taught and assessed in the three modes of communication: Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational. These indicate progress in a student’s ability to understand, interact with, and produce the target language. While there are the requirements as per the NJDOE for graduation, please consult with your school counselor regarding your post-secondary program goals and specific requirements.
The World Languages Department courses offer a range of exciting topics to suit every student’s interests and abilities. The program offers opportunities for students to explore communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities in different modes and media in the target language. The world languages courses are designed for students who are able to develop language skills at different paces and different ranges of language proficiency levels. The goal of the World Languages programs is to provide different communicative competence level courses to make second language acquisition available for all students.
At times, there can be courses where students may have a language proficiency in the World Language from prior or out-of-school programs or experiences. If a student seeks to enroll in a course, and has not taken the required prerequisite language course at Livingston High School, the student must demonstrate language proficiency to the department supervisor. Students may not enter into a course without successful completion of a required prerequisite assessment for department supervisor approval. Upon supervisor approval, students will be notified if they are permitted to enter into the requested course.
Also offered is a sequence of ESL (English as a Second Language) courses for students whose native language is not English. English Language Learners (ELLs) are administered an English language proficiency exam to determine their eligibility to enroll in ESL courses.
Please visit the LHS World Language Department website for additional information.
Chinese Language Courses
French Language Courses
Italian Language Courses
Spanish Language Courses
English as a Second Language Courses
