Course Offerings

Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo  AICE English General Paper  

Course Description: The AICE General Paper class encourages students to begin thinking about what is happening around them, their community, the country, and the world. The course asks students to think critically, participate in discussions about issues that are important to humanity, and to learn how to write in a manner that effectively allows them to express arguments, ideas, and opinions in an academic manner. Students will study relevant issues from three main areas: economic, historical, moral, political, and social topics; science, including history, philosophy, ethics, general principles and applications, environmental issues, technology, and mathematical topics; and literature, language, the arts, crafts, and the media.

Content to the Covered: Students who enter the AICE English General Paper course must be prepared to write on a near daily basis. Students will write essays, make presentations, take notes, and participate in class discussions on topics of interest that are happening today, around them, their community, America, and the world. Students will be reading a wide range of texts including newspaper articles, magazine articles and other reading materials selected by them and the instructor. They will form their own opinions, debate their views with the views of their peers or others they may disagree with, and evaluate evidence, ideas, and opinions in order to form their own reasoned conclusions.

Sample AICE exam questions: A common misconception about this course is that it a test of knowledge; it is instead of an assessment of skills. Students are assessed on their ability to 1. communicate in written English, 2. analyze and evaluate information, and 3. select and apply information. The first AICE English General Paper exam gives students 10 different writing prompts where students create an essay-style written response of 500-600 words answering one topic:

Sample topics:

  • How justified are the high salaries and bonuses paid out in some professions?
  • To what extent should a nation try to forget its past?
  • How true is it that most of the pleasurable things in life are bad for you?
  • Should obesity be regarded as a serious health concern?
  • “If we all spoke the same language, the world would be a better place.”  How true is this?
  • How far do you agree that young people usually reject the music enjoyed by their elders?


The second exam asks students to respond to two different sources of reading material. Students may be asked to:

  • summarize information
  • put information into their own words
  • identify key ideas and details
  • make inferences
  • draw conclusions
  • examine options
  • offer opinions


AICE European History  

Course Description: AICE European History class focuses on both a student’s historical knowledge and on the skills required for historical research. Students learn about cause and effect, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and use historical evidence as part of their studies. Students will study the European past to develop an understanding of complex historical events and their significance to modern society. By the end of this course, students will be able to assess different interpretations of an argument, formulate their own ideas about a subject, present clear, logical arguments, and evaluate historical evidence.

Content to the Covered: Students in the AICE European History class will study the key developments that shaped European history from 1789-1939. The class allows students to develop a more holistic understanding of Europe as a region as students study the broad issues of revolution, nationalism, imperialism, war, and totalitarianism. Students will spend the most time on six main themes including The French Revolution, The Industrial Revolution, Nationalism, The “New Imperialism” from 1870-1900, The Russian Revolution, and Totalitarianism between the Wars from 1919-1939.  Students will also explore how conditions and events in Europe during the period of 1870-1914 led to the outbreak of World War I. This class requires students to complete reading of source materials as well as take notes on material and participate in classroom discussions.

Sample AICE exam test questions: The AICE European History exam series is 2 exams (1-hour and 1.5 hours respectively) in which students will answer two source-based questions (three sources will be provided) and two essay questions from a choice of four questions.

The essay question portion of the test allows students to show the depth of their historical understanding.

Sample essay questions include:

  • Why was Louis XVI executed in 1793?
  • How important were the political effects of the Industrial Revolution on Britain and France up to the mid-19th century?
  • Why was Stalin able to establish his dictatorship in Russia?
  • Was Nationalism or Marxism the greater danger to governments before 1914?


The source-based question portion of the test asks students to present an assertion that they will test against given sources and their background knowledge.Students will enter the test with an understanding of how sources may be evaluated.

Sample source-based question: ‘France was more responsible than Germany for the tensions between them from 1870 to 1914.’ Using Sources A–C, discuss how far the evidence supports this assertion.



Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo AICE Psychology  

Course Description: The AICE Psychology class aims to encourage an interest in and appreciation of psychology through an exploration of the ways in which psychology research is conducted, studied, and practiced. The class requires students to review 12 original research studies and offers an opportunity to look at the ways in which psychology has been applied. A wide variety of assessment techniques are used to allow students to show what they know, understand, and are able to do with the information they have learned. The class focuses on the development of psychological research skills as well as the learning of psychological knowledge. In this course, students learn by doing.

Content to the Covered: Students in the AICE Psychology class are expected to be able to write for evidence, evaluation, application, and analysis. The 12 research studies to be examined will allow students to reflect on five key approaches in psychology: cognitive psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, physiological psychology, and the psychology of individual differences. Students will gain knowledge and understanding of approaches to the solution of problems, an ability to analyze evaluate some of the cultural, social, and ethical implications of psychology, and an ability to apply psychological concepts to practical problems and to everyday life.

Sample AICE exam questions: The AICE Psychology exam series contains short answer questions and structured essay response questions.

The short response questions examine students’ knowledge and understanding of the core studies. Questions may be asked about the context of each study, methods used in the studies, participants in the studies, the type of data gathered, or conclusions drawn from the studies.

The structured essay response questions will test students’ ability to make evaluative points about the studies and their ability to see the studies in the wider context of psychological themes. The students will be given three named core studies and they will choose one to analyze.

Sample Short Response Questions:

  • From the study by Loftus and Palmer on eyewitness testimony, briefly describe the quantitative results of the first experiment and suggest one disadvantage of quantitative results.
  • From the study by Bandura, Ross and Ross on aggression, how were the participants matched and why are the participants matched in any study?


The second part of the test consists of structured essay questions. This portion of the test will examine how well candidates can draw out and apply the themes of methods, approaches and perspectives, and issues and debates related to the core studies. Students will be asked to make comparisons and distinctions between a number of the studies as well as place them within the broader context of general debates within psychology.

Sample Questions:

  • Identify and explain two ethical issues in the Freud study on little Hans.
  • Outline two features in the study by Samuel and Bryant (conservation) which caused it to lack ecological validity.


AICE Mathematics  

Course Description: The AICE Mathematics class is designed to help give students a deeper understanding of mathematical principles. Students in this class will also further develop their mathematical skills in order to apply mathematics in the context of everyday situations and in other subjects they may be studying as well as use mathematics as a means of communication. The class requires students to analyze math problems logically and to recognize when and how a situation could be represented mathematically.

Content to the Covered: Students entering the AICE Mathematics class should be ready to learn at a fast-pace. The students in this course typically learn a chapter a week, so this requires students to enter the class with a solid foundation of mathematical skills as well as an ability to learn new skills quickly. The class will focus on many mathematical concepts and topics including quadratics coordinate geometry, circular measure, trigonometry, vectors, differentiation, integration, logarithmic and exponential functions, and the numerical solution of equations.

Sample AICE exam questions: The AS-Level Mathematics test is divided into two parts.

On the first exam, students are given approximately 10 shorter and longer problems to solve on specific topics. Most of the problems require students to combine several of the skills learned during the course of the class.

Sample Questions:

  • In the expansion of (1 + ax)6, where a is a constant, the coefficient of x is −30. Find the coefficient of x3.
  • Find an expression for dy/dx and determine, with a reason, whether the curve has any stationary points.
  • The first term of a geometric progression is 16 and the fourth term is 27/4. Find the sum to infinity of the progression.


In the second exam, students are given approximately 7 shorter and longer problems to solve on specific topics. Most of the problems require students to combine several of the skills learned during the course of the class.

  • Sample Questions:
    • Solve the inequality |x + 1| > |x − 4|.
    • Solve the equation 8 + cot = 2 cosec2, giving all solutions in the interval 0 ≤ ≤ 360.
    • Show that the normal to the curve at Q passes through the point (, 0). [5]


Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo AICE Marine Science  

Course Description:The AICE Marine Science class provides a stimulating introduction to the science of the marine environment. This class concentrates on the scientific study of the sea and its ecosystems. Students will focus on understanding the concepts and on the application of ideas to new contexts as well as on the acquisition of knowledge. This class is meant to foster creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Students who want to study Marine Biology or Environmental Science at the college level or who are planning a career in shipping, fisheries, tourism, or aquaculture would find this class particularly useful.

Content to the Covered:Students entering the AICE Marine Science class should be ready to put the knowledge they gain in class into practice. The AICE Marine Science class places a great emphasis on the understanding and application of concepts and principles. Students will receive a thorough introduction to the study of Marine Science and will study many topics including the scientific method, marine ecosystems and biodiversity, energetics of marine ecosystems, nutrient cycles in marine ecosystems, coral reefs and lagoons, the ocean floor and the coast, physical and chemical oceanography, and the physiology of marine primary producers.

Sample AICE exam questions: The AS-Level Marine Science exam series is divided into two parts.

The first part of the series consists of a number of structured responses of variable lengths.  All of the questions will be based on the content learned in the class.

  • Sample Questions:
    • With reference to the food web, suggest how this may affect the population of fin whales.
    • Explain what is meant by the term ocean current.
    • Suggest three factors which contribute to the erosion of coral reefs.

On the second series of the exam, students are given two data-handling questions and two free-response questions.

  • Sample Questions:
    • Outline a laboratory-based experiment that the researchers could do to test their hypothesis. Your answer should include reference to the control of variables, and the collection of quantitative results.
    • Explain what is meant by the terms population and community.
    • Describe the environmental factors that influence the communities that develop on a sandy shore.
    • Explain how different patterns of erosion and sedimentation give rise to rocky shores and muddy shores.


Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo AICE English Language

Course Description: The AICE English Language course is designed to help students achieve greater fluency, accuracy, and confidence using the English language as it is spoken and in their written communication skills. Students will learn how to improve their use of English in a variety of situations, how to improve their comprehension of a variety of texts and other source materials, how to extract information from texts, how to initiate conversations about literature, and how respond to literary questions both orally and in writing. Students of the AICE English Language course will gain useful skills including the ability to write clearly and persuasively, the ability to use a variety of writing styles for different situations, the ability to analyze a variety of texts, and gain a better understanding of how to use language to inform and persuade others. This class is traditionally taken by juniors after completing AICE English General Paper.

Content to the Covered:Students entering the AICE English Language class should expect to read a variety of texts and novels throughout the school year. Novels including Catch 22, The Awakening, Invisible Man, The Scarlet Letter, The Great Gatsby, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn may be studied, but are subject to change. Students are also expected to participate in class discussions on the texts being read.

Sample AICE exam test questions:The AICE English Language test consists of two parts: Passages for Comment and Composition.

On the Passages for Comment part of the test, each question is based on a passage or passages of text. Each question requires a commentary by the student on the use of language in the passage. Candidates should identify distinguishing features of the passage and comment on aspects such as vocabulary, figurative language, word choice, sentence structure, tone, communication of ideas, and the use of bias and prejudice.

Sample Question:

  • After reading a passage from a ghost story where the spirits of a deceased couple return to the house in which they once lived, students must: write the beginning of the story using a similar style and similar language to the original. Students would then compare the style and language of their piece of writing to the original.


The Composition part of the test is divided into two sections: narrative/descriptive/imaginative writing and discursive/argumentative writing. Each section will offer students a choice of four writing tasks. The students will choose two and then write between 600-900 words for each. Students must show they can write an imaginative piece as well as construct an argument.

Sample Question:

  • A product which you cannot do without is about to go out of existence: the company which makes it is about to cease its production. Write a letter to the company in which you describe the origin and history of your relationship with the product and – most of all – why it is an essential part of your life.
  • ‘She read the text message on her phone. She paused, gasped, and took a very deep breath…’ Continue the story. In your writing, bring out a sense of suspense and tension. (You do not have to complete the story.)


Cambridge Assessment International Education LogoAICE French Language  

Course Description: The AICE French Language class helps students gain the ability to communicate confidently and clearly in French, gain insight into the culture and the contemporary society of France, and apply skills which can be used in other areas of learning such as analysis and memory skills. Students in the class work to learn to speak in both formal and informal French and in conversational situations. The class will help students learn how to improve their use of French in a variety of situations, including how to read texts and other source materials, how to extract information, how to initiate conversations, and how to respond to questions both orally and in writing.

Content to the Covered:Students in the French Language class will study a wide range of topics in the French language including human relationships, family, patterns of daily life, the media, food and drink, law and order, religion, health and fitness, work and leisure, employment, sports, and education. It is recommended that students who wish to enter the AICE French Language class have a minimum of three previous years of instruction in French. Students are required to complete an oral presentation that will be recorded as part of the final exam for this class.

Sample AICE exam test questions:The AICE French Language test consists of three parts: a 20-minute speaking test, a reading and writing test, and an essay test. The entire test, including the questions, is written in French. All responses by students must be in French.

On the speaking portion of the French Language test, students will be asked to give a 3-minute presentation on a selected topic in the language as well as participate in a general conversation and a conversation on a specific topic.

On the reading and writing test, students will answer specific and general comprehension questions on two passages. The test will also ask students to complete a specific task, such as writing a letter, that requires a summary or comparison of issues raised in the two passages.

On the essay test, students will be given a list of five questions from five different topics.  Students will choose one question and write an essay in French of 250-400 words.



Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo AICE United States History

Course Description: AICE U.S. History class focuses on both a student’s historical knowledge and on the skills required for historical research. Students learn about cause and effect, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and use of historical evidence as part of their studies. Students will study the American past to develop an understanding of complex historical events and their significance to modern society. By the end of this course, students will be able to assess different interpretations of an argument, formulate their own ideas about a subject, present clear, logical arguments, and evaluate historical evidence.

Content to the Covered: Students in the AICE U.S. History class will study the history of the United States from 1820-1941. The class focuses on key developments that transformed the United States from an isolated, agrarian society to the world’s leading superpower in terms of economic strength, military power, and political and diplomatic influence as well as their cultural and social impact on other nations. Students will study from four themes including the Origins of the Civil War; Civil War and Reconstruction; The Gilded Age and Progressive Era; and The Great Crash, The Great Depression and the New Deal Policies.

Sample AICE exam test questions:The AICE U.S. History assessment is broken into two exams: A document-based question test and an outline study test.

On the document question exam, candidates answer one two-part document question on one of the options provided. The source-based question asks students to present an assertion that they will test against given sources and their background knowledge. Students will enter the test with an understanding of how sources may be evaluated.

Sample source-based question:

‘The Wilmot Proviso provided the basis for a solution of the sectional issue.’ Using Sources A–E, discuss how far the evidence supports this assertion.

The outline study exam portion of the test ask students to answer two 2-part questions. Both parts of all questions are mandatory, and allows students to show the depth of their historical understanding.

Sample questions include:

  • Assess the main factors involved in the taming of the ‘Wild West’ between 1840 and 1896
  • Explain why in September 1864 Lincoln appeared to be facing defeat in the Presidential elections of that year
  • Analyze the impact of immigration on American social and economic life in the period from 1865 to 1914.


Cambridge Assessment International Education LogoAICE Physics

Course Description:The AICE Physics class is designed to give students a thorough introduction to the study of physics and its scientific methods. Students must develop a knowledge and understanding of scientific facts, laws, definitions, concepts, and theories related to physics, as well as scientific vocabulary, instruments and apparatus used in physics. Students will be able to take information and skills from the class and solve problems related to physics using oral, written, symbolic, graphical, and numerical formats. The class will also place a specific emphasis on lab skills and investigations, as these skills are tested and scored on the AICE Physics end-of-year assessment.

Content to the Covered:The AICE Physics class is an extremely rigorous course that requires students to actively participate in all elements of the course including lecture, note-taking, discussions, and lab practicals. Students in this class need a strong grasp of concepts covered in Pre-AICE chemistry (and pre-AICE physics, preferred), strong math skills (AICE Math I and/or AP Calc AB or BC), and good independent study habits. The syllabus for the course includes work on topics such as general physics, Newtonian mechanics, matter, oscillations and waves, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. The class will incorporate the social, environmental, economic, and technological aspects of physics.

Sample AICE exam test questions:The AICE Physics test consists of three parts, separated into three separate examinations. Students are required to pass all three in order to earn college credit for the course.

The first examination consists of 40 multiple choice questions based on content learning during the class.

Sample Questions:

  • Which definition is correct and uses only quantities rather than units?
  • Which graph shows the variation with time of the velocity of the object?
  • Which row describes the momentum and kinetic energy of the two bodies after the collision?


The second exam contains a number of structured responses of variable lengths. All of the questions will be based on the content learned in the class.

Sample Questions:

  • Distinguish between scalar quantities and vector quantities.
  • Calculate the time to fall 15 m
  • State the variation with time of the acceleration of the raindrop.


The third exam session requires students to complete a lab practical. During the lab practical, students will independently complete an experiment requiring candidates to collect data, plot a graph, and draw conclusions based on those data. On part two of the exam, the experimental method to be followed will be inaccurate, and candidates will be required to evaluate the method and suggest improvements.

Cambridge Assessment International Education LogoAICE Environmental Management 

Course Description:The AICE Environmental Management class is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and how to manage those issues. Students in this class will learn about environmental resources and about the goal of sustainable environmental management. Students will also study a range of case study material which will feature local, regional, and global examples. Through this course, students will gain knowledge of environmental processes and the impact of societies on the environment, the scientific principles that are relevant to sustainability and environmental management, the causes of key issues affecting the environment as well as possible ways of managing these, and the pressures which impact the environment and potential solutions for these pressures.

Content to the Covered:Students entering the AICE Environmental Management class do not need to have studied environmental science or management before taking this class. In this class, students will develop knowledge of Earth’s natural systems, the effects of human activity on these systems, and important environmental problems which face the world today. Students will learn that solutions to environmental issues are not easy to find, recognize that the environment is an important social and political issue, and understand the important role that individuals have in thinking about these issues and considering solutions. Students in the AICE Environmental Management course are required to undertake an environmentally-based research project.

Sample AICE exam test questions:The AICE Environmental Mgt final assessment consists of three parts.

For the first assessment, students will conduct an environmentally-based research project, then write a research report of 1500-2000 words based on the research project. This portion is completed throughout the school year and is graded by their Environmental Management teacher.

On the second part of the exam, students will complete two sections with a focus on the lithosphere and atmosphere. The first portion asks students to provide short answer responses based on sets of data, diagrams, or extracts. The second portion has students choose one essay question from three possibilities.

  • Sample Questions:
    • What is meant by the term natural hazard?
    • Describe and explain the effects that Hurricane Ike had upon the area shown in Fig. 1.3.
    • Assess the contribution that human activity has made to recent changes to the Earth’s climate and weather. Suggest two reasons why solutions to some of the problems, resulting from recent changes to the Earth’s climate and weather, have been difficult to manage.


On the third part of the exam, students will complete two sections with a focus on the hydrosphere and the biosphere. The first section of this part will ask students to provide short answer responses based on sets of data, diagrams, or extracts. The second section of this part will have students choose one essay question from three possibilities.

  • Sample Questions:
    • Giving an example of each term, explain what is meant by biotic and abiotic.
    • With reference to Fig. 1.2 describe three effects that large scale deforestation might have on the ecology of this region of the Amazon Rainforest.
    • Using references, assess the role of two different types of designated areas, such as National Parks or Wildlife Parks, in the conservation of species.


Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo  AICE Global Perspectives

Course Description:The AICE Global Perspectives class prepares students for positive engagement with our rapidly changing world. Students broaden their outlook through the critical analysis and reflection of issues that are of global significance. The AICE Global Perspectives syllabus is based on skills rather than specific content. Students will develop research, thinking, reasoning, and communication skills by analyzing and evaluating arguments and alternative perspectives. The skills gained through this course will enable students to meet the demands of twenty-first century learning and to make a successful transition to study in higher education. Students and parents are advised that AICE Global Perspectives will NOT earn students college credit but is a required course to earn the AICE diploma (which automatically rewards students with the FL Bright Futures Scholarship).

Content to the Covered:The AICE Global Perspectives class enables students to explore issues of global significance and offers opportunities to acquire, develop, and apply skills in critical thinking, research, and communication. Students will learn how to deconstruct and reconstruct arguments by researching global issues and interrogating evidence. Students will reflect on the implications of their research and analysis from a personal perspective and communicate their findings and ideas as reasoned arguments. This is a course that will provide students with an opportunity to develop disciplined and scholarly research skills, develop a critical, questioning approach to information that is often taken for granted, and develop an understanding of key global issues they will face wherever they live and work.

Sample AICE exam test questions:

The AS-Level Global Perspectives test is divided into two parts.

The first part of the test is a written test that consists of compulsory questions based on sources provided with the exam. Students will be required to analyze and evaluate arguments, interrogate evidence, and compare perspectives centered on global issues.

  • Sample Questions for this portion of the test include:

    • Study the given document. Identify two reasons why India’s development will soon be faster than that of China.
    • Summarize the main evidence used to support the argument that India’s development will soon be faster than that of China.
    • How well does the reasoning work in the document provided?


On the second section of the exam, students will explore different perspectives concerning issues of global significance arising from their studies during the course and write an essay based on their research. Essay will be between 1750 and 2000 words and will be written in continuous prose.



Cambridge Assessment International Education Logo AICE Chemistry

Course Description: The AICE Chemistry class is designed to stimulate an interest in chemistry and understand its relevance to society. The class will give students a thorough introduction to the study of chemistry and its scientific methods on a college level. Students will develop an understanding of scientific facts, laws, definitions, concepts, and theories related to chemistry as well as scientific vocabulary, instruments and apparatus used in chemistry. Students will be able to take information gained in class to solve problems related to chemistry using oral, written, symbolic, graphical, and numerical formats. The class will also place a specific emphasis on lab skills and investigations.

Content to the Covered: The AICE Chemistry class is an extremely rigorous course that requires students to actively participate in all elements of the course including note-taking, discussions, and lab practicals. Students in this class need a strong grasp of concepts covered in Pre-AICE chemistry, strong math skills, and good study habits. The syllabus for the course includes topics related to atoms, molecules and stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding, states of matter, chemical energetics, electrochemistry, reaction kinetics, and the periodic table.

Sample AICE exam test questions: The AICE Chemistry test consists of three parts separated into three separate examinations. Students are required to pass all three in order to earn college credit for the course.

The first examination consists of 40 multiple choice questions based on content learning during the class.

Sample Questions:

  • In which change would only van der Waals’ forces have to be overcome?
  • Which statement about acrylic acid is not correct?
  • How many of these primary alcohols contain a chiral carbon atom?


The second exam consists of a number of structured responses of variable lengths.  All of the questions will be based on content learned in the class.

Sample Questions:

  • What is meant by the term enhanced greenhouse effect?
  • Suggest the formula of an aqueous reagent, other than an acid, for reaction 1.
  • Describe, with the aid of a fully labeled diagram, the industrial electrolysis of brine in a diaphragm cell. State what each electrode is made of and show clearly the inlet for the brine and the outlets for the products.


The third exam session requires students to complete a lab practical. During the lab practical, students will independently investigate, through a given experimental protocol, an unknown substance or substances. Candidates are expected to collect data, draw tables to record their observations, to analyze results, and to draw appropriate conclusions. The other question(s) will be quantitative: either volumetric analysis or measurement of some quantity.