When students begin to register for 2018-19 courses next month, they will have new options for core classes in English and science as well as new electives in other subjects.

Program of Studies booklets will be distributed next week. Course registration begins Feb. 5 and continues through Feb. 18.

As an extension of a decision last year to divide the English curriculum into English: Expository Writing or Literary Analysis, the department will offer to juniors English 3: Argument.

Students must have completed English 2: Expository in order to take English 3: Argument. The first part of English 3: Argument will focus on analyzing and assessing of logic and rhetoric in arguments about philosophy and current events. In the later half of the course, students will apply their argumentative skills to literary works.

Second-year science students have had the option to take either Chemistry M or Chemistry C, the former with a focus on math and the latter with a focus on practical applications. For next year, the science department will also split AT Chemistry into AT Chemistry M and AT Chemistry C.

After several years of low enrollment in AP Music Theory, the class will be replaced by Music Theory for the 21st Century Musician. The elective will focus on theory and analysis of 21st century works and will cover a diverse variety of genres.

“The decision was designed to accommodate students who are looking for an advanced music theory course but who are not necessarily interested in the AP curriculum,” Assistant Principal Asra Ahmed said. “The focus on modern music and the broad range of genres will hopefully make the course more interesting to a variety of students.”

The world language department will offer Intensive Spanish, directed at students who have completed graduation requirements for language and are looking to start a new language their junior or senior year that they can continue learning in college. Intensive Spanish does not count as a graduation requirement.

Other changes to the courses offered are new biology electives: Evolution, Biomedical Ethics, and Environmental Science; and the renaming of several art courses to coincide with College Board requirements.