- Course Type CLEP
- Subject History and Social Sciences
- Level Introductory
- Length 5 Modules
- Video Length 9h 23m
- Reading Pages 465
- Institution Modern States
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Social Sciences and History reviews material drawn from introductory college-level courses in the social sciences and history. The course provides a broad foundation for non-majors, with topics including United States history, Western civilization, world history, economics, geography, and political science.
This is a free, self-paced Modern States course with no prerequisites. It is aligned to the CLEP® Social Sciences and History exam and is designed to prepare you to succeed on the test and earn college credit at no cost.
Modern States originally developed this course in collaboration with Ethan Hawkley, Ph.D. of Wesley College. Stephanie Holyfield supported course enhancements published in 2025.
Course Overview
Social Sciences and History Course Overview - Modern States
| Module | Topic | Video Length | Total pages of required reading |
| Module 1: World History and Western Civilization (20%) 03:27:23 total video length 7+ total reading pages |
1: World History and Western Civilization | 0:05:46 | – |
| 1.1: Pre-Classical Era, 250,000 BP–600 BCE | 0:01:19 | – | |
| 1.1.1: Pre-Classical Era | 0:03:51 | – | |
| 1.1.2: First Civilizations | 0:05:23 | – | |
| 1.2: Classical Era, 600 BCE-600 CE | 0:02:06 | – | |
| 1.2.1: Classical Empires | 0:08:30 | – | |
| 1.2.2: Classical Wisdom Traditions | 0:14:09 | – | |
| 1.2.3: Origins of World Trade | 0:07:42 | – | |
| 1.3: Post-Classical Era, 600–1450 | 0:04:08 | – | |
| 1.3.1: Post-Classical Empires | 0:12:43 | – | |
| 1.3.2: Wisdom Traditions Spread | 0:13:01 | – | |
| 1.3.3: World Trade Expands | 0:09:44 | – | |
| 1.4: Early Modern Era, 1450–1750 | 0:02:21 | – | |
| 1.4.1: Early Modern Empires | 0:14:19 | – | |
| 1.4.2: Origins of Modernity | 0:11:16 | – | |
| 1.4.3: Early Modern Global Trade | 0:12:39 | – | |
| 1.5: Modern Era, 1750–1900 | 0:02:55 | – | |
| 1.5.1: Atlantic Revolutions | 0:10:25 | – | |
| 1.5.2: Industrial Revolution | 0:05:37 | – | |
| 1.5.3: Modern Ideologies | 0:05:19 | – | |
| 1.5.4: European Imperial Expansion | 0:08:18 | – | |
| 1.6: Late Modern Era, 1900–Present | 0:01:26 | – | |
| 1.6.1: World Wars | 0:12:55 | – | |
| 1.6.2: The Cold War | 0:13:39 | – | |
| 1.6.3: Decolonization | 0:12:47 | – | |
| 1.6.4: Globalization | 0:05:05 | – | |
| 1: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 2: US History (40%) 2:25:33 total video length 266 total reading pages |
2: U.S. History | 0:02:10 | – |
| 2.1: Colonial Era and Revolution (1607–1789) | 0:01:11 | – | |
| 2.1.1: Colonial North America | 0:05:43 | 19 | |
| 2.1.2: Colonial North and Colonial South | 0:06:59 | 10 | |
| 2.1.3: Revolutionary Era | 0:07:45 | 14 | |
| 2.2: Early Republic (1789–1850) | 0:01:12 | – | |
| 2.2.1: Launching a New Government | 0:07:56 | 13 | |
| 2.2.2: Westward Expansion | 0:05:27 | 30 | |
| 2.3: Nation Torn Asunder (1850–1877) | 0:01:46 | – | |
| 2.3.1: A House Divided | 0:08:00 | 14 | |
| 2.3.2: The Civil War | 0:06:47 | 17 | |
| 2.3.3: Reconstruction | 0:05:59 | 13 | |
| 2.4: Becoming Modern (1877–1929) | 0:01:59 | – | |
| 2.4.1: The Gilded Age | 0:07:02 | 13 | |
| 2.4.2: The Progressive Era | 0:05:29 | 7 | |
| 2.4.3: Imperialism, Immigration, and War | 0:07:16 | 24 | |
| 2.5: Depression and War (1929–1954) | 0:02:00 | – | |
| 2.5.1: The Great Depression | 0:05:02 | 21 | |
| 2.5.2: World War II | 0:05:58 | 13 | |
| 2.5.3: The Cold War | 0:09:01 | 9 | |
| 2.6: The Long 60’s (1954–1976) | 0:02:06 | – | |
| 2.6.1: Ike, JFK, LBJ, and Nixon | 0:07:47 | 13 | |
| 2.6.2: Proxy Wars | 0:09:30 | 6 | |
| 2.6.3: Civil Rights and Social Movements | 0:07:00 | 10 | |
| 2.7: A New World Order (1976–Present) | 0:01:50 | – | |
| 2.7.1: The End of the Cold War | 0:05:59 | 13 | |
| 2.7.2: Globalization and Terror | 0:06:39 | 7 | |
| 2: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 3: Economics (20%) 00:56:40 total video length 90 total reading pages |
3: Introduction to Economics | 0:07:42 | |
| 3.1: The Economic Problem | 0:07:15 | 6 | |
| 3.2: Supply and Demand | 0:06:45 | 16 | |
| 3.3: Economic Systems | 0:11:17 | 20 | |
| 3.4: The Public Sector in the American Economy | 0:04:22 | 11 | |
| 3.5: Money and Banking | 0:10:47 | 15 | |
| 3.6: The Federal Reserve System | 0:08:32 | 22 | |
| 3: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 4: Geography (20%) 1:05:48 total video length 7+ total reading pages |
4: Introduction to Geography | 0:02:00 | 1+ |
| 4.1: Terms and Maps | 0:06:56 | – | |
| 4.2: Physical Geography | 0:09:09 | – | |
| 4.3: Political Organization of Space | 0:08:45 | – | |
| 4.4: Cultural Geography | 0:08:00 | – | |
| 4.5: Population | 0:05:23 | – | |
| 4.6: Rural Land Use | 0:07:37 | – | |
| 4.7: Urban Land Use | 0:07:09 | – | |
| 4.8: Spatial Interaction | 0:10:49 | – | |
| 4: Summary | – | – | |
| Module 5: Government and Political Science (20%) 01:28:03 total video length 109 total reading pages |
5: Introduction to Government and Political Science | 0:01:30 | – |
| 5.1: Comparative Government and Politics | 0:08:08 | 13 | |
| 5.2: International Relations | 0:08:31 | – | |
| 5.3: The U.S. Constitution | 0:13:35 | 16 | |
| 5.4: U.S. Government Structure | 0:01:02 | 15 | |
| 5.4.1: The Legislative Branch | 0:10:58 | – | |
| 5.4.2: The Executive Branch | 0:08:29 | – | |
| 5.4.3: The Judicial Branch | 0:08:55 | – | |
| 5.4.4: Federal Bureaucracy | 0:07:06 | – | |
| 5.5: U.S. Civil Rights | 0:07:48 | 16 | |
| 5.6: U.S. Elections and Political Parties | 0:05:52 | 30 | |
| 5.7: U.S. Political Culture and Special Interests | 0:06:09 | 19 | |
| 5: Summary | – | – | |
| Course Conclusion | – | – |
