In keeping with Alberta Education's goals and responsibilities to develop and evaluate curriculum and to set standards and assess outcomes, the Ministry is reviewing the status and purpose of social sciences courses as part of the high school curriculum. The present social sciences curriculum was revised in 1985. As part of the social sciences review, a study was authorized to research and explore the current status of courses in Alberta and throughout Canada. This report is organized in five sections: (1) A historical review of the Social Sciences Program of Studies in Alberta illustrating, in part, a need for further assessment and potential fundamental revisions to these programs if retained; (2) An overview of existing high school social sciences programs in other provinces that provides a basis for comparison and supports some of the recommendations in this report; (3) A selective annotated bibliography focusing on research literature that provides support for thinking about issues such as student engagement, high school retention and the relationships with curricular experiences and pedagogic approaches offered by high schools; (4) A proposed re-conceptualization of the social sciences courses in relation to the new Alberta social studies program, contemporary views of learning and curriculum, and the aims and purposes of social sciences/humanities courses in the curriculum; and (5) An account of recommendations that may inform further research, deliberation and decision making. [This paper was prepared for Alberta Education, Curriculum Branch.]