Course Overview

AP Macroeconomics provides students with a college-level introduction to the principles and models that govern the performance of national and global economies. Equivalent to an introductory economics course at the university level, this class examines how economies grow, fluctuate, and respond to policy decisions. Students gain the tools to analyze trends, interpret economic indicators, and understand how government and institutional actions influence employment, inflation, taxation, production, and overall economic health.

Key Learning Focus

Students will:

• Study basic economic concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, and comparative advantage.
• Examine measurement of economic performance, including GDP, inflation, and unemployment.
• Analyze national income and price determination, focusing on aggregate supply and demand.
• Explore fiscal and monetary policy and their impact on economic stability and growth.
• Evaluate the effects of international trade, exchange rates, and globalization on national economies.

Instructional Approach

Instruction combines graphical analysis, real-world data interpretation, simulations, and case studies with AP-style multiple-choice and free-response practice. Students engage in critical discussions about current economic events while applying theoretical models to practical scenarios.

Outcome

By the end of AP Macroeconomics, students will:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply economic models and concepts to analyze national and global economies.
• Interpret economic indicators to assess economic growth and policy effectiveness.
• Understand the role of governments, central banks, and institutions in shaping economic performance.
• Be fully prepared to succeed on the AP® Macroeconomics Exam and for further study in economics, business, political science, or history.

Course Overview

AP Microeconomics introduces students to the principles of economics as they apply to individual decision-makers, households, firms, and markets. Equivalent to a 100-level college course, this class examines how buyers and sellers interact, how resources are allocated, and how market forces shape prices and production. Students explore the effects of scarcity, competition, and government intervention on economic outcomes, gaining the skills to analyze real-world market behavior.

Key Learning Focus

Students will:

• Study basic economic concepts, including scarcity, opportunity cost, and comparative advantage.
• Explore the nature and function of product markets, focusing on supply and demand.
• Analyze factor markets, including labor, capital, and land.
• Examine market structures such as perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly.
• Evaluate the role of government in promoting efficiency, equity, and stability in the economy.

Instructional Approach

The course uses graphs, data analysis, case studies, and AP-style practice questions to help students apply theory to real-world situations. Students investigate why the same product costs different amounts in different contexts and learn to identify patterns in consumer and producer behavior.

Outcome

By the end of AP Microeconomics, students will:

• Apply the economic way of thinking to individual and business decision-making.
• Understand how market forces determine prices, production, and resource allocation.
• Evaluate how government policies affect efficiency and equity in markets.
• Be well prepared for success on the AP® Microeconomics Exam and for further study in economics, business, political science, or history.