Curriculum Map

AP Macroeconomics

College-level macroeconomics covering economic measurement, national income, monetary and fiscal policy, and international economics. Aligned to the College Board AP Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description.

14 Units

Early Units (Foundation)

Building Skills

Advanced Concepts

Capstone/Synthesis

Basic Economic Concepts

Explore the foundational principles of economics: scarcity, opportunity cost, the production possibilities frontier, and why nations trade based on comparative advantage.

3-4 days

Supply and Demand

Master the market model: how supply and demand interact to set equilibrium prices, how price controls distort markets, and how elasticity measures sensitivity to price changes.

4-5 days

Economic Indicators and Measurement

Learn how economists measure the size and health of an economy through GDP, the price level (CPI), and the unemployment rate — and why each measure matters and what it misses.

3-4 days

National Income and the Circular Flow

Trace money and goods through the circular flow model, calculate GDP using three methods, and understand how national income accounting reveals the structure of an economy.

3-4 days

Aggregate Demand

Build the aggregate demand model, understand why the AD curve slopes downward, identify what shifts it, and analyze the multiplier effect that amplifies initial spending changes.

3-4 days

Aggregate Supply and Macroeconomic Equilibrium

Develop the aggregate supply model in both short-run and long-run forms, understand the sources of macroeconomic shocks, and analyze how the economy self-adjusts toward long-run equilibrium.

4-5 days

Fiscal Policy

Examine how government spending and taxation can stabilize the economy, the debate between discretionary and automatic stabilizers, and the long-run consequences of deficits and national debt.

4-5 days

Money and Banking

Explore the functions and forms of money, how fractional reserve banking creates money through the deposit expansion process, and how the money supply is measured.

3-4 days

Monetary Policy

Understand how the Federal Reserve controls the money supply and interest rates to stabilize the economy, and analyze the mechanism through which monetary policy affects output and prices.

4-5 days

The Phillips Curve

Explore the inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment in the short run, why the long-run Phillips Curve is vertical, and how inflationary expectations destabilize the short-run tradeoff.

3-4 days

The Loanable Funds Market

Model the market for borrowing and lending, understand how the real interest rate is determined, and analyze how government deficits crowd out private investment through the loanable funds market.

3-4 days

Economic Growth

Examine the sources of long-run economic growth — capital accumulation, labor force growth, and technological progress — and analyze why growth rates differ so dramatically across countries.

3-4 days

International Trade

Analyze the gains from international trade based on comparative advantage, examine how tariffs and quotas affect markets and welfare, and understand the balance of payments accounts.

3-4 days

Foreign Exchange and Currency Markets

Understand how currency exchange rates are determined in foreign exchange markets, why currencies appreciate and depreciate, and how exchange rates connect monetary policy, trade, and capital flows.

3-4 days

Learning Progression

This course is designed to be taken sequentially. Earlier units establish foundational concepts that later units build upon. While you can explore units in any order, following the numbered sequence provides the most coherent learning experience.