AP Macroeconomics

The key document for each AP course is the course and exam description. Start by reviewing it to understand the objectives and expectations of the course and exam.

Download the AP Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description.

Your course must fulfill these requirements.

AP Macroeconomics curricular requirements:

• The students and teacher have access to a college-level macroeconomics textbook.
• The course provides opportunities to develop student understanding of the big ideas.
• The course provides opportunities to develop student understanding of the required content outlined in each of the units described in the course and exam description.
• The course provides opportunities for students to develop the skills in:
  • Skill Category 1: Principles and Models
  • Skill Category 2: Interpretation
  • Skill Category 3: Manipulation
  • Skill Category 4: Graphing and Visuals

AP Macroeconomics resource requirements:

• The school ensures that each student has a college-level macroeconomic textbook (in print or electronic format) for individual use inside and outside the classroom. The textbook is supplemented when necessary to meet the curricular requirements.
• The school ensures that the teacher has a copy of the most recent edition of a college-level macroeconomics textbook or other appropriate materials to support instruction.

The list below represents examples of textbooks that meet the curricular requirements of AP Macroeconomics. The list is not exhaustive and the texts listed should not be regarded as endorsed, authorized, recommended, approved by the College Board. Not using a book from this list does not mean that a course will not receive authorization. Syllabi submitted as part of the AP Course Audit process will be evaluated holistically, with textbooks considered along with supplementary, supporting resources to confirm that the course as a whole provides students with the content delineated in the curricular requirements of the AP Course Audit.

The current editions of the following textbooks meet the AP Course Audit curricular requirements. Earlier editions of these texts or other textbooks not listed here may meet the AP Course Audit curricular requirements if supplemented with appropriate college-level instructional resources. While every effort is made to keep this list current, it can take a few months for newly published titles and revised editions to be reviewed.

For discussions regarding the usefulness of these texts and other teaching materials in the AP Macroeconomics classroom, please consult the AP Macroeconomics Teacher Community.

• Anderson, David, and Margaret Ray. Krugman’s Economics for the AP Course. BFW Publishers/Worth.
• Arnold, Roger A. Economics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Bade, Robin, and Michael Parkin. Foundations of Economics, AP Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• Baumol, William J., and Alan S. Blinder. Economics: Principles and Policy. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Boyes, William, and Michael Melvin. Economics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Case, Karl G., Ray C. Fair, and Sharon Oster. Principles of Economics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• Chiang, Eric. CoreEconomics. New York: Worth Publishers.
• Colander, David C. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Coppock, Lee, and Dirk Mateer. Principles of Macroeconomics. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Co.
• Cowen, Tyler, and Alex Tabarrok, Modern Principles: Economics. New York: Worth Publishers.
• Frank, Robert H., and Ben Bernanke. Principles of Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Gottheil, Fred M. Principles of Economics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Greenlaw, Steven A., and David Shapiro. Principles of Macroeconomics. Houston, TX: OpenStax.
• Gwartney, James D., et al. Economics: Private and Public Choice. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Hall, Robert E., and Marc Lieberman. Economics: Principles and Applications. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning
• Hubbard, R. Glenn, and Anthony Patrick O’Brien. Economics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• Krugman, Paul, and Robin Wells. Economics. New York: Worth Publishers.
• Mankiw, N. Gregory. Principles of Economics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• McConnell, Campbell R., Stanley L. Brue, and Sean Masaki Flynn. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• McEachern, William A. Economics: A Contemporary Introduction. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Miller, Roger LeRoy. Economics Today. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• O’Sullivan, Arthur, Steven Sheffrin, and Stephen Perez. Economics: Principles, Applications, and Tools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
• Parkin, Michael. Economics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
• Rittenberg, Libby, and Timothy Tregarthen. Principles of Economics. Washington, DC: Flat World Knowledge.
• Samuelson, Paul A., and William B. Nordhaus. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Schiller, Bradley R., Cynthia D. Hill, and Sherri L. Wall. The Economy Today. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Sexton, Robert L. Exploring Economics. Mason OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Slavin, Stephen L. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Taylor, John, and Akila Weerapana. Principles of Economics. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
• Tucker, Irvin B. Economics for Today. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

This annotated sample AP Macroeconomics syllabus shows how the curricular requirements can be demonstrated in a syllabus and what level of detail you’ll need to include.

AP Macroeconomics Sample Syllabus 1 (.pdf/341KB)

Review this document for help creating your syllabus.

Syllabus Development Guide: AP Macroeconomics (.pdf/182.06 KB)

This resource includes the guidelines reviewers use to evaluate syllabi along with three samples of evidence for each requirement. This guide also specifies the level of detail required in the syllabus to receive course authorization.