Advanced Placement

What are AP History and Social Sciences?

College Board

  • January 30, 2024

There are nine AP courses that cover history and social sciences including:

If you’re interested in history or human behavior and are considering taking an AP course, learn more below.

 

AP Comparative Government and Politics

In AP Comparative Government and Politics, you’ll learn about the political institutions in the following six countries — China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. You’ll learn how to analyze data and use a variety of readings to draw conclusions about different political systems. Additional skills you’ll learn by taking this course and exam include:

  • Connecting political concepts to real-life situations
  • Comparing different political systems, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors
  • Analyzing data to find patterns and trends and draw conclusions
  • Reading and analyzing text sources
  • Developing a claim or thesis, and explaining and supporting it in an essay

To learn more, visit the AP Comparative Government and Politics course page.

 

AP European History

In AP European History, you’ll study the cultural, economic, political, and social developments throughout Europe from 1450 to the present. Throughout the course, you’ll analyze texts, visual sources and other historical evidence to write essays around historical arguments. Additional skills you’ll learn from taking this course and exam include:

  • Evaluating primary and secondary sources
  • Analyzing the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources
  • Putting historical developments in context and making connections between them
  • Coming up with a claim or thesis, and explaining and supporting it in writing

To learn more, visit the AP European History course page.

 

AP Human Geography

In AP Human Geography, you’ll explore how humans have used and changed the surface of the Earth. Throughout this course and exam, you can also expect to use the tools and thinking processes that geographers use to examine patterns of human population, migration, and land use. Additional skills you’ll learn by the end of the course and exam include:

  • Connecting geographic concepts and processes to real-life scenarios
  • Understanding information shown in maps, tables, charts, graphs, infographics, images, and landscapes
  • Seeing patterns and trends in data and in visual sources such as maps and drawing conclusions from them
  • Understanding spatial relationships using geographic scales

To learn more, visit the AP Human Geography course page.

 

AP Macroeconomics

AP Macroeconomics covers the principles of economics that apply to the entire economic system as a whole. You’ll be able to use graphs, charts and data to analyze, describe, and explain economic concepts. Additional skills you’ll learn by taking this course include:

  • Defining economic principles and models
  • Explaining given economic outcomes
  • Determining outcomes of specific economic situations
  • Modeling economic situations using graphs or visual representations

To learn more, visit the AP Macroeconomics course page.

 

AP Microeconomics

AP Microeconomics focuses on the principles of economics that apply to the behavior of individuals within an economic system. Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to use charts, graphs, and data to analyze and explain economic concepts. By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Define economic principles and models
  • Explain given economic outcomes
  • Determine outcomes of specific economic situations
  • Model economic situations using graphs or visual representations

To learn more, visit the AP Microeconomics course page.

While there are many similarities between AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics, there are a few key differences. To learn more, visit our blog post on The Difference Between AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics.

 

AP Psychology

In AP Psychology, you’ll explore the ideas and theories of behavior and mental processes. You’ll learn the concepts of psychology through the reading and discussion of psychological research studies. Additional skills you’ll gain by the end of the course include:

  • Connecting psychological concepts and theories to real-life scenarios
  • Understanding and interpreting data
  • Analyzing research studies in psychology

To learn more, visit the AP Psychology course page.

 

AP United States Government and Politics

In AP United States Government and Politics, you’ll learn the key concepts and institutions behind the political system and culture of the United States. Throughout this course you’ll study the U.S. Constitution and other documents, as well as work on research or applied civil service projects. Additional skills that you develop throughout this course include:

  • Connecting political concepts to real-life situations
  • Explaining the impact and implications of certain U.S. Supreme Court decisions
  • Analyzing data to find patterns and trends and draw conclusions
  • Reading and analyzing text and visual sources
  • Developing a claim or thesis and supporting it in an essay

To learn more, visit the AP United States Government and Politics course page.

 

AP United States History

In AP United States History, you’ll study the cultural, economic and political developments of the United States c. 1491 to the present. Throughout the course, you explore historical events by analyzing texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence. By the end of the course, you can expect to be able to:

  • Evaluate primary and secondary sources
  • Analyze the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources
  • Put historical developments in context and making connections between them
  • Come up with a claim or thesis and explaining and supporting it in writing

To learn more, visit the AP United States History course page.

 

AP World History: Modern

In AP World History: Modern, you’ll study the cultural, economic and political developments that influenced the world from c. 1200 CE to the present. You can expect to use text, visual sources, and other historical materials to write essays expressing historical arguments. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

  • Evaluate primary and secondary sources
  • Analyze the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources
  • Put historical developments in context and making connections between them
  • Come up with a claim or thesis, and explain and support it in writing

To learn more, visit the AP World History: Modern course page.

 

Visit the AP courses page to learn more about other AP courses and talk to your school counselor about what courses are available at your school and which courses may be right for you.

 

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