Important Updates
Updated Example Textbook List
An updated example textbook list is now available on the AP Course Audit website for AP European History. This resource was reviewed by Learning List, an independent instructional materials review service for schools and districts. Learning List's detailed alignment reports and editorial reviews will help you use these materials more effectively.
Updated and New AP History Resources
Teaching and Assessing AP European History and the AP European History course overview modules have been updated to align with the 2017-18 AP history updates. A secure practice exam reflecting the updates is also available on the AP Course Audit site.
2017-18 AP History Updates
Updates to the AP history courses and exams will take effect in the 2017-18 school year and are reflected in the course and exam description available below and in the 2018 rubrics and annotated sample essays on the AP European History exam page. These changes do not require teachers to resubmit their syllabi to the AP Course Audit or attend professional development.
Course Overview
AP European History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university European history course. In AP European History students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in four historical periods from approximately 1450 to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing historical evidence; contextualization; comparison; causation; change and continuity over time; and argument development. The course also provides six themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction of Europe and the world; poverty and prosperity; objective knowledge and subjective visions; states and other institutions of power; individual and society; and national and European identity.
School and district administrators: Considering AP European History for your school or district? Download the course framework (.pdf/2.04MB), for an overview of the course and exam. You can also download a practice exam (.pdf/1.61MB).
Essential Course Resources
-
AP History Disciplinary Practices and Reasoning Skills
See the disciplinary practices and reasoning skills that students need to develop in AP history courses. -
Course Overview Modules for AP European History (Updated for 2017-18)
Take a guided tour of AP European History with a series of video presentations that provide a detailed look at the course framework, the exam, the AP Course Audit process, helpful resources, and more. -
AP European History Course Overview
The two-page Course Overview provides a succinct description of the course and exam.
-
AP European History Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about the course and exam. -
Teacher's Guide
The Teacher's Guide was developed prior to the initial course changes in 2015-16, but still provides helpful tips, sample syllabi, and more.
Course Planning and Pacing Guides
Written by AP teachers, these versatile guides demonstrate a variety of ways to plan and pace the AP European History curriculum across one academic year. Each author presents a host of ideas for activities, resources, and assessments.
-
AP European History Course Planning and Pacing Guide, Gallo (Updated for 2017-18)
This course is taught in a diverse public high school that is both urban and suburban. The teacher gives special focus to developing writing and analytical skills and highlights the importance of differentiated instruction.
-
AP European History Course Planning and Pacing Guide, Barry (Updated for 2017-18)
This course is taught in a public suburban high school where the teacher includes a strong thematic component and guides students to give evidence-based responses.
2015-16 Course and Exam Redesign
The redesigned AP European History course and exam launched in 2015-16. These revisions pre-dated the updates to the AP history courses taking effect in 2017-18. Review the Overview of the 2015-16 Redesign, which was informed by Expert Input and a Higher Education Validation Study for European History.
College Board Store
Find AP European History publications, released exams, and more in the College Board Store.
AP and Higher Education
Higher Education professionals play a key role developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Ed site features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.
This chart shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the AP Credit Policy search.
Meet the current Development Committee for AP European History.