Course Overview
AP U.S. Government and Politics is an introductory college-level course in U.S. government and politics. Students cultivate their understanding of U.S. government and politics through analysis of data and text-based sources as they explore topics like constitutionalism, liberty and order, civic participation in a representative democracy, competing policy-making interests, and methods of political analysis.
Course and Exam Description
Course Resources
Course Content
This course framework describes the course requirements necessary for student success and specifies what students should know and be able to do. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students for advanced political science coursework and active, informed participation in our constitutional democracy.
The AP U.S. Government and Politics framework is organized into five commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
|
Unit |
Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) |
|
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy |
15%–22% |
|
Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government |
25%–36% |
|
Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights |
13%–18% |
|
Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs |
10%–15% |
|
Unit 5: Political Participation |
20%–27% |
Skills
The AP U.S. Government and Politics framework included in the CED outlines distinct skills that students should practice throughout the year—practices that will help them learn to think and act like political scientists.
|
Skill Category |
Description |
|
1. Concept Application |
Apply political concepts and processes to scenarios in context. |
|
2. SCOTUS Application |
Apply Supreme Court decisions. |
|
3. Data Analysis |
Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics. |
|
4. Source Analysis |
Read, analyze, and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources. |
|
5. Argumentation |
Develop an argument in essay format. |
AP and Higher Education
Higher education professionals play a key role in developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education section 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 Development Committee for AP U.S. Government and Politics.
The AP Program is unique in its reliance on Development Committees. These committees, made up of an equal number of college faculty and experienced secondary AP teachers from across the country, are essential to the preparation of AP course curricula and exams.