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International Baccalaureate · IB Diploma Programme

IB Diploma Programme Economics

Economics for IB Diploma Programme (syllabus DP Economics) — what the qualification covers, and the study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
DP Economics
Qualification
IB Diploma Programme

At a glance

Qualification
IB Diploma Programme Economics
Spec code
DP Economics
Does Marlbridge teach it?
Yes
Are resources available?
Yes — 7 published
Is enrolment open?
Enquire to join — no online enrolment yet
Where was this verified?
2026-08-28, official International Baccalaureate specification

Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official International Baccalaureate specification on 2026-08-28.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.

The qualification

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Economics

IB DP Economics develops a critical understanding of economic theories, models and tools across microeconomics, macroeconomics and the global economy, applied to real-world issues at Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). — International Baccalaureate, official syllabus page

First assessments 2022. This record is sourced from the full subject guide (economics-guide.pdf), originally accessed under a 2026-08-22 owner licensing confirmation, plus the freely-public SL/HL subject briefs. Owner decision 2026-09-05 retired that licensing framing -- no formal IB license is claimed or required. Four content units (common to SL/HL, with HL-only extension material within several units) plus an internal assessment portfolio.

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the International Baccalaureate syllabus page for your examination year.

Assessment structure

Component-based qualification

Assessment components for International Baccalaureate Economics DP Economics
Component Duration Marks Weighting Type
Paper 1: Paper 1 -- Extended Response (Microeconomics or Macroeconomics) (SL) 1h 15m 25 30% Written exam
Paper 2: Paper 2 -- Data Response (The Global Economy) (SL) 1h 45m 40 40% Written exam
Internal Assessment: Internal Assessment -- Portfolio of Three Commentaries (SL) 45 30% Portfolio
Paper 1: Paper 1 -- Extended Response (Microeconomics or Macroeconomics) (HL) 1h 15m 25 20% Written exam
Paper 2: Paper 2 -- Data Response (The Global Economy) (HL) 1h 45m 40 30% Written exam
Paper 3: Paper 3 -- Policy Paper (HL Extension) (HL) 1h 45m 60 30% Written exam
Internal Assessment: Internal Assessment -- Portfolio of Three Commentaries (HL) 45 20% Portfolio

Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-08-28. This record is sourced from the full subject guide (economics-guide.pdf), originally accessed under a 2026-08-22 owner licensing confirmation. Figures below are read directly from that guide's own 'Assessment outline -- SL' and 'Assessment outline -- HL' tables (retrieved via the licensed PDF, cross-checked against the syllabus's assessment-objectives-to-component mapping in the same document). SL: Paper 1 (one extended-response question from a choice on micro- or macroeconomics, 75min, 25 marks, 30%, no calculator); Paper 2 (data-response question set on the global economy, 105min, 40 marks, 40%, calculator permitted); Internal Assessment (portfolio of three commentaries on published news extracts, no fixed sitting duration, 45 marks, 30%, internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB). HL sits the same Paper 1 and Paper 2 (each re-weighted to 20%/30% of the HL total) plus an HL-only Paper 3 (structured, data-based policy paper drawing on the HL extension topics, 105min, 60 marks, 30%, calculator permitted), and the same portfolio Internal Assessment re-weighted to 20%. 'DP Economics' is used as this record's own `code` (there is no separate numeric course code at DP level the way GCSE/A-level boards publish one). First assessed 2022 per the guide's own title page. This is one of only two IB DP subjects (with Physics) originally sourced from the full guide under that 2026-08-22 confirmation; a separate owner decision, also 2026-09-05, retired the licensing framing entirely -- no formal IB license is claimed or required -- and, independently, IB's own freely public specimen exam papers (real, printed mark totals, published separately from the paid subject guides) are a sufficient primary source when paired with the free subject brief, so this licensing route is no longer the only path to a complete record -- see the 8 newly modeled IB DP subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, Language A: Literature, Language B, and both Mathematics courses) built that way. 6 IB DP subject combinations remain without a published assessment record because, as of this check, neither a specimen paper nor the licensed guide is available for them -- 2 are recently revised courses too new to have a public specimen paper yet, 2 are mid-transition to a new specification not yet examined, and 2 have a genuine sourcing or tooling gap -- see that later work's own decision-log entry for the full breakdown.

Assessment FAQs

How is International Baccalaureate Economics (DP Economics) assessed?

International Baccalaureate Economics (DP Economics) is assessed through: Paper 1 (Paper 1 -- Extended Response (Microeconomics or Macroeconomics)) — 1h 15m, 25 marks, 30% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Paper 2 -- Data Response (The Global Economy)) — 1h 45m, 40 marks, 40% of the qualification; Internal Assessment (Internal Assessment -- Portfolio of Three Commentaries) — no fixed duration, 45 marks, 30% of the qualification; Paper 1 (Paper 1 -- Extended Response (Microeconomics or Macroeconomics)) — 1h 15m, 25 marks, 20% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Paper 2 -- Data Response (The Global Economy)) — 1h 45m, 40 marks, 30% of the qualification; Paper 3 (Paper 3 -- Policy Paper (HL Extension)) — 1h 45m, 60 marks, 30% of the qualification; Internal Assessment (Internal Assessment -- Portfolio of Three Commentaries) — no fixed duration, 45 marks, 20% of the qualification. It is a component based qualification. Source: official International Baccalaureate specification, verified 2026-08-28.

The subject

Economics teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All Economics at Marlbridge

Syllabus topics

The 4 topics below are the official subject content of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Economics, for the First assessment 2022 examination series, reproduced from the International Baccalaureate syllabus document.

A topic listed here is part of the syllabus. It does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it — topics with resources are marked. Marlbridge currently has resources for 4 of 4 topics.

  1. 1 Introduction to economics

    1 Marlbridge resource

    What is economics? · How do economists approach the world?

  2. 2 Microeconomics

    4 Marlbridge resources

    Demand (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Supply (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Competitive market equilibrium · Critique of the maximizing behaviour of consumers and producers (HL only) · Elasticity of demand (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Elasticity of supply (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Role of government in microeconomics (includes HL-only calculation) · Market failure -- externalities and common pool or common access resources (includes HL-only calculation) · Market failure -- public goods · Market failure -- asymmetric information (HL only) · Market failure -- market power (HL only) · The market's inability to achieve equity (HL only)

  3. 3 Macroeconomics

    4 Marlbridge resources

    Measuring economic activity and illustrating its variations · Variations in economic activity -- aggregate demand and aggregate supply · Macroeconomic objectives (includes HL-only calculation) · Economics of inequality and poverty (includes HL-only calculation) · Demand management (demand-side policies) -- monetary policy (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Demand management -- fiscal policy (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Supply-side policies

  4. 4 The global economy

    1 Marlbridge resource

    Benefits of international trade (includes HL-only sub-topics and calculation) · Types of trade protection (includes HL-only calculations) · Arguments for and against trade control/protection · Economic integration · Exchange rates (includes HL-only sub-topic) · Balance of payments (includes HL-only sub-topics) · Sustainable development (includes HL-only sub-topic) · Measuring development · Barriers to economic growth and/or economic development · Economic growth and/or economic development strategies

Source: International Baccalaureate Organization, Economics guide (Diploma Programme), published February 2020, updated to October 2020 — First assessment 2022 series. Verified 2026-08-22. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

Study resources

Revision material

Exam preparation

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