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
| 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.
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.
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1 Introduction to economics
1 Marlbridge resourceWhat is economics? · How do economists approach the world?
-
2 Microeconomics
4 Marlbridge resources- IB DP Economics: Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium (Unit 2.1-2.3)
- Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium: Practice Questions
- Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium: Revision Notes
- IB Diploma Programme Economics: Syllabus Guide
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)
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3 Macroeconomics
4 Marlbridge resources- IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1-3.3) -- Practice Questions
- IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1–3.3)
- IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1-3.3) -- Revision Notes
- IB Diploma Programme Economics: Syllabus Guide
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
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4 The global economy
1 Marlbridge resourceBenefits 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
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Study Guides
IB DP Economics: Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium (Unit 2.1-2.3)
Demand, supply and competitive market equilibrium -- sub-topics 2.1-2.3 of IB Diploma Programme Economics Unit 2 Microeconomics, the largest single unit in the syllabus, first assessment 2022.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Study Guides
IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1–3.3)
Measuring economic activity, aggregate demand and aggregate supply, and macroeconomic objectives -- sub-topics 3.1-3.3 of IB Diploma Programme Economics Unit 3 Macroeconomics, first assessment 2022.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Revision Notes
IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1-3.3) -- Revision Notes
Condensed SL-level recall notes on measuring economic activity, the AD-AS model, and macroeconomic objectives for IB Diploma Programme Economics, Unit 3 sub-topics 3.1-3.3.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Revision Notes
Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium: Revision Notes
Condensed SL-level recall notes on demand, supply and competitive market equilibrium (sub-topics 2.1-2.3) for IB Diploma Programme Economics.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
-
Study Guides
IB Diploma Programme Economics: Syllabus Guide
The four units of the IB Diploma Programme Economics syllabus -- Introduction to economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and The global economy -- with the real HL-only content marked, for first assessment 2022.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
Revision material
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Revision Notes
IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1-3.3) -- Revision Notes
Condensed SL-level recall notes on measuring economic activity, the AD-AS model, and macroeconomic objectives for IB Diploma Programme Economics, Unit 3 sub-topics 3.1-3.3.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
-
Revision Notes
Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium: Revision Notes
Condensed SL-level recall notes on demand, supply and competitive market equilibrium (sub-topics 2.1-2.3) for IB Diploma Programme Economics.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
Exam preparation
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Practice Questions
IB DP Economics: Measuring and Managing the Economy (Unit 3.1-3.3) -- Practice Questions
Original practice questions with full worked answers on measuring economic activity, the AD-AS model, and macroeconomic objectives, for IB Diploma Programme Economics Unit 3 sub-topics 3.1-3.3.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
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Practice Questions
Demand, Supply and Market Equilibrium: Practice Questions
Original SL-level practice questions with full worked answers on demand, supply and competitive market equilibrium for IB Diploma Programme Economics.
Economics · International Baccalaureate · IB
Economics at other qualifications
These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.
- Cambridge A Level Economics Syllabus 9708
- Cambridge IGCSE Economics Syllabus 0455
- Cambridge O Level Economics Syllabus 2281
- Pearson Edexcel A Level Economics Syllabus YEC11
- Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Economics Syllabus 4EC1
- AQA GCSE Economics Syllabus 8136
- AQA A Level Economics Syllabus 7136
- OCR GCSE Economics Syllabus J205
- OCR A Level Economics Syllabus H460
- OxfordAQA IGCSE Economics Syllabus 9214
- OxfordAQA A Level Economics Syllabus 9640
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