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International Baccalaureate IB Diploma Programme Economics

Syllabus DP Economics · First assessment 2022 · sourced from International Baccalaureate Organization, Economics guide (Diploma Programme), published February 2020, updated to October 2020, verified 2026-08-22.

  1. 1. Introduction to economics

    • 1.1 What is economics?
    • 1.2 How do economists approach the world?

  2. 2. Microeconomics

    • 2.1 Demand (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 2.2 Supply (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 2.3 Competitive market equilibrium
    • 2.4 Critique of the maximizing behaviour of consumers and producers (HL only)
    • 2.5 Elasticity of demand (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 2.6 Elasticity of supply (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 2.7 Role of government in microeconomics (includes HL-only calculation)
    • 2.8 Market failure -- externalities and common pool or common access resources (includes HL-only calculation)
    • 2.9 Market failure -- public goods
    • 2.10 Market failure -- asymmetric information (HL only)
    • 2.11 Market failure -- market power (HL only)
    • 2.12 The market's inability to achieve equity (HL only)

  3. 3. Macroeconomics

    • 3.1 Measuring economic activity and illustrating its variations
    • 3.2 Variations in economic activity -- aggregate demand and aggregate supply
    • 3.3 Macroeconomic objectives (includes HL-only calculation)
    • 3.4 Economics of inequality and poverty (includes HL-only calculation)
    • 3.5 Demand management (demand-side policies) -- monetary policy (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 3.6 Demand management -- fiscal policy (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 3.7 Supply-side policies

  4. 4. The global economy

    • 4.1 Benefits of international trade (includes HL-only sub-topics and calculation)
    • 4.2 Types of trade protection (includes HL-only calculations)
    • 4.3 Arguments for and against trade control/protection
    • 4.4 Economic integration
    • 4.5 Exchange rates (includes HL-only sub-topic)
    • 4.6 Balance of payments (includes HL-only sub-topics)
    • 4.7 Sustainable development (includes HL-only sub-topic)
    • 4.8 Measuring development
    • 4.9 Barriers to economic growth and/or economic development
    • 4.10 Economic growth and/or economic development strategies