Updated for the 2026–27 school year

AP Subjects List 2026–27: Courses, Categories & How to Choose

Advanced Placement offers challenging high-school courses across arts, English, history, math, computer science, sciences, world languages, and the AP Capstone program. This guide gives you the complete established AP subjects list, explains the two new career-focused courses arriving in 2026–27, and helps you build a realistic schedule.

40established academic AP courses and exams

2 newCareer Kickstart courses in 2026–27

1 goala balanced plan that fits your strengths

Important: Your school may offer only part of the catalog, and local prerequisites vary. Always confirm availability, placement rules, and scheduling with your counselor. A long AP list is not automatically better than a focused, manageable one.

Complete list of AP subjects

The College Board's established academic catalog contains 40 courses. The categories below make it easier to compare related options. Course content and exam requirements can change, so use the official course page and your school's approved syllabus as the final authority.

Arts (5)

AP 2-D Art and Design
AP 3-D Art and Design
AP Drawing
AP Art History
AP Music Theory

English (2)

History and social sciences (9)

AP Comparative Government and Politics
AP European History
AP Human Geography
AP Macroeconomics
AP Microeconomics
AP Psychology
AP United States Government and Politics
AP United States History
AP World History: Modern

Math and computer science (6)

AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science A
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Precalculus
AP Statistics

Sciences (7)

World languages and cultures (8)

AP Chinese Language and Culture
AP French Language and Culture
AP German Language and Culture
AP Italian Language and Culture
AP Japanese Language and Culture
AP Latin
AP Spanish Language and Culture
AP Spanish Literature and Culture

AP Capstone (2)

AP Seminar
AP Research

Capstone is a two-course sequence centered on research, evidence, collaboration, and presentation rather than one traditional subject.

Interdisciplinary studies (1)

AP African American Studies

This interdisciplinary course examines the diversity of African American experiences through history, literature, art, geography, science, and other fields.

New AP Career Kickstart courses

For the 2026–27 school year, participating schools can offer AP Business with Personal Finance and AP Cybersecurity. AP Networking is scheduled to become available in 2027–28. Availability will differ by school because these courses are rolling out through the Career Kickstart program.

Course	Main focus	Available
AP Business with Personal Finance	Business decisions, entrepreneurship, markets, money management, and financial choices	2026–27 at participating schools
AP Cybersecurity	Cybersecurity concepts, risk, networks, data protection, and applied problem-solving	2026–27 at participating schools
AP Networking	Network design, operation, troubleshooting, and security foundations	Planned for 2027–28

How to choose the right AP subjects

Start with academic fit, not a target number. The strongest schedule is one in which your course choices make sense together and leave enough time for sleep, extracurriculars, and non-AP classes.

Match the course to your preparation. Review local prerequisites and ask your current teacher whether your reading, writing, math, lab, or language background is ready for the next level.
Connect choices to genuine interests. A prospective engineer might combine calculus, physics, and computer science; a student drawn to public policy might favor government, economics, statistics, and English Language.
Estimate the whole workload. Reading-heavy courses, laboratory courses, portfolio courses, and problem-set courses create different kinds of pressure. Avoid stacking several demanding courses without considering your weekly schedule.
Check the exam and assessment format. Some courses require portfolios, performance tasks, or sustained projects in addition to a final exam.
Research college policies. Credit and placement rules vary by institution and sometimes by major. An AP score can still demonstrate rigor even when a college does not award direct course credit.

AP course recommender

This quick tool suggests a direction, not a final schedule. Use the result as a conversation starter with your counselor.

Your strongest interest

Preferred type of work

Build a balanced AP plan

Question	What to verify
Can I enroll?	Your school's prerequisites, grade-level rules, placement process, and whether the course appears in its Course Audit-approved catalog.
Can I sustain the work?	Weekly reading, assignments, labs or portfolio work, travel and activities, and the deadlines of your other classes.
Does it fit my goals?	Intellectual interest, intended major or career exploration, and whether the course develops skills you want to strengthen.
What happens after the exam?	Likely college credit or placement policies, the score usually required, and whether the credit applies to your intended program.

Study resources for popular AP courses

Once your schedule is set, move from course selection to exam preparation. Start with the official course framework, then use structured notes and timed practice to identify gaps.

Review AP Chemistry Study AP Physics 1 Prepare for AP World History Explore AP European History Learn AP Psychology Estimate an AP score

Official information and dates

Use official sources for decisions that affect enrollment or exam registration. The College Board course-selection guide explains how to evaluate readiness, while the AP Course Audit explains how schools authorize AP course labels. Check the official 2026 AP exam schedule for dates and the Career Kickstart overview for rollout details.

Editorial note: Course availability, exam delivery, and college-credit policies can change. This page was reviewed against official College Board information for the 2026–27 school year. Last reviewed September 21, 2026.