AP Comparative Government and Politics
Course Description:
This one-semester course is aligned with the Advanced Placement curriculum for AP Comparative Government and Politics and is equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course in comparative government and politics. The course uses a comparative approach to examine the political structures; policies; and political, economic, and social challenges of six selected countries: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Students compare the effectiveness of approaches to many global issues by examining how different governments solve similar problems. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments.
Students will enroll in their Michigan Virtual instructor’s AP Classroom. If students intend to take the AP Exam, then they should be enrolled in an Exam Only section of AP Classroom created by their local school personnel. Students will then be enrolled in BOTH the Exam Only AP Classroom associated with their local school AND the online instructor’s AP Classroom associated with Michigan Virtual. Having completed this course, students will be prepared for the AP exam. The course does not include the AP Exam; students can contact their school’s AP Coordinator or the College Board to sign up to take the Exam. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored by personnel at their local school.
Course Details:
| Course Title (District): | AP Comparative Government and Politics | ||||||||||
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| Course Title (NCES SCED) : | AP Comparative Government and Politics | ||||||||||
| Course Provider : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Content Provided By : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Online Instructor Provided By : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Standards Addressed : | CollegeBoard, National Collegiate Athletic Association | ||||||||||
| Alignment Document : | https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRzEiR2wcBjePNI2E4IjQ3wMngUIDHoFoUfTH9mbLeCqOP4FoAidQ0C_FL0We36JMypkWxFVkjas4jx/pubhtml | ||||||||||
| Academic Terms : | Semester | ||||||||||
| NCES SCED Code : 04158 |
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How To Enroll:
| Enrollment Website : | https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/ |
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| Email : | [email protected] |
| Phone : | (888) 889-2840 |
Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.
Additional Course Information:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (888) 889-2840
- Apply political concepts and processes in authentic contexts
- Evaluate and compare political concepts and processes among the course countries (China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom)
- Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics
- Analyze and interpret text-based sources
- Explain how political scientists use data analysis to explain the political behavior of individuals, groups, organizations, and governments
- Develop an argument in essay format
Additional Cost Description:
Required Textbook: Karen Waples, Comparative Government: Stories of the World for the AP Course, 2023 BFW Publishers. ISBN (Digital): 9781319524401 | ISBN (Hardcopy): 9781319443238. For purchasing options, visit Comparative Government: Stories of the World for the AP Course | BFW Publishers.
Course enrollment does not include the AP Exam fees. Students may be responsible for their AP exam fees when registering for the exam with their local school's AP coordinator.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
NSQ National Standards for Quality Online Courses: Fourth Edition (2025)
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| A1: A course overview and syllabus are included in the course. | Fully Met | |
| A2: Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated. | Fully Met | |
| A3: The instructor’s biographical information and information on how to communicate with the instructor are provided. | Fully Met | |
| A4: Learner expectations and policies are clearly stated and readily accessible within the introductory material of the course. | Fully Met | |
| A5: Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided. | Fully Met | |
| A6: Grading policies and practices are clearly defined in accordance with course content learning expectations. | Fully Met | |
| A7: The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered and how to obtain it. | Fully Met | |
| A8: Learners are offered an orientation prior to the start of the course. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| B1: The course objectives or competencies are measurable and clearly state what the learner will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course. | Fully Met | |
| B2: Where applicable, the course content is aligned with accepted state and/or other accepted content standards. | Fully Met | |
| B3: Digital literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. | Fully Met | |
| B4: Supplemental learning resources and related instructional materials are available to support and enrich learning and are aligned with the content delivered. | Fully Met | |
| B5: The course content and supporting materials reflect different perspectives and provide non-stereotypical forms of representation. | Fully Met | |
| B6: The course materials (e.g., textbooks, primary source documents, Open Education Resources “[OER])” that support course content standards are accurate and current. | Partially Met | Continue integrating freely accessible external readings, reports, videos, and other no-cost resources throughout the course. Consider whether a low- or no-cost alternative to the required commercial textbook could provide comparable alignment with the AP curriculum. Replacing the required purchased resource would position the course to meet the Exemplary criteria for this objective. |
| B7: The course is free of adult content and avoids unnecessary advertisements. | Fully Met | |
| B8: Copyright and licensing status for any third-party content is appropriately cited and easily found. | Fully Met | |
| B9: Documentation and other support materials are available to support effective online course facilitation. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| C1: The course design includes activities that guide learners toward promoting ownership of their learning and self-monitoring. | Partially Met | Continue using recurring Let's Practice activities to help learners check their understanding before completing graded assessments. Continue directing learners back to lesson objectives and essential knowledge through Let's Review so they can evaluate their readiness before progressing. Consider adding periodic structured refl ection prompts that ask learners to identify areas of strength or diffi culty, evaluate the strategies they used, and determine specifi c next steps or goals for improving their learning. |
| C2: The course’s content and learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. | Fully Met | |
| C3: The course is organized by units and lessons arranged in a logical sequence. | Fully Met | |
| C4: The course content is appropriate to the reading level of the intended learners. | Fully Met | |
| C5: The course design includes introductory assignments or activities to engage learners within the first week of the course. | Fully Met | |
| C6: The course provides learners with multiple learning paths as appropriate, based on learner needs, that engage learners in a variety of ways. | Partially Met | Continue incorporating varied instructional materials and assessment types, including readings, videos, interactive activities, quizzes, discussions, and written assignments. Continue providing learner choice where appropriate, as demonstrated in the 3.6 Discussion through selection of countries, evidence, and credible sources. Consider expanding structured learner choice across additional modules and assessments by allowing students to select among diff erent ways to engage with content or demonstrate mastery while maintaining the same learning objectives and evaluation expectations. | Consider incorporating adaptive learning strategies that provide support based on learner progress or demonstrated performance. Consider connecting existing progress-monitoring tools to specific responses. Consider documenting how resources are selected and provided in response to learner performance so that adaptive support is intentionally incorporated into the course design rather than dependent primarily on individual instructor intervention. |
| C7: The course provides regular opportunities for learner-learner interaction. | Fully Met | |
| C8: The course design provides opportunities for learner-instructor interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress. | Fully Met | |
| C9: Course instructional materials and resources present content in an effective, engaging, and appropriate manner. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| D1: Learner assessments align with stated course, unit, or lesson-level objectives or competencies. | Fully Met | |
| D2: Valid course assessments measure learner progress toward understanding of content. | Fully Met | |
| D3: Assessment practices provide frequent and varied opportunities for self-monitoring and reflection of learning. | Partially Met | Continue using recurring Let's Practice activities to help learners check their understanding before completing graded assessments. Continue directing learners back to lesson objectives and essential knowledge through Let's Review so they can evaluate their readiness before progressing. Consider adding periodic structured refl ection prompts that ask learners to identify areas of strength or diffi culty, evaluate the strategies they used, and determine specifi c next steps or goals for improving their learning. |
| D4: Assessment materials provide the learner with the flexibility to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. | Partially Met | Continue incorporating varied instructional materials and assessment types, including readings, videos, interactive activities, quizzes, discussions, and written assignments. Continue providing learner choice where appropriate, as demonstrated in the 3.6 Discussion through selection of countries, evidence, and credible sources. Consider expanding structured learner choice across additional modules and assessments by allowing students to select among diff erent ways to engage with content or demonstrate mastery while maintaining the same learning objectives and evaluation expectations. |
| D5: Rubrics that clearly define expectations for varied levels of proficiency are created and shared with learners. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| E1: Course navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient from the learner’s point of view. | Fully Met | |
| E2: The course design facilitates readability. | Fully Met | |
| E3: The course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the variable needs of learners, following Universal Design for Learning principles. | Fully Met | |
| E4: Multimedia in the course is easy to use. | Fully Met | |
| E5: Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| F1: All technologies and tools included for use as part of the course ensure that learner privacy is protected in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy and applicable law. | Fully Met | |
| F2: The course tools further the learning objectives and course competencies. | Fully Met | |
| F3: The course technology allows for customization and personalization. | Not Met | Consider incorporating adaptive learning strategies that provide support based on learner progress or demonstrated performance. Consider connecting existing progress-monitoring tools to specific responses. Consider documenting how resources are selected and provided in response to learner performance so that adaptive support is intentionally incorporated into the course design rather than dependent primarily on individual instructor intervention. |
| F4: The course operates within a platform to score and record assessments and calculate earned course points or grades. | Fully Met | |
| F5: Courses utilize emerging technologies that can enhance the learning experience, prioritizing learners and outcomes. | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| G1: The course uses multiple methods and sources of input for assessing course effectiveness. | Fully Met | |
| G2: The course is regularly reviewed to ensure that the course is current and relevant. | Fully Met | |
| G3: The course is updated on a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness based on the findings from ongoing reviews. | Fully Met |
Review Conducted By: Online Learning Consortium (OLC)
Date of Review:
10/02/2026
Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments
Unit 2: Political Institutions
Unit 3: Political Culture and Participation
Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations
Unit 5: Political and Economic Changes and Development
Unit 6: AP Exam Review and Prep
| Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends | Random Draw Date | Enrollment Drop Date | Course Starts | Course Ends | # of Seats | Course Fee | Potential Additional Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester | 04/01/2026 | 02/05/2027 | 07/01/2026 | 01/29/2027 | 01/15/2027 | 06/04/2027 | 100 | $450 |
| Drop Policy | Completion Policy | Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Michigan Virtual has established that enrollments earning 60% or more of the total course points are considered a course completion. | Semester | 04/01/2026 | 02/05/2027 |
Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.