ATTENTION USAD PARTICIPANTS**:
The U.S. Academic Decathlon® is excited to announce that the overall curricular theme for 2025-2026 is The Roaring Twenties. Following is some general information on the topics in each of the subject areas. For information on the current year's curriculum, ordering materials, curriculum updates, etc. please visit usad.org/curriculum. Reminder: Curriculum, Practice Tests and other study materials are ordered directly from USAD and not through GAD.
▪ ART: The art curriculum will offer an introduction to the art of the Jazz Age.
▪ ECONOMICS: The economics curriculum will cover fundamental economic concepts, microeconomics, and macroeconomics and will include a thematic section on the U.S. economy in the 1920s.
▪ LITERATURE: The literature curriculum will present an introduction to the literature of the Jazz Age and will include critical reading, one long work of literature, and selected shorter works. The long work of literature will be The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
▪ MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will provide an overview of algebra and trigonometry.*
▪ MUSIC: The music curriculum will focus on the music of the Jazz Age.
▪ SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to electricity and magnetism.
▪ SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science topic will be the Roaring Twenties.
* The 2025-26 mathematics curriculum and materials will be the same as were used for the 2022-23 U.S. Academic Decathlon.
** USAD requires all participants to purchase the official USAD Curriculum package to participate. If your school is new to USAD or has not participated in the past seven years, please complete the Curriculum Grant Form (available from your State Director).
USAD Calculator Policy - pdf
The 2025-26 Calculator Policy is linked in this section's header. It applies to Rounds 1, 2, & 3 (state) competitions. Calculators will NOT be used at Nationals this year. The Nationals math test is being written so that a calculator will not be needed.