ATTENTION USAD PARTICIPANTS**:
The U.S. Academic Decathlon® is excited to announce that the overall curricular theme for 2026-2027 is Journeys of Transformation: An Exploration of Travel and Transportation. 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. Click on the STORE tab when you are ready to purchase. Reminder: Curriculum, Practice Tests and other study materials are ordered directly from USAD and not through GAD. Every participating school MUST purchase the curriculum to be eligible to participate.
▪ ART: The art curriculum will explore themes of travel and transportation in art.
▪ ECONOMICS: The economics curriculum will cover fundamental economic concepts, microeconomics, and macroeconomics and will include a thematic section on the economics of transportation.
▪ LITERATURE: The literature curriculum will explore journeys, quests, and travel in literature and will include critical reading, one long work of literature, and selected shorter works. The long work of literature will be The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.
▪ MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will cover general mathematics, geometry, and an introduction to differential calculus.*
▪ MUSIC: The music curriculum will focus on travel and transportation in music.
▪ SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to animal behavior and migration.
▪ SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science topic will be an introduction to human geography and migration.**
* The 2026-27 mathematics curriculum and materials will be the same as were used for the 2023-24 U.S. Academic Decathlon.
** The portion of the social science curriculum that covers human migration will present an introduction to migration patterns and processes and will include historical case studies but does not discuss current issues and policies related to migration.
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
Students will not be permitted to use calculators during any 2026–2027 Academic Decathlon competition events, including mathematics tests. The 2026–2027 Academic Decathlon mathematics tests will only include problems that do not require the use of a calculator.