MATSEC AM Economics
MATSEC Advanced Matriculation (AM) Economics
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Cheat sheet
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ExploreAbout this exam
Advanced Matriculation (AM) Economics is one of the subject syllabi published by the MATSEC Examinations Board at L-Università ta' Malta, the body that administers matriculation-level examinations in Malta. AM is one of four MATSEC levels - SEC, SEAC, IM and AM - and it sits at the top of that ladder. It suits students at a sixth form or college who need a rigorous, analytical economics qualification before university, or who are strengthening a portfolio for competitive courses. Assessment is by written examination at the end of the course. The syllabus is organised around four strands: basic economic concepts and the market mechanism; microeconomics (consumer and producer theory, market structures); macroeconomics (national income, inflation, unemployment and policy); and international economics with particular reference to the Maltese economy. Expect to work with diagrams, real data and structured essays rather than simple recall. To prepare, download the syllabus PDF for the year of your final assessment - MATSEC states that a syllabus' year is the year in which the final assessment is scheduled - then work through the listed outcomes topic by topic, and practise past papers and marking schemes from the MATSEC site. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with MATSEC or the University of Malta.
What you'll study
About MATSEC AM Economics preparation
What is AM Economics, and who is it for?
AM stands for Advanced Matriculation, the highest of the four MATSEC levels listed by the Examinations Board: SEC, SEAC, IM and AM. AM Economics is a written-examination subject for students who want a demanding, analysis-based economics qualification, usually taken over a sixth-form or college course before applying to university.
Which syllabus version should I download?
Use the one for the year you will actually sit the final assessment. MATSEC states plainly: "A syllabus' year is the year in which the final assessment is scheduled." So a candidate sitting in a given year follows that year's syllabus, not the one they started studying under. The syllabi index lists years from 2011 to 2029.
How many questions are there, and how long is the paper?
The MATSEC syllabi index page publishes only the list of syllabus years and no AM Economics content, so question counts and time allowances cannot be confirmed from it. Open the syllabus PDF for your year of final assessment and read its assessment section. Do not carry forward figures from an older syllabus you find elsewhere.
How hard is AM Economics compared with IM?
AM is the top MATSEC level, so expect the greatest depth: multi-step diagram analysis, evaluation rather than description, and structured essay writing under time pressure. IM-level answers that simply define terms and state one effect will not reach the upper bands. Build the habit of drawing the diagram, labelling it, then explaining the shift and the outcome.
In what order should I study the four strands?
Start with basic concepts and the market mechanism, because supply, demand, elasticity and equilibrium are reused everywhere else. Then take microeconomics, which extends that toolkit to consumer and producer theory and market structures. Macroeconomics follows naturally, and international economics plus the Maltese economy works best last, since it applies both micro and macro reasoning to real data.
Can I retake the examination if I do badly?
Retake and resit arrangements are governed by the MATSEC regulations rather than the syllabi index, which does not state a retake policy. Check the Regulations section of the MATSEC website, or contact the Examinations Board directly at [email protected] or on +356 2340 2814/5/6, before you plan a second attempt.
Why do so many candidates lose marks?
The usual causes are unlabelled or unshifted diagrams, answers that describe instead of analysing, and essays with no judgement at the end. Another common problem is ignoring the Maltese and international application the syllabus asks for, leaving answers purely theoretical. Practise writing timed answers and mark them against the published marking schemes to see where the reasoning breaks down.
Where do past papers and marking schemes come from?
The MATSEC Examinations Board website carries dedicated Past Papers and Marking Schemes and Exemplars sections alongside its syllabi and regulations pages. Work through recent papers for your syllabus year, then read the marking scheme to see how marks are allocated. Pair this with the syllabus outcomes so you can spot topics you have never practised.
Is this page affiliated with MATSEC or the University of Malta?
No. This is independent study material written for candidates searching for AM Economics. It is not produced, endorsed or reviewed by MATSEC or the University of Malta, and it does not replace the official syllabus. Always treat the syllabus PDF for your year of final assessment and the published regulations as the authoritative source for assessment details.