Academic Catalog

Consistent with Florida Board of Governors Regulation 8.006,

(1) Undergraduate degree-seeking students initially entering a state university in the 2018-19 academic year through the 2020-21 academic year must demonstrate competency in civic literacy through one of the following options prior to graduation:

1. Successfully passing either POSX041 American Government or AMHX020 Introductory Survey Since 1877. Each of the courses must include the following competencies:
   1. Understanding of the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government.
   2. An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application.
   3. Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government.
   4. An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation and landmark executive actions and their impact on law and society.
2. Achieving the standard score on one of the following mechanisms:

   Assessment or Notation	Standard Score or Minimum Grade
   U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test - Civics  (U.S. history and government) with supplemental questions - Civic Literacy Exam	60
   Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States	3
   Advanced Placement United States History	4
   CLEP American Government	50
   POS X041 American Government	C
   AMH X020 Introductory Survey Since 1877	C
   Official Transcript from a State University System or Florida College  System institution with notation of Civic Literacy met

(2) Undergraduate degree-seeking students initially entering a state university during the 2021-22 academic year and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy by completing a. and b. prior to graduation.

1. Successfully passing either POSX041 American Government or AMHX020 Introductory Survey Since 1877. Each of the courses must include the following competencies and opportunities to engage synchronously in political discussions and civil debates with multiple points of view and to master the ability to synthesize information that informs civic decision-making.
   
   
   1. Understanding the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government.
   2. An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application.
   3. Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government.
   4. An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation and landmark executive actions and their impact on law and society.
      
      
2. Achieving the standard score of 60 on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test - Civics (U.S. history and government) with supplemental questions or the Florida Civic Literacy Examination.
   
   
3. Students may meet both of the competency requirements in 2a. and 2b. through accelerated mechanisms as specified below.
   
   
   1. Students may meet the course requirement in 2a. by successfully passing dual enrollment versions of POSX041 American Government or AMHX020 Introductory Survey Since 1877, or through achieving the standard score on the Cambridge AICE History, CLEP History of the United States II, or the I.B. History exams.
   2. Students may meet both the course requirement in 2a. and the exam requirement in 2b. by achieving a passing score on the Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States, Advanced Placement United States History, or CLEP American Government.
      
      

      Assessment/Notation	Standard Score/ Minimum Grade	Requirement Met
      Advanced Placement Government and Politics: United States	3	Course & Assessment
      Advanced Placement United States History	4	Course & Assessment
      Cambridge AICE History, U.S. History, c.1840-1990 (A-Level)	A-E	Course
      CLEP American Government	50	Course & Assessment
      CLEP History of the United States II: 1865 to Present	50	Course
      Dual Enrollment versions of POSX041 or AMHX020	Passing Grade	Course
      I.B. History: History of America	5-7	Course
      POS X041 American Government	C	Course
      AMH X020 Introductory Survey Since 1877	C	Course
      Official Transcript from a State University System or Florida  College System institution with notation of Civic Literacy met		Course & Assessment

4. Exception: Students who take the United States Government course in high school and earn a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Examination in fall 2021 and thereafter are exempt from the requirement in 2b. above.  
   
   

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is required to satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement?

The Civic Literacy requirement applies to undergraduate degree-seeking students who initially entered a public Florida institution (Florida College System (FCS) or State University System (SUS) institution) for the first time in Fall 2018 or later. SUS students must complete this requirement prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree.

Who is exempt from the Civic Literacy requirement?

• Students who initially entered an FCS or SUS institution prior to Fall 2018.        
• Students who completed an AA degree through Dual Enrollment at an FCS or SUS institution prior to Fall 2018.

What are the options to meet the Civic Literacy requirement at FGCU?

Undergraduate degree-seeking students initially entering a state university in the 2018-19 academic year through the 2020-21 academic year, must complete one of the following:     

• Pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Test with supplemental questions.  At FGCU, this test is called the Civic Literacy Exam.
• Pass the Florida Civic Literacy Examination.
• Earn AP credit for POS 2041.
• Earn AP credit for AMH 2020.                           
• Earn CLEP credit for POS 2041. 
• Earn credit for AMH 2020 in Fall 2018 or later.
• Earn credit for POS 2041 in Fall 2018 or later.

Undergraduate degree-seeking students initially entering a state university during the 2021-22 academic year and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy by completing both a civic literacy course as identified in the BOG regulation 8.006 and either the Civic Literacy Exam or the Florida Civic Literacy Examination.

Will students who previously took the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Civics Test to become U.S. citizens be considered to have satisfied the Civic Literacy requirement?

No. Students who took the USCIS Civics Test to become U.S. citizens will not have met the Civic Literacy requirement.  The requirements of the USCIS test differ from those of the Civic Literacy Exam.

Are dual enrolled students who did not complete an AA degree but took dual enrolled courses prior to Fall 2018 exempt from the Civic Literacy requirement?

No. Courses taken prior to Fall 2018 did not include the competencies required by statute and regulation.

Are students who completed an AA degree at an FCS or SUS institution considered as having satisfied the Civic Literacy requirement?

Only if Civic Literacy was part of the AA requirements.

How will the Civic Literacy requirement display in the FGCU academic transcript?

FGCU academic transcripts will display the comment “Civic Literacy Requirement Decision” with an indicator of Y, N, or Z based on the student’s official academic record at the time of transcript processing.  The following represents the FGCU transcript legend for Civic Literacy requirement.

• Z         Exempt           
• Y         Fulfilled          
• N         Not Fulfilled

Additional Resources

• Florida Statute 1007.25(5)(a)(b)
• BOG Regulation 8.006
• FGCU Testing Center
• FGCU Academic Advising