For Students
Civic Literacy Requirement
WHAT IS THE CIVIC LITERACY INITIATIVE?
Beginning with the 2018 Summer B session, Florida legislation (s. 1007.25) requires undergraduate degree-seeking students who enroll in any Florida public college or university to meet the Civic Literacy requirement. This is a degree requirement that must be completed before graduation. There are different requirements based on when you start at an institution, so please review, and discuss any questions with an academic advisor.
Requirements Based on When a Student Starts as a Degree-Seeking Student at a Florida Public College or University*
Cohort 1 - Started Before The 2018 Summer B session: Exempt from the civic literacy requirement
Cohort 2 - Started During 2018 Summer B through 2021 Summer A: Complete the state civic literacy exam OR approved course (or their equivalent)
Cohort 3 - Started Summer B 2021 or later: Complete an approved state civic literacy assessment AND approved course (or their equivalents)
*Out-of-state students and students pursuing an additional bachelor’s degree are NOT exempt from this requirement unless they are in cohort 1.
recent changes effective fall 2024
Due to recent changes in Board of Governors regulation 8.006, there are several changes to the Civics Literacy requirement:
- AMH X010 American History I now counts for the course requirement if completed Fall 2024 or later.
- Accelerated mechanisms used to meet the course and assessment requirements have been updated
- Students entering USF in Fall 2024 must take the Florida Civics Literacy Test if they have not already met the assessment portion of Civics Literacy through one of the allowed acceleration mechanisms.
These changes have been incorporated in the all of the information that follows.
Options for Meeting Civic Literacy requirements**
Course Requirement can be satisfied by: POS 2041 Introduction to American Government, AMH 2010 American History I (completed starting Fall 2024 or later), or AHM 2020 US History since 1877 (completed starting Fall 2018 or later).
Assessment Requirement can be satisfied by: Civic Literacy test (internal in USF; only for students enrolled prior to Fall 2024) or the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FLCE).* Students enrolled in Fall 2024 or later cannot take the USF Civic Literacy test to meet the assessment requirement.
Board of Governors regulation 8.006 permits students to use approved accelerated mechanisms to meet civic literacy requirements. Only the approved options below qualify.
| Accelerated Mechanism | Score Required | Requirement Met |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Placement (AP) Government and Politics: United States | 3 or higher | Course & Assessment |
| Advanced Placement (AP) United States History | 4 or higher | Course & Assessment |
| Cambridge AICE History: U.S. History, c. 1840-1992 (A-level) | A-E | Course only |
| CLEP American Government | 50 or higher | Course & Assessment |
| CLEP History of the United States I (if completed Fall 2024 or after) | 50 or higher | Course & Assessment |
| CLEP History of the United States II: 1865 to present | 50 or higher | Course only |
| Dual Enrollment POSX041 or AMH X020 or AMH X010 (if taken Fall 2024 or later) | Passing Grade | Course only |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) History of the Americas | 5-7 | Course only |
*High School Civic Literacy: Students graduating from Florida public high schools may receive credit for the civic literacy assessment with a passing score (60% or better) on the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FLCE). This must be documented in the student’s official high school transcript and does not exempt students from the course requirement.
**Transfer from Florida public colleges (FCS) or universities (SUS): Students who have fully completed Civic Literacy at a FCS or SUS can receive Civ Lit credit towards their USF degree. Both the exam and course requirement must be documented on the official transcript sent to USF. If only one requirement is complete (the course OR the exam), the student can receive credit for that portion (if documented) but must still complete the remaining requirement at USF to completely satisfy civic literacy.
About the Florida Civic Literacy Test
NOTE: Only students enrolled at USF prior to Fall 2024 can use this test to meet the Civics Literacy assessment requirement.
The University of South Florida offers the Florida Civic Literacy Test online through Canvas free of charge. If a student has not met the assessment portion of Civic Literacy, they will be automatically registered for ORG03439: Civics one week prior to their first semester at USF.
The test spans 100 questions compiled by the Florida Board of Governors covering topics on the institutions and functions of the U.S. government, principles of democratic governance, founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and landmark Supreme Court decisions and their impacts. Study materials for the Civic Literacy Test are available in the Canvas course modules or access the Civic Literacy Library Guide provided by the USF Libraries.
Students must score 60% or higher and are allowed unlimited attempts. Once the student has earned a passing score, the completion will be documented in the Degree Works audit and the student will be automatically unenrolled from the course.
Students in need of accommodations to complete the Civic Literacy Test should contact Student Accessibility Services for assistance.
About the Florida Civics Literacy Test
Students entering the University of South Florida in Fall 2024 or later must take the Florida Civics Literacy Test if they have not already met the assessment portion of Civics Literacy through one of the above mentioned acceleration mechanisms. This is an in-person exam offered through the USF Testing Center on the Tampa Campus. Students can contact the USF Testing Center with questions regarding registering for the test at uc-testing@usf.edu. There will be a proctoring fee.
To register for the exam, click here.
The FCLE can be taken at any public state school that offers the exam. Students who cannot travel to USF Tampa for the exam should inquire at their nearest Florida public state school.
FAQs
Are dual enrollment students exempt from Civic Literacy?
Dual enrollment students are not exempt from Civic Literacy. They can use POS 2041, AMH 2010 (taken Fall 2024 or later), or AMH 2020 dual enrollment courses to satisfy the course portion of the Civic Literacy requirement once enrolled at USF as a degree seeking student.
Will students who previously took the U.S. Naturalization/Citizenship Test to become a U.S. citizen be considered to have satisfied the Civic Literacy requirement?
No. Students who took the U.S. Naturalization/Citizenship Test to become a U.S. citizen will not have met the Civic Literacy requirement, as that process only requires prospective citizens to correctly answer ten (10) questions.
I took a US history (or US political science) course at an out of state school but the Degree Works audit still says I am required to take those courses. Do I have to take the courses again?
Transfer students who believe their American History or American Government course can be used meet the civic literacy course requirement must meet with an academic advisor to request a substitution. You will be required to provide a course syllabus which will be submitted by the advisor to the Office of Undergraduate Studies for review.
Can POSX041, AMHX010 or AMHX020 be used to meet General Education Core Social Sciences requirement and the Civic Literacy course requirement?
Yes but the course must be completed with a grade of "C-" or higher to satisfy both General Education and Civic Literacy. If credit is earned with a grade lower than "C-", the course will only satisfy Civic Literacy course requirement. AMHX010 must be taken Fall 2024 or later to count for either of these requirements.