Civic Literacy Requirement

Effective Fall 2021

All students who enroll at a Florida Public Postsecondary Institution (Florida College System or State University System) after high school are required to demonstrate competency in US Civic Literacy to obtain a degree. 

These competencies include:

  • Understanding of the basic principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government;
  • Understanding of the US Constitution;
  • Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-governance; and
  • Understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on law and society.

As set out in Florida Statute 1007.25, and clarified in Board of Governor’s Regulation 8.006, these competencies must be met in one of the following ways:

  • Completion of AP American History in high school with a score of 4 or higher on the AP exam.
  • Completion of AP American Government in high school with a score of 3 or higher on the AP exam.
  • Completion of the CLEP American Government exam with a score of 50 or higher.
  • Completion of POS 2041 or AMH 2020 at a Florida Public Postsecondary institution along with completion of the Florida Civic Literacy Exam with a score of 60 or higher (taken in High School or at a Florida Public Postsecondary Institution).
  • Completion of A Level AICE US History with a score of A-E on the AICE exam along with completion of the Florida Civic Literacy Exam with a score of 60 or higher (taken in High School or at a Florida Public Postsecondary Institution).
  • Completion of IB History of America with a score of 5-7 on the IB exam along with completion of the Florida Civic Literacy Exam with a score of 60 or higher (taken in High School or at a Florida Public Postsecondary Institution).

Up-to-date information on the Civic Literacy Requirement, including how to take the exam.

Students with an interest in Civic Literacy are encouraged to visit the Bob Graham Center at the University of Florida. The Bob Graham Center was established in 2006 with the goal of creating a community of students, scholars, and citizens who share a commitment to revitalizing the civic culture of Florida and the nation. Former Governor and US Senator Bob Graham founded the center as a place where students can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become informed citizens, with the expressed purpose of strengthening the nation’s democratic institutions. Located in the middle of campus in Pugh Hall, the center stands at the cornerstone of the university’s academic, intellectual, and civic life.
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